A Digital Analysis of an Early Medieval Cultic and Ritual Change in Hampi: The Mula Virupaksha Temple in the Hemakuta Hill Sacred Space

A dramatic cultic and architectural shift occurred at Hampi’s Hemakuta Hill with the 12th-century construction of the Mula Virupaksha Temple, transitioning the site from a local Shaiva pilgrimage center to one dominated by the newly imported god Virupaksha. This study reveals how the temple’s innovative design—integrating natural landscape features and advanced planning—reshaped ritual practices and devotee experiences, setting a precedent that endured through the Vijayanagara Empire (mid-14th to late 16th centuries). To uncover these changes, researchers employed a digital methodology combining time-sensitive GIS maps with Google Street View’s panoramic capabilities, enabling ground-based analysis of non-ephemeral pilgrimage landscape features. This approach highlights the interplay between cultural transformation and architectural ingenuity in early medieval South Asia.

Haak, C. (2022). A Digital Analysis of an Early Medieval Cultic and Ritual Change in Hampi: The Mula Virupaksha Temple in the Hemakuta Hill Sacred Space. Histories, 2(3), 315–333. https://doi.org/10.3390/histories2030023