Elephant Stables

    It shouldn’t be surprising to hear about the parking space for elephants centuries ago! Yes, the Elephant Stables are chambers that were built for the kings who visit the Kingdom to park their elephants. The king of the Vijayanagar empire built this massive entrance to welcome the Kings of other states. But why should someone take this precise care and build stables for elephants? Well, this is how the empire manages to welcome guests with good hospitality. The construction not only focuses on animal welfare but also the caretaker's comfort. There are 11 domed tall chambers in a row and all these domes are interconnected and the middle one is decorated and huge. The entire architecture comprises different religious styles - while the whole building looks alike, the five pairs of domes on each side are built in Islamic style. On the inside roof, there are metal hooks that were used to bind the elephants. The mahouts access the elephant compartments through tiny manhole-style apertures located at the back of each hall. Through the Zenana Enclosure, you arrive here. From here, you go to the Guard's Quarters and, possibly, to the Ranga Temple, which is a little to the south of everything else.

The elephant stable arches and domed chambers are sultanates in origin, adhering to the main characteristics of the Vijayanagara courtly, but the structure as a whole is an original design. It bears witness to the inventiveness of the Vijayanagara architects. When exactly the stables were erected and for which emperor remains a mystery, though it is likely to be a Sangama period construction of the 15th century. Here is another combination of Tamilians in building these monuments, the Sangma period was initiated back in the 3rd and 4th century in south India mostly in Tamil Nadu which played a major role in architectural works in the Vijayanagar empire. This place is indeed a photographic paradise, you get all the aesthetic vibes here at Elephant Stables!