Day 2: last stop.
The auto rickshaw dragged our semi comatose bodies (after the full lunch at the Mango Tree) to a masterpiece of Vijayanagara architecture. The actual construction date and the identity of the patron on the Vitthala temple remains unknown.
The gopura entrance to the temple . The light tower has been demolished and lies in situ. The gopura has gone extensive reconstruction (the red colored parts being newer)
The famous chariot in front of the main shrine with the garuda shrine
The chariot originally had horses – the sculpted remains of the horses tail still visible in the photo. The elephants replaced the horses about the time the original brick tower was removed.
The musical pillars with each pillar showing an index – a musical instrument it represents. The three pillars show dhol, damaru and zhanj repectively
The “cupid” on the northern free standing mathapa in the Vitthala temple in Hampi.
The horse trainers.
Hanuman, the monkey god, shown handing over the ring given by Sita to Rama
The beautifully carved engrossed musician
The lover couple with the puckered faces.Almost mistook it for Hanuman 
Various gameboard found on the steps on the mandapa extension to the main shrine as 
well as the conference room in the southern free standing mandapa
The Chinese influence on the Vitthala temple architecture. The pagoda style horns on the left and the dragon on the right.
