Posted on 9 October 2025:

Lakshmi Narasimha Temple: Hampi’s Fierce Guardian in Stone

In the sacred landscape of Hampi, Karnataka,  the Lakshmi Narasimha Temple—also called Ugra Narasimha Shrine—stands as a powerful symbol of divine strength.

Carved from a single block of stone, the 6.7-metre-tall monolith of Lord Narasimha, the half-man, half-lion avatar of Vishnu, is the largest monolithic statue in Hampi and a breathtaking example of Vijayanagara architecture.

Built in 1528 A.D,  during the reign of Krishnadevaraya, this temple once housed both Narasimha and Goddess Lakshmi. Though time and invasions left their mark—Lakshmi’s figure was separated, her hand broken—the spirit of the shrine remains unshaken. 

Today, her damaged statue rests in the Archaeological Museum at Kamalapura, while Narasimha still sits in fierce silence on Hemakuta Hill, drawing pilgrims, historians and seekers from around the world.

Badavilinga Temple: 3-meter-tall monolithic Shiva Linga

Just beside the fierce Narasimha Shrine, a quiet wonder rises—the Badavilinga Temple, home to a 3-meter-tall monolithic Shiva Linga.

Its base rests in water all year, fed gently by a canal from the Tungabhadra River. Though time has worn some of its walls, the sacred stillness remains.