Hampi

Hampi

Hampi or Hampe is known for its ruins belonging to the Hindu kingdom of Vijaynagar. Hampi is situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra River in Karnataka.  It also called as the Group of Monuments which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hampi or Hampe is from Old Kannada word Pampaa means big or great. In 14th Century, It was the capital of Vijayanagar Empire. Hampi was a prosperous and big city nearby the Tungabhadra River. The city had a lot of temples, farms and markets. By 1500 CE, Vijayanagar was probably India's richest city, attracting traders from Persia and Portugal. The Vijayanagar Empire was defeated by Muslim sultanate in 1565. After that it was looted and destroyed by sultanate armies.

Description

Hampi ruins are spread over 4,100 hectares. It remains of the last great Hindu kingdom in South India. This contains forts, temples, Mandapas, memorial structures, water structures and others. . Almost all of the monuments were made between 1336 and 1570 CE during the Vijayanagar Empire. Today It became the pilgrimage center of the Hindu religion. The temples of Hampi and monuments attract tourist due to their brilliant workmanship.

Tourist attractions in Hampi

Virupaksha Temple

The Virupaksha temple is the oldest temple which is the famous destination for pilgrims and tourists. This temple is a collection of  many small temples that is a Gopuram, a Hindu monastery dedicated to Vidyaranya, a water tank (Manmatha), a community kitchen, other monuments and with a monolithic Nandi Temple.

The temple faces eastwards which aligning the sanctums Shiv and Pampa Devi temples to the sunrise and a large gopuram marks it’s entering. The gopuram goes into a rectangular court that ends in another. There is a 100 column hall south side. Community kitchen is connected to this public hall that a feature found in other major Hampi temples. Channel is used to bring water to the kitchen and the feeding hall.

The sanctum of the temple has a mukha-ling which is Shiva linga whose face embossed with brass. According to local tradition, the Virupaksha is the only temple Where the Hindus are gathering continuous and visiting frequently by pilgrims after the destruction of Hampi in 1565. There is an annual chariot procession to mark the marriage of Virupaksha and Pampa which is held in spring. Temple attracts a large number of devotees and tourists.

Achyutaraya Temple

The Achyutaraya temple is also known as Tiruvengalanatha temple. It is located about 1 kilometre of Virupaksha temple and very close to the Tungabhadra River. It is mentioned to be Achyutapura in inscriptions. This place is one of the four largest complexes in Hampi. Temple is dedicated to Vishnu. The temple had an outer gopuram goes into a 100 column courtyard hall and an inner gopuram goes to the Vishnu temple. On each side of each pillar in the 100-column hall shows avatars of Vishnu and other deities such as Shiva, Surya, Durga, scenes of daily life, rishi,  people in yoga asanas, people in namaste poses, and Vijayanagar emblems.

Krishna Temple, Narasimha and Linga

The Krishna temple is also known as Balakrishna temple which is far about 1 kilometer from Virupaksha temple. It is on the other side of Hemakuta hill. This is the part of the Hampi complex which is said Krishnapura in inscriptions. There is a market street In front of the temple. This market allowed to transport goods and hosted festivel. In the middle of the market is a large Pushkarani (water tank. Public hall (mandapa) is close to the water tank for people to sit.

The temple get is towards the east. Inside, there is a ruined temple for Krishna and ruined temples for goddesses. The temple compound is covered into mandapas, an outer and an inner enclosure. The compound has two gopuram entries. Two temples are adjacent to Krishna temple. One is Shiva Linga and the other is Yoga-Narasimha avatar of Vishnu. Shiva Linga stands in water and has three eyes on its top. Narasimha seated in a yoga position.

Vitthala Temple

The Vitthala temple is situated near the banks of the Tungabhadra River and around 3 kilometres far from the Virupaksha temple. It is the most artistically stylish Hindu temple in Hampi. It is part of the holy Centre of Vijayanagar for Hindus. The temple was dedicated to Vitthala (Vithoba) which is a form of Krishna. The main temple is in the middle of a paved courtyard and many subsidiary shrines. The temple has three different parts such as a Garbhagriha, an Ardhamandapa and a Mahamandapa (sabha mandapa).

A Garuda temple in the form of a stone chariot is in the Vitthala temple courtyard. This is a pictured symbol of Hampi. Above the chariot is a tower. In the front of the stone chariot is a large, sabha mandapa (community hall). The mandapa has 56 carved stone beams of different diameters, form, length and surface that give different types of musical sounds when hit. According to local belief, this hall was used for public celebrations of music and dance.

The mandapa is connected to a surrounded pradakshina patha for walking around the temple. Around this mandapa are the Garuda temple, the Kalyana mandapa (wedding ceremonies), the 100-columned mandapa and the Utsav mandapa (festival hall).

Hazara Rama temple

The Hazara Rama temple is referred to as the Ramachandra temple of Hampi. This temple was dedicated to Ram and an avatar of Vishnu. It was the traditional temple for the royal family. The temple's outer walls show the Hindu Mahanavami (Dasara) and Holi festival celebrations with bands .The band shows marching elephants, above it are horses, then soldiers then dancers and musicians and showing procession to the general public. The description of festivals and processions are in surviving memoirs of Persians and Portuguese who visited the Vijayanagara capital.

The inner walls of the temple have description of the Hindu epic Ramayana. The temple has an entrance mandapa and a yajna ritual hall. Inside the main mandapa are four carved pillars that show the depictions of Rama, Lakshmana and Sita, Durga and Shiva-Parvati. This ruined temple complex is famous for carvings and inscriptions.

