Hanamkonda was the capital of the Kakatiya dynasty from its foundation around 1050 until king Ganapatideva (1199-1262) moved the capital to Warangal. The "Thousand Pillared" temple is dated by inscription to 1163, in the reign of king Rudradeva (1158-1195). The temple probably got its name from its detached mandapa, which has many more pillars than the temple itself. (Most of the columns in this photograph are carved decorations, not structural pillars.)
The temple is seen here from the NE, looking SW. Its entrance is S. The temple consists of an entrance mandapa with three attached shrines, which are dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, and Surya. The north and east shrines are visible here. Just S of the temple entrance is a monolithic Nandi (blue pavilion, photo extreme left), and south of that is the detached mandapa. The original towers, of both the temple and the detached mandapa, fell down long ago and are lost.
NANDI:
Nandi at "Thousand-Pillared" Temple, 1163
A finely-carved monolithic Nandi faces North to the temple entrance. The sculpture's unusual color in this photo is due to sunlight filtering down through a modern blue canopy.
ENTRANCE:
Entrance of "Thousand-Pillared" Temple, 1163
The south-facing entrance porch, an attached mandapa, is flanked by sculptures of a bull and an elephant, representing auspicious concepts such as strength, protection, and perhaps also allegiance (taking the elephant as a royal symbol and the bull as a religious symbol). The pillar shafts are carved as stacked boxes interrupted by nut-and-axle forms Carved shapes, on the underside of the roof, represent wooden beams and brackets.
LINTEL:
Lintel of "Thousand-Pillared" Temple, 1163
This lintel is located in the interior of the temple, where it spans the entrance of the north shrine. It shows a multi-armed Vishnu in his fierce lion incarnation (narasimha). The dancing god is framed within a multi-lobed arch that issues from makaras, each makara carries a pair of riders (male and female). Vishnu's attributes of chakra (proper right, upper), conch (proper left, upper), rosary (proper left, middle), and fear-not gesture (proper right, middle) can just barely be seen; other attributes are even more difficult to make out, although another of his proper right hands may grip a skull staff. At the very top of the lintel, to the left and right, runs a frieze of flying gandharvas; below, and just above the lobed arch, vegetal rondels enclose some indistinct small figures. Down at the feet of the god there are several small adorants, a kneeling Garuda (proper right), and two somewhat larger figures who may personify Vishnu's club and mace.
DETACHED MANDAPAM:
Detached Mandapam of "Thousand-Pillared" Temple, 1163
The many-pillared mandapa (it has about 300 columns, according to Huntington, p. 550) is positioned just south of the Nandi, on the same axis as the Nandi and temple. The detached mandapa is viewed here from the NE. The interior is quite ruined, in a picturesque way.
A movie was being filmed inside at the time, requiring the use of a crane and other equipment visible in the photo.
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