Hampi Sightseeing, Quick Facts, History, Packages, Tours & Excursions

The village of Hampi is just a few kms away from the city of ruins, and the first place that you will halt at, will be the busy main bazaar of Hampi. From there on you can start your exploration of the various temples and monuments. You can tire yourself taking in as many sights as possible, and yet you will never exhaust the list, which is endless. The city has been divided into different centres, each housing many monuments.

The Sacred Centre:

The Virupaksha Temple is the most famous and oldest temple housing the deity of Shiva and Goddesses Pampa or Bhuvaneshwari. It is located on the foothills of Hemakuta, and dates back to the 15^th century, though some parts of the temple are as old as the 11^th or 12^th century. Known for single pieces of stone work, the hill has many such architectural wonders, like the monolithic piece of Ugra Narasimha (6.7 m high), carved out of a single boulder in 1528. Also, nearby is another fascinating piece, the Shivalinga that is 3 m high, and stands in water.

One can also see some fine Jain temples, scattered amongst the ruins of the hill.  A temple with a 120 feet tall tower stands at the eastern entrance, in the middle of the Hampi Bazaar.

The Riverside Ruins

The next halt, 2kms from the eastern side of the Bazaar, is the Vithala Temple complex said to captivate you by its beauty. A 16^th century work of art, it reflects the exquisite artistic skills of the artisans of the empire of Vijayanagar. This temple is known for its famous Musical Pillars, 56 in number, so called, as they seem to echo a note when tapped. There is also a beautiful stone carving of a chariot with revolving wheels, in the courtyard of the temple.

While there, visit another protected monument called the Purandra Dasara Mantapa. Also see the famous 5-meter tall King's Balance located near the Vithala temple. It is believed that the King would weigh himself with gems and precious stones during the solar and lunar eclipses, and then the jewels would be distributed to the people.

Royal Centre

The impressive temple of Malyavanta Raghunathaswamy, built with Dravidian architectural influences, is a good place to begin your exploration with.

Hazara Rama Temple, in the heart of the Royal Centre, is a 15th century work of art, and said to be the place of worship for the royal family. Its pillars have delicate carvings of the various forms of Lord Vishnu. Also fascinating are the rows of sculptures depicting some of the main events from Ramayana.

The House of Victory, built to commemorate the victory of King Krishnadeva Raya is another highlight. Located in the royal enclosure, this striking structure is also called the Dassera Platform.

From here, you could head your way north to the Queen's Bath, a rectangular building on the outside while the entire inside is a long veranda running on all sides of a square tank 1.8m deep. This is where the king and his wives would have their baths.

A pretty monument is the pavilion called the Lotus Palace, located in an area that is believed to have been the women's quarters or the Zenana Enclosure. It is named after the lotus bud which can be seen carved on its ceiling. The two-storeyed palace is also shaped like a lotus and is said to have been the meeting place for the women of the royal family. Its architecture shows a display of Indian and Islamic influences.

Adjoining the zenana enclosure is the legendary Elephant Quarter, a dome shaped building, which was the quarters of the royal elephants. While just behind it is an old gateway called Singaradu Hebbagilu, which also happened to be the city's main entrance.

Close by is the Underground Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva situated several meters below ground level. Near that, check the Noblemen's Quarters, which was where the aristocrats lived. On your way out visit the Archeological Museum, where your will find a model of Hampi and its monuments. There is also a rich collection of sculptures, idols, artifacts, tools, armory and coins and antiquities from the ancient empire.

Anegondi

Said to have been the capital before Hampi became the centre of power, it is located on the other side of the River Tungabhadra, north of the Hampi Bazaar. A small village, its main inhabitants are farmers. Anegondi houses several temples like Chandramouliswara, Ranganatha and Hanuman, as well as a tiny shrine called Pampa Sarovar and an old palace called Gagan Mahal.

Oother Activities:

Fairs and Festivals

Hampi has a number of festivals throughout the year both cultural and religious. The most famous ones is the Hampi Festival or Vijaya Utsava, held usually in November and running for three days. This is a cultural festival showcasing music, dance and puppetry followed by fireworks and a procession bringing the festival to an end.

Another cultural festival centred on classical music is the Purandaradasa Aradhana It is held in the months of January or February in memory of the ancient poet Purandaradasa who lived in Hampi. The Car Festival or Virupaksha is a religious festival to witness in the months of March or April, and it symbolizes the annual marriage between Gods and Goddesses. The Hindu festivals of Diwali and Sivaratri are also celebrated with pomp here.

Rock Climbing

This area is a rock climber's haven, being encompassed by boulders and rocky hills all around. You can set up camp in the many designated areas within Hampi and climb your way up to catch the vast expanse of the mystical ruins below.

Souvenir Shopping

In the Hampi Bazaar, near the Virupaksha temple, are rows of shops displaying merchandise you can pick up. The Lambani nomads are famous for their embroidered textiles and jewellery. Other to shop for are shawls, bags, skirts, etc. 

You could also pick up mementos in the form of antique coins and other artifacts, which are exact replicas of the original antiques. Head to the state emporium for authentic buys.

Excursions:

Hospet, 13kms ahead, is a popular tourist spot, where you can visit the famous Tungabhadra Dam. Said to be the largest dam of Karnataka, it is 49m high and 590m long, and runs across the River Tungabhadra. It is an important source of water supply to the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

Tourism Info:

Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation

49, 2nd Floor, Khanija Bhavan, West Entrance,

Race Course Road, Bangalore - 560 001

Listed as a World Heritage Site, Hampi the city of ruins is one of the most captivating historical sites of South India. It houses as many as 500 monuments, each with a story behind it, reflecting a fascinating history reaching the pinnacle of glory and then stumbling to a decline of utter neglect.

The name Hampi originated from the word Pampa, the ancient name for the River Tungabhadra that flows through the city. There are many other names that it goes by - Vijayanagara named after the ruling kingdom and capital city, and Virupakshapura named after the revered deity Shiva.

Hampi is also a sacred place for the Hindus as it is believed that Pampa was Lord Brahma's daughter, who married Lord Shiva, and thus the place was called Pampakshetra. Around it grew the biggest ever empire of South India, the Vijayanagar Empire in 1336 A.D. till it succumbed to the attacks of the Mughals. Hampi, the capital of Vijayanagar, became an important commercial center, thriving in the trade of horses and gems. It was so rich a place that diamonds were sold on the streets.

The empire was known far and wide for its patronage towards art, architecture and culture. It was during this period that some of the finest temples of India were built. The empire saw itself peak to glorious heights during the reign of King Krishnadeva Raya (1509-1529 AD) of the Tuluva Dynasty. It was he who built the famous Krishna Temple to venerate the victorious Gajapathi kings of Utkala. Unfortunately the days of glory were numbered, and ended with the invasion of the Mughal rulers, who left behind them a plundered city, amidst mass destruction and gruesome massacres, reducing it to a mere ghost town.

Located on the riverbanks of Tungabhadra, and surrounded by ridges all around, the landscaping is quite a paradox: parched land surrounded by millions of boulders and yet housing an oasis of green palms, banana and mango trees, alongside the river.

Hampi's economy is fuelled largely by agricultural and mining at present. The area is rich in iron-ore and manganese. In addition to this, with its status of a World Heritage site tourism is another chief contributor to the economy.