MATANGA PARVATA, HAMPI

Matanga or MaatangaParvata is the highest hill range visible to the east of the Therubeedi of Virupaksha temple. There are ways to climb this hill from three sides of the hill. If you climb the Matanga Hill, you will have a wonderful view of Hampi-Vijayanagara town, the surrounding environment and the beautiful panoramic views of the Tungabhadra river. According to local legend, the hill was named Matanga or MaatangaParvata as it was the place where Sage Matanga did penance.

MatangaVeerabhadra Temple: The Veerabhadra Temple is the most important of the temples on the Matanga Mountain,it is the north facing temple in the temple complex built using a wide enclosure.It is called MatangaVeereswara, Matangadeva in the inscriptions. In this temple, which has Garbhagriha, Antarala, Ardhamantapa, Sabhamantap, about five feet tall Veerabhadra is enshrined. Veerabhadra standing in tribhangi holds bow and arrow, sword and shield in his four hands. A Shivalinga is placed in the crown and Daksha Brahma is placed below. On the left side of Ardhamantapa there is Bhadrakali temple facing south. It has a beautiful sculpture of Bhadrakali about a foot high. Bhadrakali has four hands like Veerabhadra, in which she holds bow and arrow, sword and shield. To the right of the Veerabhadra temple is the Ishwara temple, which has sculptures of Nandi in its antarala and sabhamantapa. Various mantapasare built around this temple.

The first mention of Mount Matanga is in an inscription dated 1199 AD. It mentions that Madeya Nayaka, a vassal of KurugoduSindhas, was ruling Virupakshatirtha from Matangaparvata. Beneath the Matanga mountain there was a defensive wall and barred gates. Lord Matangeshwar’sDiddi is one of them. There are more than 25 inscriptions here. Among them, Veerabhadra is called as MatangaVeereshwar, Matangeswara Deva. Inscriptions also mention that devotees used to have darshan of Veerbhadra and darshan of Virupaksha temple peak and kalasas (“kalasa” also refers to such a pot filled with water and topped with a crown of mango leaves and a coconut. This conjunction is often used in Hindu rituals and depicted in Hindu iconography), from the top of this mountain. In the inscriptions, “Piriya Nagana Virupaksha bowed down and became grateful”, “Mattarasara’s daughter Mangaibowed down and blessed after seeingRamaiIrupakshadeva’skalasa”, “MayilanaMathengshwara had the darshan of Lord Virupakshadeva and became grateful”, Saamanna and Manchevayya’sson Kamayavva’s disciple HadadeSayanna had darshana of Virupaksha and became greatful. From this, it is considered a pious act to see the temple of Veerabhadra on MatangaMountain and Virupaksha temple from the top of this mountain.  In the inscription of the Achyutaraya period of 1532 AD, it is said that Parusaiyyas given one kasu(pai) for each shop on the day Tuesday market to collect leaf to serve at Achytapete to one bundle of leaf so he requested to raise his demand with Halas of Yelenadu to give one bundle of leaves to Lord Sri MatangaVeereshwar. Thus it is clear that MatangaParvata has been a famous religious site since ancient times.

MatangaParvathawhich is located 15 km from Hosapetetaluk

Near By Tourist Places:

• Tungabhadra Dam, Hosapete Taluk
• Daroji Bear Sanctuary at Kamalapura, HosapeteTq
• ATAL BIHARI VAJAPAYEE ZOOLOGICAL PARK KAMALAPURA

How to Reach: