Other buildings in the royal centre

Figure 7.13 is an elevation drawing of the Lotus Mahal — that is, a vertical, two-dimensional view of the building’s front face, as if you were standing directly in front of it. Unlike a photograph, which captures only what the camera can see from one angle, an elevation reveals features that might be hidden or distorted in a photo. In this drawing, you can clearly see the building’s symmetrical shape, its tiered roofline, and the distinctive arches that run along the ground-floor arcade.

The arches are the key architectural detail here. They are pointed or cusped, a style that historians believe was inspired by Indo-Islamic building techniques — a fusion of Indian and Persianate traditions that became common in the Deccan under the Bahmani sultanates and later in Vijayanagara. The drawing also shows the nine towers of the Lotus Mahal: a tall, central tower rising above the main body, and eight smaller towers arranged along the sides (four on each side, likely). In the elevation, you can count all nine towers because the drawing shows the full vertical profile; in a photograph (like Fig. 7.15), some towers might be hidden behind others depending on the angle.

The elevation thus serves as a visual tool for comparison. The textbook asks you to compare it with the photograph (Fig. 7.15) and with the arch detail (Fig. 7.14) to identify features common to both — such as the arch shape, the multi-tiered roof, and the tower arrangement — as well as features visible only in one. For example, the elevation might show the exact number of towers and the precise curve of the arches, while the photograph shows texture, shadow, and the building’s setting. …

Figure 7.14 is a close-up photograph of a single arch from the Lotus Mahal. The arch is the key element being highlighted. It is not a full view of the building — just the arch itself, shown in enough detail that you can study its shape, construction, and ornamentation.

The purpose of this figure is direct comparison. The textbook asks you to compare this arch with the arch shown in Figure 7.6, which is an arch from a fortification gateway. The Lotus Mahal arch is distinctly different: it is a pointed arch with a decorative scalloped or cusped outline, typical of Indo-Islamic architectural styles. The fortification arch, by contrast, is likely simpler and more functional. By placing these two images side by side in your mind, you see how the same basic architectural element — an arch — was adapted for very different purposes: one for defence (the gateway) and one for aesthetics (the Lotus Mahal).

The photograph also lets you notice the material and workmanship. The arch is made of stone blocks, carefully cut and fitted. The cusped profile is not just a surface carving; it is built into the shape of the arch itself. This tells you that the builders of Vijayanagara had mastered the technique of constructing complex, decorative arches, not just simple load-bearing ones.

The photograph shows the Lotus Mahal, a two-storeyed pavilion built in the royal centre of Vijayanagara. The building gets its name from the lotus-like shape of its nine towers — one tall central tower and eight smaller ones along the sides. In the photograph, you can see the structure's elegant arches and the way the towers rise in tiers, giving it a light, almost delicate appearance despite being made of stone.

The Lotus Mahal is not a temple but a secular building. Historians are not certain of its original function. One clue comes from a map drawn by Colin Mackenzie, which labels it as a possible council chamber — a place where the king met his advisers. The building's open, airy design and its location within the royal centre support this idea. The arches visible in the photograph are especially important: they show Indo-Islamic architectural influence, a hallmark of Vijayanagara's hybrid style. …

Figure 7.16a is an elevation drawing of the building commonly called the "elephant stables". An elevation is a vertical, two-dimensional view of a structure — it shows how the building would look from the front or side, revealing features that a photograph might hide. In this drawing, you see a long, single-storey range of chambers. The most striking feature is the row of domes: there are eleven domed chambers in a line, each with a tall, pointed archway at the front. The central dome is noticeably larger and higher than the others, giving the building a symmetrical, balanced appearance.

The drawing makes clear that the structure is not a stable in the ordinary sense — it is too ornate. The arches are similar in style to those seen in the Lotus Mahal (Fig. 7.13) and other Indo-Islamic influenced buildings at Vijayanagara. The elevation also shows that each chamber has a small window or ventilator near the top of the dome, and the walls are plain but well-proportioned. There are no labels on the figure itself beyond the caption, but the drawing is meant to be compared with the photograph (Fig. 7.17) and the plan (Fig. 7.16b) of the same building.

