'Mahanavami Dibba (16th century AD), Hampi, India, Part-I' - by K J S Chatrath

I spent a few days in Hampi area of Karnataka, India in January this year. One is just overwhelmed by the quality and spread of the monuments that await the visitor. The present post is about visit to the Mahanavmi Dibba.

Indicative map of world showing location of India

Map of India showing Hampi, located in Karanatalka state. 

 

 Mahanavmi Dibba or the Great Platform. This pyramidal, three tired stone platform, rising to a height of 8 metres is located to the north-east of the Royal Enclosure. It was one of the most important ceremonial structures of royal use, built in granite and subsequently encased in sculptured  schist stone. It is dated to 16^th century AD.

 

 The terraced platform is nearly 35 sq. metres and has an approach flight of steps on the east, west and south. The southern flight of steps has a balustrade that opens on the west. The western flight of steps are located almost in the centre of the platform and the two eastern flight of steps have common chamber, which opens on the east. Each tier of the platform has sculptured mouldings in the typical Vijayanagara style of architecture. The lower tier has low relief relief sculptural friezes depicting the social-cultural activities of the time.

Three dancers in different poses showing movement.

Look at the clothes to appreciate the craftsmanship of the makers.

One can alsmost hear the beating of the drum and the music. Woth notice are the ornaments worn by the lady.

A male dancer in the centre flanked by two women dancers- each one of them is in a differnt pose.

  Dancer in a garden dancing in gay abandon. Distance between two feet indicates how vigorous was the dance form.

This is an unusual and rare depiction of two men wrestling. How masterly is the depiction showing one wrestler putting his leg around the leg of the other wrestler intertwining it.

Dance and music.

The extant pillar bases in the centre of the platform by the royal family. For important festivals like Mahanavami. (By Abdur Razak and Domingo Paes, visitors to this Vijayanagara city, in 1n 1520 AD and 1442-43 AD respectively.) *

*Source: Archeological Survey of India.