🔆 Virupaksha Temple 📍 Context The Virupaksha Temple in Hampi, Karnataka, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986, faced conservation concerns after a pavilion (saalu mantapa) collapsed due to heavy rains in 2024. 📍 About the Temple 🏛 Built by Lakkan Dandesha under Deva Raya II, it reflects the Vijayanagara style and has been in continuous operation since the 7th century AD, making it one of India’s oldest functioning temples. 📍 Dedicated to Lord Virupaksha, a form of Lord Shiva, the temple grew from a modest shrine to its current grandeur during the Vijayanagara reign, with contributions from the Chalukyan and Hoysala eras. 📍 Key Features 🌟 Built in Dravida style, it includes a sanctum sanctorum, pillared halls, and three gopurams. The eastern gopuram, the tallest, stands at 50 meters. 📍 The Vijayanagara Empire 🌊 Established in 1336 by Harihara I and Bukka Raya I, the empire flourished along the Tungabhadra River but declined after the Battle of Talikota (1565) against the Deccan Sultanates. 📍 Quick Summary ✅ Context: Conservation concerns after structural damage in 2024. ✅ Age: 7th century AD, India’s oldest functioning temple. ✅ Architecture: Dravida style, with grand pillared halls and gopurams. ✅ Empire: Part of the glory of the Vijayanagara Empire, established in 1336. #art_culture