Hampi was the capital of the medieval Hindu kingdom of the Vijayanagara Empire. This city situated on the banks of Tungabhadra river is now known as 'Hampi'. This ancient magnificent city is now left only in ruins in the form of ruins. Looking at the ruins here, it seems easy that once upon a time, a prosperous civilization used to reside in Hampi.
Located in the Indian state of Karnataka, this city is also included in the list of 'World Heritage Sites' by UNESCO. Thousands of tourists and pilgrims come here every year. The vast expanse of Hampi is wide in mounds of rounded rocks. There are more than five hundred memorial signs among the valleys and dunes. These include temples, palaces, cellars, water-ruins, old markets, royal pavilions, citadels, platforms, treasury…. There are many buildings etc.
Hampi is an ancient city and it is also mentioned in the Ramayana and according to historians it was called as Kishkindha, in fact the city flourished as the capital of the Vijayanagara kings from the 13th to the 16th century. Hampi is a paradise for both tourist and pilgrim. Every turn of Hampi is amazing. Every monument hides more than it reveals, and Hampi is an open museum. There is a huge line of tourists here. According to the statistical data of 2014, Hampi is the most famous place in Karnataka searched on Google.
The history of Hampi begins from the first century. At that time there was a workplace of Buddhists around it. According to the Minor Rock Edicts of Emperor Ashoka, Nuttur and Udegolan, this kingdom was part of Ashoka's empire during the 3rd century. Later Hampi became the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire.
Vijayanagara was one of the largest empires of Hindus. Two brothers named Harihara and Bukka established this kingdom in 1336 AD. Krishnadeva Raya ruled here from 1509 to 1529 in Hampi and expanded his empire. Most of the remaining monuments in Hampi were built by Krishnadeva Raya. Here the fortification of four lines used to protect the city. The huge army of this empire used to protect it from other states. The states of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh used to come under the Vijayanagara Empire.
At that time about 5,00,000 residents started living in Vijayanagara. After the death of Krishnadevaraya, this vast empire was destroyed by the Muslim armies of Bidar, Bijapur, Golconda, Ahmednagar and Berar in 1565. Hampi, located in the state of Karnataka, was known as Pampa and Kishkindha in the Ramayana period. Hampi got its name because of the temple of Hampadevi. The Hampadevi temple was built between the 11th and 13th centuries. Longhurst has given a detailed description of the ancient buildings of Vijayanagar in his book 'Hampi Ruins'.
The city of Vijayanagara is also known as Vidyanagara in honor of sage Vidyaranya. The monuments at this place were built from the time of Harihara to Sadasiva Raya between AD 1336-1570. This period saw a resurgence of Hinduism, art, architecture etc. on an unprecedented scale.
There is also a mythological association associated with Hampi. According to local people and folklore, this area was called the mythical Kishkinda monkey kingdom in the Ramayana and is the place where Rama and Lakshmana took refuge before going to Lanka to search for Sita. There are stories of Sugriva, Bali, Hanuman and Rama stopping in today's mountains and many places.
Apart from the beautiful architecture of its ruins, Hampi is also famous for its religious history. There are many famous temples here. The Tungabhadra River, one of the major rivers of Karnataka, flows through the city, providing a stunning natural setting near these ruins. Natural stone from the surrounding mountains is the source of these massive boulders that were used by the Vijayanagara kings for the impressive stone-carved pillars of the temples of Hampi.
Apart from temples and scenic views, there are also many beautifully designed water tanks and other public buildings, which reflect the town planning skills of the Vijayanagara kings. The aqueducts and canals here show a glimpse of the water management system from the 13th to the 15th century.
Hampi is a city of temples which derives its name from Pampa. Pampa is the old name of Tungabhadra river. Hampi is situated on the banks of this river. Even in the mythological text Ramayana, Hampi has been mentioned as the capital of the monkey kingdom Kishkindha. This is probably the reason why there are so many monkeys here. Even today the deity is worshiped in some of the temples of Hampi. Let us know about some temples…
Vittala swamy temple –
The temple of Vitthalaswamy is the tallest in Hampi. This signifies the climax of Vijayanagara's opulence and art. The carving of the Kalyan Mandap of the temple is so subtle and intense that it is made on sight. The inner part of the temple is 55 feet long. And a high altar is built in the middle of it. The chariot of Lord Vitthal is cut out of only one stone. The lower part of the temple has carvings everywhere.
Virupaksha Temple –
The Virupaksha Temple, also known as the Pampapati Temple, is situated at the foot of the Hemakuta Hills. This is one of the main attractions of Hampi. The Gopuda was built by Krishnadeva Raya at the time of his consecration in 1509. This temple is dedicated to Lord Vithala or Lord Vishnu. There are many small temples inside this huge temple which are even older than the Virupaksha temple. On the east side of the temple is a huge stone Nandi while on the south side there is a huge idol of Lord Ganesha. Here there is a 6.7 meter high idol of Narasimha wearing the body of half lion and half man.