Figure 7.16b is a plan — a horizontal, bird’s-eye view — of the structure known as the “elephant stables” in the royal centre of Vijayanagara. Unlike a photograph or an elevation drawing, a plan shows the layout of a building from above, revealing the arrangement of rooms, walls, and openings that might be hidden in a side view.

The plan depicts a long, rectangular building with a row of large arched chambers lined up side by side. Each chamber is shown as a square or slightly rectangular space, with a curved line at its front representing the archway that forms the entrance. The arches are evenly spaced, giving the building a symmetrical, repetitive appearance. The plan also indicates that the chambers are enclosed by thick walls, and the overall shape is compact and orderly.

This drawing is paired with Figure 7.16a, an elevation (vertical view) of the same building, so that students can compare the two perspectives. The textbook asks you to compare both figures with Figure 7.17, a photograph of the actual “elephant stables” located near the Lotus Mahal. The purpose is to help you understand how architectural drawings — plans and elevations — translate a real three-dimensional structure into two dimensions, and to question whether the building was really used for elephants.

The plan itself does not show any labels for individual chambers or features beyond the row of arches. But the caption and the surrounding text make clear that this is a horizontal view of the stables, and that the key visual element is the row of large arched chambers. The arches are significant because they resemble Indo-Islamic architectural techniques, which were adopted and adapted by Vijayanagara builders. …

The photograph in Figure 7.17 shows a long, symmetrical row of nine domed chambers, built in a straight line. Each chamber has a tall, pointed arch at the front, and the domes are rounded, almost bulbous in shape. The structure is made of stone and brick, and the overall impression is of a solid, orderly, and imposing building — very different from the delicate, multi-tiered Lotus Mahal that stands nearby.

The caption calls this the "Elephant stables," a name given by British travellers in the 19th century. But the textbook immediately asks you to question that label. Look at the elevation drawing (Fig. 7.16a) and the plan (Fig. 7.16b) that accompany this photograph. The elevation shows the same row of arches and domes from the side, while the plan reveals the layout from above: a series of identical rectangular rooms, each opening to the front through a wide arch. The plan also shows that the back wall of each chamber is solid, with no rear exit.

Now, compare these with the photograph. The chambers are large enough to house an elephant, but the arches are decorative, not functional for an animal's movement — they are too narrow and have a raised threshold. The domes are also a feature more common in Islamic-inspired architecture (like the Lotus Mahal's arches) than in practical animal shelters. Historians are not certain these were actually stables. The building might have been a ceremonial hall, a guardhouse, or part of the royal parade ground. The key point is that the name is a tradition, not a proven fact. …

The figure shows a sculpted panel from the Hazara Rama temple, a royal temple located in the royal centre of Vijayanagara. This temple was likely used only by the king and his family. The panel is carved on the inner walls of the shrine, and it depicts scenes from the Ramayana — the epic that gives the temple its name ("Hazara Rama" means "thousand Ramas").

In the panel, you can see multiple narrative scenes arranged in horizontal registers. The central figures are characters from the Ramayana: Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, and Hanuman, shown in episodes such as the battle with Ravana or the coronation. Around these main scenes, the sculptor has added decorative elements: dancers in graceful poses, elephants, and horses. The dancers suggest that the temple was a place of celebration and royal ritual, while the elephants and horses symbolise the power, wealth, and military might of the Vijayanagara empire. Elephants were used in warfare and processions, and horses were imported for the cavalry — both were essential to the empire's strength. …

Figure 7.19 is a photograph of the interior of the audience hall at Madurai. The hall is a large, pillared space with a high ceiling. The most striking feature is the series of tall, pointed arches that run along the sides of the hall. These arches are not simple semicircles; they have a distinct, slightly curved profile that is characteristic of Indo-Islamic architectural techniques. The pillars themselves are massive and ornately carved, supporting the arched openings.

The photograph shows the hall from the inside, looking outward or along its length. The floor is paved, and the walls are plain but for the rhythmic repetition of the arches. There are no people or furniture in the image, so the scale is conveyed by the size of the pillars and arches relative to the doorways visible in the background. …