Hampi – The Ancient Metropolis

An ancient metropolis, Hampi is one of the most frequently visited places in India by history buffs. If one has to short-list the best heritage sites in India, then Hampi would definitely be in the top 3. Imagine an entire city dating back to the 16th century, preserved in a pretty decent condition. The time required to explore these ruins can vary anywhere from a single day to even a week. It all depends on one’s interest and patience to keep on exploring. From palaces to market streets, it is a fascinating place to visit and has the right mix of history, nature and culture to suit even the most discerning traveller. If one is looking for a weekend getaway from Bengaluru, this is the place to be!

Hampi is a village and temple town recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed as the Group of Monuments at Hampi in northern Karnataka, India. It is located within the ruins of the city of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, Hampi continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple and several other monuments belonging to the old city. It has various notable Hindu temples with some vedanta theology inside the temples, some of which are still active places of worship

The city of Vijayanagara was originally encompassed by seven lines of fortifications, which had many bastions and gateways. The seventh & the innermost fortification enclosed the main city and is the best preserved. The extant monuments can be divided into Religious, Civil & Military buildings. The Jain temples on Hemakuta hill, the two Devi shrines and some other structures in the Virupaksha temple complex predate the Vijayanagara Empire. The earliest amongst them, the Shiva shrines with their stepped pyramidal vimanas or superstructures, date to the early Chalukyan period around ninth-tenth century AD.

Virupaksha Temple with 160 foot high tower. It predates the founding of the Vijayanagara empire.

Virupaksha Temple

Virupaksha Temple Complex

Sasivekalu Ganesha Temple is a huge statue of Lord Ganesha (8 feet tall), carved out of a single block of rock

Ugra Narasimha Statue carved out of a single block of granite

Hampi bazaar where jewels used to be sold

Hazara Rama Temple in Hampi has numerous panels with scenes from Ramayana carved in stone

Roads have been created in between existing structures!

Vittala Temple complex – perhaps the most well-known among the ruins of Hampi.

Structures inside Vittala Temple complex

The iconic stone chariot

Musical pillars

The iconic stone chariot

The Queen’s Bath in Hampi is a colossal bath that exemplifies the architectural excellence prevalent during the days of the Vijayanagara Empire

Stepped tank

King’s platform – Mahanavami Dibba

Lotus Mahal – it is one of the fine architectural designed palaces that is uniquely identified by its lotus-like structure. This glorious building is within the Zenana Enclosure, a segregated area that was used by the royal women of Vijayanagara Dynasty.