India: Leaping yalis (mythical creatures with the body of a lion and sometimes the head of an elephant) adorn the Vitthala Temple, Hampi, Karnataka State. The Vittala Temple, built in the early 16th century, is devoted to the Hindu god Vithoba (also known as Vitthala and Panduranga), an incarnation of Vishnu or his avatar Krishna. Hampi is a village in northern Karnataka state. It is located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, it continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple.

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