RAS question
The Vittala temple at Hampi, famous for its stone chariot and musical pillars, was built during which empire?
Correct answer: (C) Vijayanagara Empire.
The Vittala Temple at Hampi, known for its Stone Chariot and musical pillars, was built under the Vijayanagara Empire.
Explanation
The answer is the Vijayanagara Empire because the official Incredible India page describes the Vitthala Temple, also called the Shree Vijay Vitthala Temple, as a monument showing the architectural prowess of that empire. Incredible India places it at Hampi, near the Tungabhadra River, and identifies it as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This fits the question's clues: the temple is renowned for the Stone Chariot and the musical pillars, described as extraordinary stone structures in the complex. The temple was built mainly in the 15th-16th centuries, and the Stone Chariot is a Garuda shrine, making the Vijayanagara association the decisive marker.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) The Chola Empire was based in Tamil Nadu and predated the Hampi-centred Vijayanagara setting of the Vittala Temple.
- (B) The Hoysala option points to a different architectural tradition, especially the Belur-Halebidu centre and star-shaped temple plans, not the Hampi complex.
- (D) The Bahmani Sultanate was a rival of Hampi's Vijayanagara power and did not build the Vittala Temple.
Concept
This tests medieval South Indian temple architecture, especially the ability to link a monument's location and signature features with its ruling dynasty. RAS repeatedly uses such monument-dynasty pairs because they connect political history, art, and heritage sites in one factual check.