Hampi, Karnataka

What stands today as a windswept village was once a thriving cultural centre dotted with carved temples and rock cut structures all over. The aforementioned line can be a brief introduction of the tiny village of historical Hampi, located in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. The erstwhile capital of the Rayas of Vijayanagar, Hampi exudes history in every corner and is thus an important World Heritage Site as well. The ruins of Hampi cover an area of around 26 sq km.


Glimpses From The Past
The mighty empire of Vijayanagar was founded in 1336 by two brothers – Harihara and Bukka. Though the Mughals were the powerful predominant rulers in those days and were strengthening their hold almost all over the subcontinent, they found the Vijayanagar empire of the south too tough to bring down. During the reign of Krishnadevaraya, from 1509-1529, the Vijayanagar kingdom prospered the most, both economically and culturally.

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The decline of the Vijayanagar Empire, however, occurred much sooner than expected. The neighbouring Muslim kingdoms continued making assaults in the region. The combined attacks truly proved fatal, putting an end to this powerful kingdom in the battle of Talikota in 1565.


Architectural Attractions of Hampi
» Virupaksha Temple : The temple stands in dedication of Virupaksha, the patron deity of the Rayas of Vijayanagar. It is positioned at the western end of a street which spans over seven hundred metres. The fifty-metre-tall gateway of the temple was refurbished by Krishnadevaraya himself. The inside walls of the temple bear images from the Puranas. The images of Narasimha, Shivaling and Ganesha are truly worth seeing.

» Vithal Temple : The finest monumental structure at Hampi, the Vithal Temple is located on the banks of the Tungabhadra river. The temple complex was erected by Krishnadevaraya. The temple is dedicated to Vithala which is a manifestation of Lord Vishnu. A grand rock chariot, fifty six musical pillars and other granite carvings are the main attractions here.

» Kodadandarama Temple : The temple is positioned on the souther banks of river Tungabhadra. It commemorates a legend from the Hindu epic Ramayana when Lord Rama won a victory over Vali and crowned Sugriva, the monkey king.

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» Royal Enclosure : Though suffering more dilapidation that the temples, the royal enclosure is a major attraction for visitors to Hampi. Here, you can witness ruins of audience halls, palaces, public baths and other buildings of notice. The Mahanavami Dibba, from the king observed the Dussehra celebrations, is a worth experiencing spot.


Reaching Hampi, Karnataka
Bellary, at 74 km, provides the closest air link. The nearest railhead is at Hospet from where you can take a bus or hire a taxi to cover 13 km before you reach Hampi. The road route is also well linked. Bangalore, the capital city of Karnataka, is 350 km from here. Regular buses and taxis are available to reach Hampi from Bangalore.