Chariot (Hampi ratha) –
The main attraction of the Vithala temple is its pillared walls and stone chariot. They are known as musical pillars, because they emit music when gently tapped. The chariot made of stone is a wonderful piece of architecture. A temple has been built in it by carving stone, which is in the shape of a chariot. It is said that its wheels used to rotate, but to protect them, cement coating has been applied.
Badav Ling –
This is a photograph of the largest linga in Hampi. Which is located next to the Lakshmi Narasimha idol. The Badav Linga is surrounded by water from all sides as a canal passes through this temple itself. It is believed that a poor resident of Hampi had taken a vow that if he was lucky, he would get a Shivling built. Badav means poor.
Lakshmi Narasimha Temple –
The Hampi Lakshmi Narasimha Temple or Ugra Narasimha Temple is made of massive rocks, it is the tallest statue in Hampi. It is about 6.7 meters high. Narasimha is seated on Adisesha. Actually, on one knee of the idol, there is a small picture of Lakshmi ji, which got tarnished during the invasion of Vijayanagara Empire.
Hazara Rama Temple –
It is a ruined temple which has been given great importance in Hindu theology. This temple is known for the excavation and inscriptions of more than 1000 woodcuts and the ancient story of Ramayana.
Queen's bathroom
The Queen's Bath located in Hampi is closed from all sides. This bath of 15 square meters has gallery, verandah and Rajasthani balcony. Once upon a time, the fragrant soft water in this bathhouse comes from a small lake, which was connected to the bathhouse through an underground drain. This bath is surrounded on all sides and open from above.
Kamal Mahal (Lotus Temple) –
Kamal Mahal is adjacent to Hazara Ram Mandir. This palace is a mixed form of Indo-Islamic style. It is said that the ladies of the royal families living around the palace of the queen used to come here for fun. The arches of the palace are very attractive.
Raghunathaswamy Temple –
The Malyavantha Raghunathaswamy Temple is built in the ancient Indian style of architecture. Malyavantha Raghunathaswamy Temple is built 3 kilometers below the ground. Its interior walls have been decorated with strange designs and fish and sea creature artworks have also been made.
House of Victory
The House of Victory place was the seat of the Vijayanagara rulers. It was built in honor of Krishnadevaraya who defeated the kings of Odisha in a battle. He used to sit on the huge throne of the House of Victory and watch the nine-day Dasara festival from here.
elephant house
Hampi's elephant house is adjacent to the Jinan area. This is a domed building which was used for state elephants. Eleven elephants could live together in each of its chambers. This is a fine example of Hindu-Muslim construction art.
Apart from this, more attractive monuments of Hampi –
Sacred Centre, Courtesans' Street, Temple of Achyuta Raya, Sasivekalu Ganesha, Royal Centre, Mahanavami Dibba, Granaries, Harihara Palace Veera, Riverside Ruins, Karaile Crossing, Jajjal Mandap, Purandaradas Mandap, Talarigatta Gate Ahmed Khan Mosque and Tomb, Kamalpur, Archeology Museum, Bhima's Gateway, Ganigitti Temple, Domed Gateway, Anegondi, Viruppur Gadde, Bukka's Aqueduct, Hakpa Mandap, Pampa Sarovar, Matunga Hill.
Interesting Facts About Hampi
1). It is said that every stone in Hampi has a story to tell. Here two stones are connected in a triangle shape. Both are similar in appearance, hence they are called sister stones. There is a story behind this as well. Two jealous sisters came to visit Hampi, they started talking bad about Hampi. When the goddess of the city heard this, she turned those two sisters into stone.
2). The famous musical pillars are built in the temple. The British always wanted to know the reason behind this miracle and that is why they broke two pillars to see if there was anything inside. But they could not find anything in the pillar that could make a sound. Today we see those two pillars broken by the British.
3). The road adjacent to the temple was once a market for selling horses. Even today we see the market in the form of ruins. In the temple also we see photographs of some people selling horses.
4). It is believed that at one time Hampi was a city more prosperous than Rome. The ruins of the famous medieval Vijayanagara kingdom are present in present-day Hampi. The ruins of the capital of this empire declare to the world that in its glory days indigenous artists had developed a distinct style of architecture, painting and sculpture. Hampi is a city surrounded by stones. There is a beautiful series of temples here, hence it is also called the city of temples.
5). Hampi is actually this village, which is very backward in the pace of development. The residents here have absolutely no idea how this place used to be centuries ago. To reach the Nava Vrindavan temple, one has to cross the river by means of a boat, which is called Tappa in Kannada. People here believe that the stones of the Nava Vrindavan temple have life, so people are not allowed to touch them.
6). The Islamic quarter established here is sometimes called the Moorish quarter, which is built between the northern Malyavanta mountain and the Talarigatta gate.
7). According to archaeologists, high-ranking Muslim officials and the main persons of the court and military officers lived in this place.
