Krishna Temple Hampi

As the name suggests, the Krishna temple is dedicated to lord Krishna. The main shrine of the temple had an extremely beautiful idol of Balkrishna(lord Krishna as an infant). This divine idol has now been transferred to the state museum in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The temple was built by the ruler Krishnadevaraya in the 16th century to commemorate his victory over the eastern kingdom of Udayagiri or Utkala(in present day Orissa state). The courtyard of the temple has an interesting attraction for the tourists. It is a big boulder depicting the story of the construction of the temple and the invasion over Ulkala. This temple was a monumental specimen of the famous Vijayanagara era.

The pillars of the Krishna temple leave the onlookers spell bound with its intricate carvings of Yalis(the mythical lion). The entrance to the main hall of the temple is decorated with captivating carvings of elephant balustrades(a railing with supporting balusters). Several small shrines are housed within the complex of the temple. The main tower is also an attraction as it is festooned with brilliant carvings. It has been given a face lift. The temple houses ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu. The walls of the tower depict the stories from the great Hindu Epic. Krishna Temple is one of the must-see temples of Hampi.