About this temple
Yantrodharaka Hanuman Temple is a living Hanuman shrine beside the Tungabhadra at Hampi’s Chakratirtha area. Its defining image shows Hanuman seated in meditation within a geometric yantra, rather than in the familiar standing or mountain-bearing form. The shrine is associated with the Dvaita teacher Sri Vyasaraja, also known as Vyasatirtha. It belongs to the riverside sacred landscape between Hampi Bazaar and the Achyutaraya area; it should not be confused with the hilltop Anjanadri birthplace shrine across the river.
History
Karnataka Tourism attributes the establishment of this shrine to Sri Vyasaraja, a Dvaita philosopher and spiritual adviser associated with the Vijayanagara court, approximately five centuries ago. The attribution belongs to the shrine’s received institutional history. The specific miracle of the disappearing drawing is a devotional account, not documentary evidence for a precise construction day. The present temple remains a place of worship within Hampi’s wider archaeological and pilgrimage landscape.
Legends & Religious Traditions
Vyasaraja and the disappearing drawing
The temple tradition says that Vyasaraja drew Hanuman on a rock with charcoal before worship. After the prayers, the drawing disappeared. This occurred repeatedly, and the teacher continued his worship over twelve days. Hanuman finally revealed himself to the devoted ascetic. The seated image within the yantra preserves the memory of that encounter.
The twelve surrounding figures
Twelve small monkey figures encircle the central design and are traditionally connected with the twelve days of prayer. The geometric enclosure and sacred syllables make this an unusually contemplative representation of Hanuman. The Yantrodharaka Hanuman Stotra is associated with Vyasaraja and this shrine; beliefs about the fruits of its recitation are devotional expectations rather than guaranteed outcomes.
Rama and Hanuman in the Hampi landscape
Local tradition also connects the riverside setting with Rama’s meeting with Hanuman. This association belongs to Hampi’s wider Kishkindha sacred geography. It should not be confused with the separate tradition identifying Anjanadri as Hanuman’s birthplace.
Religious and Cultural Significance
The shrine links Hanuman devotion with Vyasaraja’s Dvaita tradition. The seated posture and yantra are particularly important for understanding why pilgrims visit this shrine separately from other Hanuman temples around Hampi.
Architecture / Physical Features
The central image places the meditating Hanuman within a hexagonal yantra, surrounded by twelve monkey figures and sacred syllables. Its setting beside granite rocks and the Tungabhadra is part of its identity; the route and architecture differ from the long stairway to Anjanadri across the river.
How to Reach
Use Hosapete (Hospet) as the main rail and road staging point for Hampi, then continue to the riverside Chakratirtha area. The final approach is on foot over steps and uneven stone. Do not plan a river crossing to Anjanadri when the intended destination is Yantrodharaka.
Nearby Religious Places
Kodandarama Temple and Chakratirtha are in the riverside sacred area. Achyutaraya Temple and Hampi Bazaar can be included in the same broader walking route; Virupaksha is a separate major living shrine.
Contradictory Accounts and Variations
Some tourism descriptions merge this shrine with the “Monkey Temple” on Anjanadri. These are separate destinations. The Vyasaraja attribution and the disappearing charcoal image also belong to different categories: an institutional foundation association and a miracle story. Neither establishes that a Ramayana event has been independently dated at this exact spot.