Rabbit on the Moon Carving, Hampi iconography and symbolism.

Ar. Parnavi Bangar

While visiting the Krishna Temple, one of the most important temples in Hampi, I often think about the many hidden details people miss because they forget to pause at the threshold of this complex. The gopuram was under conservation by UNESCO, ASI, and Abha Narain Lambah Associates. For over six years, it remained covered in scaffolding, and finally, it was free of it last year. Now is the chance to take a good look at it if you are visiting Hampi anytime soon, so let me help you uncover the unknown here.

I am sharing my favorite pause point to catch a breath away from the sun in this temple complex. It is right at the entry point of the temple, under the east gopuram of the Krishna Temple.

Fish carving on the wall

As you stand under the gopuram, seeking some shade from the sun, the wind seems cooler, possibly because of the pushkarni in the market street just across. You will notice a sculpture of a fish on the north inner wall of the gopuram, with the head of the fish pointing outside. These curious sculptures can be found throughout Hampi without much context, and they most likely indicate that a water source is present in that direction, made for everyone to understand without having to read.

Krishna Temple, Hampi.

There are many such mysterious carvings in this particular gopuram. One of them is the carving of the rabbit on the moon. Carved on the top beam, there is a rabbit on the moon with two snakes around it, a detail many people miss at first glance, and one often ignored by frequent visitors because it sits right on the threshold of the temple gate. This particular carving is not common in Hampi, but it is seen around the world and has many meanings. Here, the iconography of the rabbit-and-moon carving suggests an association with lunar mythology. The motif is often interpreted in the Indian context as a depiction of a lunar eclipse, where the snakes represent Rahu and Ketu swallowing the moon.

The rabbit on the moon carving

The rabbit is carved in a posture that makes it seem as though it is running. The moon behind the rabbit appears to have been painted with natural colours in ancient times. Today, only a thin layer of colour remains for us to distinguish it from the surrounding stone texture. It looks warmer than the other surfaces, giving it even more depth and beauty. The snakes on both sides are close to the moon yet do not touch it, and their bodies extend to the ends of the beam on either side.

One more carving exists on the inner slab of the gopuram, which is very interesting, and I am not quite sure about its meaning. ‘A Lizard’. Through research, it does not seem to signify any specific symbolism, but it is unique and makes you pause and wonder. It is carved on the inner side of the same slab and can be spotted if you pay attention. I think its significance is more fun than it is about reasoning. A lizard to a slab is what a vulture is to a forest, completing its function.

I'll leave finding this carving and its meaning up to you…

~

Author: Ar. Parnavi Bangar

All pictures and All rights reserved ©Parnavi Bangar, Reminiscing History

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