Abdul Razzak, the Persian Ambassador, who visited Vijayanagar (Hampi) in the 15th century writes, "The city of Bidjanagar is such that the pupil of the eye has never seen a place like It, and the ear of intelligence has never been Informed that there existed anything to equal it in the world.... Such a city was destroyed by the allied forces in 1565 AD. and in the beginning of this century the city was described as "Hampi Ruins by the archaeologists and the empire ruled from this city as "The Forgotten Empire" by the historians.
This great city now turned into ruins spread over twenty five sq. kms. is attracting researchers from different parts of the World. The Government of Karnataka has established Hampi Resurrection Project under the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums for the resurrection of this grandeur. city and the restoration of of its grandeur.
The Directorate of Archaeology and Museums Karnataka has taken up excavation, The in conservation and research at Vijayanagara. results of these activities are being published under the series of the Vijayanagara Research Centre. "Vijayanagara Progress of Research 1988-91 incorporating the work done by the Directorate during these years is the ninth volume under this series. The Directorate has been doing a commendable job not only in field archaeology but also in bringing out a large number of research publications. I wish that the past glory of Vijayanagara which has been declared as a world Heritage site is brought back by the efforts of the Directorate.
Vijayanagara (Hamps) contains a group of monuments which have been listed under World Heritage Monuments. Research activities of the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums at this internationally important site are bringing to light new information every year through excavation, conservation and research under the Hampi Resurrection Project. Apart from bringing out periodical progress reports on the research, several volumes on art, architecture, archacology and epigraphy have been taken up by the Directorate. This volume containing the excavation, conservation and research carried out during 1988-91 is the ninth volume of the Vijayanagara Research Centre series.
The Hon'ble Chief Minister of Karnataka has been giving continuous support to the Hampi Resurrection Project. Sri J.IL. Patel has enhanced the importance of this volume by writing an illuminating foreword. We would like to record our deep debt of gratitude to the Government of Karnataka and the Hon'ble Chief Minister.
Dr. C.S. Patil, Deputy Director of this Directorate has devoted much of his time and assisted the Director in giving the present shape to this volume. Sri Balasubramanya, Archacological Assistant incharge of the Hampi excavations, has assisted the Director in conducting the excavations. Sriyuths T.M. Manjunathiah and D. Shivappa have supervised the excavations. Sri Prahlada Rao, Conservation Assistant, has carried out the conservation of monuments successfully under the guidance of Sri P. Satyanarayana Rao, Assistant Executive Engineer (Conservation). Sri Balaraja Naidu has done photography work and Sri Jayaprasada Rao has prepared drawings. The manuscript has been neatly typed by Snyuths S. Jothirlingeswarappa, D.J. Ganesh and N. Subramanya. To all of them my grateful thanks are due.
Drs. John Fritz, George Michell, Carla Sinopoli, Kathleen Morrison and their team members have contributed the results of their field work in the form of progress reports and research articles. I am thankful to all these scholars.
We are grateful to Dr. V. Prakash, Director of the Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore, for graciously accepting the printing work. Si K.A. Ranganatha, Head, FOSTIS and Sri S. Umesh, Technical Officer, Printing, with the assistance of Sriyuths G. Venkateshan, P.S. Ganesh Prasad and CN. Janardhana have printed this volume excellently. Our grateful thanks are due to them.
Vijayanagara (Hampi), whose monuments are listed under the World Heritage Monuments, is spread over a large area covering about 25 sq. kms. (Fig. 1). It is attracting explorers and excavators of diverse interest. Many scholars, both indigenous and foreign, are taking keen interest in researches at this great site. Results of such research conducted during the years 1988-1991 are included in this volume, which is the fifth in this series. Apart from these progress reports, an album containing a comparative study of photographs of the monuments at the site taken by Col. Alexander Greenlaw in 1856 and John Gollings in 1983 has been published. These photographs have also been exhibited at the site along with those on excavations, conservation and discoveries for the benefit of visiting scholars. Architectural survey of the Urban core conducted by Dr. George Michell has also been published separately.
Excavations have been continued in the Noblemen's Palaces arca and Noblemen's Palaces 15 and 16 have been excavated. The enclosure to the north-east of the Ramachandra temple has been subjected to excavation. The structure near the Singharada Hebbagilu has also been excavated. The excavated structures are conserved immediately. Noblemen's Palaces 9, 10, 12 and 14 have been conserved during the period under report. Enclosure to the north-east of the Ramachandra temple, Mantapas in the Snanaghatta, and Mantapas 4, 5 and Mantapa behind Mantapa in the Virupaksha Bazaar have also been conserved.
The section on epigraphical studies contains an important inscription which gives the exact date of the coronation of the great king Krishnadevaraya as A.D. 1510, January 24.
The Fritz-Michell team has continued architectural and archacological documentation at the site. Reports on the field work done during the years of this report by Dr. John M. Fritz, Dr. Kathleen D. Morrison and Dr. Carla M. Sinopoli have been published here.
The chapter on research articles containing fifteen articles forms the largest section in the report. Fritz-Michell team has contributed articles on the subjects like human skeletal remains, ceramics, homes from bedrock, processional frieze, architecture, cult and patronage before the founding of Vijayanagara, chariot festival and astronomical studies. The young scholars of the Directorate have contributed on defence system, temples, architects and sculptors while Dr. C.S. Patil has continued his study on Kampila and contributed on two sites, Doravadi and Hosamaledurga, associated with him.
We have tried to bring to light new evidences along with excavation and conservation works in this volume. We hope that Vijayanagara: Progress of Research 1988-91 will be received with the same warmth as its predecessors.
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Literary (870)
Mahatma Gandhi (368)
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