Kadalekalu Ganesha Temple, Hampi - Timings, History, Best Time to Visit

At a distance of 250 m from Hampi Bus Stand, The Kadalekalu Ganesha temple is situated on the slope of the Hemakuta Hill in Hampi. It is a remarkable monolithic statue and one of the most popular tourist sites in Hampi.

Kadalekalu Ganesha is one of the largest statues of Lord Ganesha in Hampi. The giant Ganesha statue is 4.6 m (15 feet) tall and was carved out of a single boulder. The belly of this statue resembles a Bengal gram (Kadalekalu in Kannada) and hence the statue has been given the name of Kadalekalu Ganesha.

The temple of Kadalekalu Ganesha is a beautiful stone structure. A sanctum is built around the statue. The pillared hall in front of this sanctum is decorated with tall and beautiful pillars. The sculptures on the pillars are depicted with mythological characters. The pillars are constructed in the typical Vijayanagara style of architecture. One of the pillars has a carving depicting naughty infant Krishna hiding on a tree. He steals the clothes of the bathing women and hanged the clothes on the tree and the women request to return their clothes.

On the rear side of the statue, a giant hand can be seen supporting the back of Ganesha. The hand is that of Goddess Parvathi. The statue is imaged as Ganesha sitting on the lap of mother Pravathi who is holding his back.

The temple also offers picturesque views of the Hampi Bazaar and the Matanga Hill while standing in the hall of the Ganesha temple. The calm ambiance of the temple makes it a wonderful place to spend some peaceful moments admiring the beauty of the temple and the surroundings.

Timings: 6 AM - 6 PM.