The Saraswati Temple is situated in the district of Bellary in Hampi. Hampi is at the heart of the city Vijayanagara, which is in a dilapidated state. Hampi is a hugely renowned site, and it is registered as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO.
The temple is mostly in ruins now but has its old world charm. The shrine, sanctum, canopy and the pavilions are better in condition than the rest of the structure. Beautiful sculptures are still found on the pillars. The crawling baby Krishna’s carving is seen on the tower of the temple. The temple is devoted to goddess Saraswati who is the goddess of intelligence, understanding, knowledge and wisdom.
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The Hampi ruins are sprawled in its nature and hence taking a map of the area is always beneficial. Carrying a map helps in better chalking out of the local itinerary. It is difficult to cover the entire sites of Hampi in a few days stay. There are detailed sitemaps that are displayed by the Archaeological Survey of India near the monuments in Hampi.
Saraswati Temple Architecture
This temple was built during the 13th century in Vijayanagar style and is located nearby an octagonal bath in the midst of the ruins. If the tourists are inquisitive enough then they might take a closer look at the pillars which expose plasterwork on their stone pillars with some remains of stucco images. The art and architecture of the temple can be well understood if the visitor can walk towards the path between the canal and the temple.
Goddess Saraswati is idolized and worshiped as the goddess of wisdom, knowledge and literary aspects in the Indian mythology. She has four hands, each of which holds different things. One hand has a book that represents the Vedas; one has prayer beads of pearl that signify spirituality; one holds a pot containing holy water and another one has a musical instrument Veena epitomizing fine art.
There is an enthralling rock near the temple having an image of the goddess carved on it. Around this rock, there is a shrine which is painted with beautiful bright colours. This gives an indication that the temple was built to honour the goddess. Glimpses of the history of Hampi can be known if a visitor travels to the Saraswati temple.
Saraswati Temple, Hampi. Image courtesy Utsavullas33
How to Reach Saraswati Temple, Hampi
By Air
The nearest international airport to reach Hampi is Bellary which is 350 kms away. Tourists can reach Hampi very comfortably by taking a taxi or cab from Bellary.
By Rail
The nearest railway station from Hampi is Hospet at a distance of around 13 km. Hospet is well connected to most major cities like Bangalore and Bellary. Tourists may hire a cab to reach Hampi from Hospet.
By Bus
Travelers can reach Hampi by bus and cabs from major cities like Bangalore, Bellary, and Mangalore