The Lakshmi Narasimha statue is one of the most imposing sculptures of Hampi. The speciality of the sculpture is that it is the largest monolith statue in Hampi.
Sometimes this is referred as Ugra Narasimha (i.e. Narasimha in its terrifying form). The protruding eyes and the facial expression are the basis for this name.
The Lakshmi Narasimha statue and the temple housing the statue were built in the year 1528 A.D. It was constructed during the rule of Krishnadevaraya, one of the greatest rulers of the Vijayanagara Empire. The temple is dedicated to Prabhu Narasimha, one of the ten avatars of Prabhu Vishnu, and Goddess Lakshmi. As such, the temple is known as the Lakshmi Narasimha Temple.
The original sculpture had a small figure of Goddess Lakshmi, consort of Narasimha, sitting on his lap. The gigantic statue was vandalized and mutilated in 1565 A.D. during the raid by the Mughals that led to the fall of the Vijayanagara Empire.
The statue has a height of 6.7 metres. It is one of the finest existing samples of the Vijayanagara style of architecture. The statue is located on the southern side of the Hemakuta group of temples that stand on the Hemakuta Hill.