Yantrodharaka Hanuman Temple In Hampi | Yantrodharaka Anjaneya Temple

Dedicated to Lord Hanuman, the Yantrodharaka Hanuman Temple gets its name from the image of Hanuman placed inside an amulet. Hanuman’s position differs from that of any other image of Lord Hanuman found in Hampi. This temple is the second most important shrine dedicated to Lord Hanuman in Hampi.

Yantrodharaka Hanuman Temple, Hampi. Source iMahesh

Quick Facts: Yantrodharaka Hanuman Temple

Main Deity: Lord Hanuman
Best time to Visit: October to March
Temple Timings: Morning and evening
Entry Fee: Free

History of the Yantrodharaka Hanuman Temple

According to some legends, this temple was built where Hanuman and Lord Ram met for the first time. Others believe Sri Vyasaraja used to pray to Lord Hanuman here by drawing an image of him on the rocks.

By the time he finished his prayers, the picture would have disappeared. When this happened for 12 days in a row, he pleaded with Lord Hanuman to appear before him. When the Lord appeared, he asked Sri Vyasaraja to constrain him in a six-sided amulet and build a temple in the area.

The Temple Architecture

The Anjaneya Temple is located on a hill on the banks of the Tungabhadra River. The inner sanctum contains an image of Lord Hanuman enclosed within a hexagonal amulet. Hanuman is depicted in a meditative state. This is a marked deviation from other depictions of Lord Hanuman.

In Hampi, most depictions of Lord Hanuman show him standing with one hand raised and the other on his hip. It is only in this temple that Hanuman appears in a prayer position. In this image, Lord Hanuman’s crown has been formed by his tail.

12 monkeys have been carved around this amulet. They represent the 12 days Sri Vyasaraja prayed to Lord Hanuman. Each monkey holds the tail of the monkey in front of him but is facing backwards. Seed syllables have also been carved around the amulet.

Other Things to See

Within the temple is another small temple devoted to Lord Ram. This lends credibility to the legend that Hanuman met Lord Ram here.

Just ahead of the temple is a fig tree. At the foot of this tree are a number of snake-stones which are used as places of snake worship.

A short climb ahead of the Temple is another small temple dedicated to an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

How to Reach Yantrodharaka Hanuman Temple

By Air

The nearest airport is Jindal Vijaynagar Airport (VDY) at Toranagallu, about 35 km from Hampi, served by Alliance Air and Star Air with flights to Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Ballari’s own airport has no scheduled passenger flights. For wider connectivity, Hubballi Airport (about 165 km) and Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru (about 350 km) are the practical alternatives.