Kodandarama Temple

The Kodandarama temple complex is located near the Tungabhadra River and is north of Achyutaraya temple.  In Vijayanagar accommodates ghat and mandapa facilities for bathing in Holy River. In front of the temple there is a dipa stambha under a Pipal tree and inside is a sanctum which is dedicated to Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman. There are a number of smaller temples that is dedicated to Vitthala, Anjaneya, Shiva and other deities. There is a rock carved with Shaivism's 1,008 lingas.

Hemakuta Hill Monuments

The Hemakuta hill is placed between the Virupaksha temple complex and the Krishna temple. Hemakuta hill has more than thirty small temples. The Hemakuta hill has monuments with two Ganesh the Kadalekalu Ganesh and the Sasivekalu Ganesh. The Kadalekalu Ganesha is named because of Ganesha's gram-shaped belly. It is situated in the middle of Hampi's holy centre on the hill near Matanga. The open mandapa goes to the sanctum which has an image of Ganesh. Ganesha's tusk and other parts have been damaged.

The Sasivekalu Ganesha is named because of Ganesha's mustard seed-shaped belly. It is located near the Krishna temple of the Kadalekalu Ganesha. The Sasivekalu Ganesha is sitting in the lap of his mother Parvati. The Ganesh’s left hand and tusk have been damaged.

Pattabhirama Temple Complex

The Pattabhirama temple complex is located about 500 meters from the ASI Hampi museum. It was at the center of economic and cultural activity. The complex is also called as Varadevi Ammana Pattana which is dedicated to Rama (Vishnu avatar). The complex has a main temple, a courtyard and roofed mandapa in front of the sanctum. The Pattabhirama temple included a 100-pillared hall like a feeding hall. Pillars depict Hindu subjects like  gods, goddesses,  yoga and namaste.

Mahanavami Platform

The Mahanavami platform is also known the Great Platform or Audience Hall or Mahanavami Dibba monument inside the royal Centre. The two lower levels of the platform are made of granite. It shows lines of marching animals including elephants, horses and camels, musicians and dancers. The third level show procession in which common citizens celebrating Holi. There is an audience hall near the platform which probably had a wooden pavilion. Near the platform is a tank made of granite that was excavated by archaeologists in the 1980s.

Water Infrastructure

The Square Water Pavilion is located in the south-east of the royal Centre. It is also known the Queen's Bath. It has a building and a water basin that is the way of getting fresh water to it and taking away wash water. The building interior shows influence of the Indo-Islamic style. The Vijayanagara kingdom made an extensive water infrastructure such as the Manmatha tank near Virupaksha temple and the Manmatha tank.

The Hampi monuments include aqueducts to bring water to tanks and as well as drains and channels to remove water. For example, during excavations revealed a large tank near the Mahanavami platform in the 1980s. The tanks were for public utilities or used for used for royal ceremonies.

Archaeological excavations revealed twenty-three wells in 1990. Twelve were at roadsides, eight near temples, ten in residential areas and two were used for agriculture. According to archaeologists the Hampi water infrastructure was use for the tourists, rituals, domestic and irrigation.

Elephant Stables

The Gajashala is also called Elephant Stables which contain of eleven square chambers. In the middle of the stables are staircases to reach the roof. Elephant Stable is a major tourist attraction. There are 11 domed tall chambers was used to keep the royal elephants. The center dome is very decorated and big. Hooks can be seen inside that was used to tie the elephants. At the backside of every hall are small manholes to reach the elephant sections.

Other Hindu Temples and Monuments

The Hampi site has over 1,600 temples mostly Hindu. A temple of Hindu goddess for Saraswati of knowledge and music, a temple Ananthasayana Vishnu, a shrine for Kali,  a Sugriva cave temple, the Matanga hill monuments, the Purandaradasa temple, the Chandrashekhara temple near the Queen's bath monument and the Malyavanta hill which dedicated to Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Shiva.

Jain Monuments

Jain temples were built in the 14th century at Hampi includes Hemkut Jain temples, Ratnantraykut, Parsvanath Charan and Ganagitti Jain temples.

Ganagitti Temple Complex

The Ganigitti Jain temple is located in front of monolithic lamp pillar near Bhima's gate of Hampi. The temple is built during the rule of Hindu king Harihara II. It is dedicated to Tirthankara Kunthunatha. The temple has plain walls, a pillared mandapa and a sanctum where was the the Jina's statue. Today it is missing. Other monuments in the temple are ruined.

Other Jain Temples and Monuments

A group of Jain and Hindu temples are located near the elephant stables. One of these temples is dedicated to Parshvanatha Tirthankara. It was built by King Devaraya II. In front of the temple, other temple is dedicated to Mahavira.  Jain Tirthankaras are also placed in inside Hindu temples.

How to Reach

By Air: The nearest airport is Bellary Airport that is about 60 kms from the city. Other nearest airport is Hubli Airport that is far of 143 kms. Private and Government Buses, cabs and rented taxis can be taken easily from outside of the airport to reach the city.

By Rail: The nearest railway station is the Hospet railway station. It is directly connected to all major stations. Bus and cabs take around 40 minutes to reach Hampi.

By Road: Hampi is well linked to various parts of the country by road. State transport buses are regularly available. The buses are Available from major cities like Bangalore and Mumbai to reach Hampi.

Best time to visit

The Best time is to visit Hampi from October to February. These months are pleasant and enjoyable. March to June is very hot and not to good time for visiting. In the month of November Vijaya Utsav (Festival of Hampi) is celebrated.