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Yali (IAST: Yāḷi), [1] (Tamil: யாழி), [2] is a Hindu mythological creature, portrayed with the head and the body of a lion, the trunk and the tusks of an elephant, and sometimes bearing equine features. [3] Images of the creature occur in many South Indian temples, often sculpted onto the pillars. [4]
In addition, the Yali columns (pillar with charging horse), balustrades (parapets) and ornate pillared manatapa are their unique contribution. King Krishna Deva Raya and others built many famous temples all over South India in Vijayanagara Architecture style.
Yali in pillars at Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple. Madurai Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple was built by Pandyan Emperor Sadayavarman Kulasekaran I (1190 CE–1205 CE). He built the main portions of the three-storeyed Gopuram at the entrance of Sundareswarar Shrine and the central portion of the Goddess Meenakshi Shrine, which are some of the earliest surviving parts of the temple.
On the whole the temple exudes modest decorative work and follows the general plan used in the temples within the palace complex in Mysore. The hall ceiling is supported by pillars that have "clusters of colonettes" alternating with yalis (mythical beasts from Hindu legend) in all four directions. This appears on each of the central columns. [2]
Pillars that do not have such hippogryphs are generally rectangular with mythology-themed decoration on all sides. Some pillars have a cluster of smaller pillars around a central pillar shaft. The bottom supports of these pillars have engravings of gods and goddesses. Carvings of hippogryphs clearly show the adroitness of the artists who ...
Vijayanagar-style pillars with hippogryphs are common; called yali columns (depiction of horses and lions as seen in Hampi) is found here. These are pillars with lions, either with their forepaws raised or simply in a sitting position, and pillars with a mythical horse-like animal with front legs raised, balancing on its rear legs, and with an ...
The temple complex is a large one with spacious halls and massive Yali pillars. There a three well executed, tiered gopuras (tower over entrance) over as many entrances. Sculpture in the temple includes those of mythological figures in wood and pilaster, and that of kings and queens in black stone.
The walls that rise from this have slender decorative pilasters. The open mantapa that has several ornate pillars appears to have modified the original north–south entrances that existed in the navaranga (also called mukhamantapa). [1] The entrance to temple has an impressive row of yali pillars that depict