February 9, 2011

Door

These massive fallen stone door is found outside the Royal Enclosure in Hampi.  One can easily miss this low lying relic as its well camouflaged well into the brown grey background.  The original structure to which these massive doors were attached to is not known but one can guess from its size that these adorned the entrance of an important royal building.
Stone doors in Hampi, seen outside Royal Enclosure
Artisans who sculpted these doors have succeeded in creating the replica of wooden ornamented doors in stone. The doors are complete with door bolts and the pivot shafts at the end. Note the beveled mullions with the array of protruding lotus buds at its junctions, a typical feature of massive wooden doors. It is believed that it required an elephant to push open these door panels during its functional days.

25 comments:

  1. Awesome post for the D Day, Sam! How fascinating! I always love the history you include and, as always, I'm amazed at the age of so many of the things/places that you share with us. In such a comparatively young country as the US, it is always amazing! Hope your week is going well! Enjoy!

    Sylvia
    ABC Team

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  2. Wow! This is monumental architecture indeed! Beautiful photo.

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  3. I bet the earth shook when that fell!

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  4. I guess no one surprised you by opening that door and walking in unannounced. ;) Nice choice for D day.

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  5. Very interesting. Thanks for visiting my blog.

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  6. Fascinating 'D' post, especially the bit about the elephant having to push open the heavy doors!

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  7. Very interesting. They do look like you would need an elephant to open them.

    An Arkies Musings

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  8. Beautiful! I want to touch it to feel the history...what tales it could tell!
    Jane x

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  9. Fascinating and really huge, heavy doors. Thanks for showing something I knew nothing about before.

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  10. Somehow, I have the Doors and how perspective is everything stuck in my mind.

    good take.

    ROG, ABC Wednesday team

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  11. Oh my gosh, can you even begin to imagine the weight of this? What I notice is in the lower right corner. Looks like it once "hooked" into something. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful image at The Creative Exchange.

    lisa.

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  12. Well, I guess you wouldn't do any dramatic exits with door slamming behind you in those times. Always amazes me how these relics survive for so long. Thanks for sharing

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  13. This is huge. For sure it came from a palace or temple. Happy Wednesday!
    ABC-Wednesday

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  14. Another wonderful image! Makes you really think about the work and craftsmanship that went into carving that stone.

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  15. @ Hooked on Memes
    Thanks

    @ EG Wow
    I agree with you :)

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  16. @ Gigi ann
    you bet, no one could walk through that door and give a surprise :). Thanks for stopping by

    @ J Bar, richies
    Thanks

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  17. @ Winchester Daily Photos
    thank You

    @ Jane and Chris
    Thanks for stopping by Jane

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  18. @ Photowannabe
    You are most welcome :)

    @ Roger Owen Gree
    Thanks ROG

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  19. @ Lisa
    Thanks for stopping by Lisa, what makes me wonder is if the door is so huge and heavy, how huge the structure would've been for which this door was made

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  20. @ niamh
    you bet, no dramatic exit

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  21. @ Kim, USA
    Thanks Kim, not sure if it was for a temple or a palace, could be for one of the royal building as this door is found lying outside te Royal Enclosure in Hampi

    @ Pat
    Thanks Pat

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  22. Looks incredably heavy but very ornate:)

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  23. interesting shot...:) Hope you can check out my ABC Wednesday entry too. Thanks!

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  24. I would like to travel in time and see these intricate and massive doors as they once hung.

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