India's Forgotten World "Hampi," a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is India's greatest and least-traveled offbeat travel destination.
Great civilizations and empires have been established, flourished, and eventually collapsed. One such empire that has been forgotten over time is the renowned Vijaynagar Empire, which was based in the Deccan Plateau Region of South India between the 14th and 17th century, from 1336 until roughly 1614. The empire was named after its capital city, Vijaynagar, “The City of Victory,” whose ruins now partially surround present-day HAMPI, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1986, in the eastern part of Karnataka state in South India. Located on the south bank of the Tungabhadra River, Hampi is currently only a village but is one of the best and least explored off-the-beaten-path rural tourism destinations in Indian
The astounding and intricate buildings of Hampi were constructed over a 200-year period on 4,18,724 hectares. Wealth and prosperity led to the flourishing of art and architecture, which here developed into a distinctive style. Discovering and appreciating the rural lifestyle, history, architecture, and globally recognised cultural heritage sites can be accomplished with a trip of Hampi and the neighbouring villages. The 1,600 surviving remnants of the last great Hindu kingdom, Hampi, also known as India’s Lost World, include forts, temples, shrines, elephant stables, markets, irrigation systems, stone chariots, watch towers, step wells, horse water tanks, stone bowls, stone plates, cave paintings, queen’s bath, and many other structures. Numerous villages and monuments have been created out of the granite stone found locally.
Attractions in Hampi
In Hampi, there are more than five hundred distinct little and large tourist attractions. Temples, Royal Monuments, Museums, Sunrise/Sunset Points, Zoos, and Other Tourist Attractions are some of the general categories for these.
The most notable temples are: Anjanadri Hill & Temple (the birthplace of Hanuman), Vitthala Temple, Balakrishna Temple, Achyuta Raya Temple, Hazara Rama Temple, Malyavantha Raghunatha Temple, Pattabhirama Temple, Kodanda Rama Temple, Yantroddharaka Anjaneya Temple, Underground Virupaksha Temple, Uddana Veerabhadra Temple, and numerous others.
The Mint, Nobleman’s Quarters, Stepped Tank, Bhima’s Gateway, Lotus Mahal, Mahanavami Dibba, Elephant Stables, Queen’s Bath, Water Ducts, Octagonal Bath, and many more are among the most famous royal monuments.The Atal Bihari Vajpayee Zoo, Kamalapura Museum, Tungabhadra Dam & Musical Fountains, Daroji Bear Sanctuary, and numerous other hills with vistas, such as Malyavantha Hill, Anjanadri Hill, Hemakuta Hill, Matanga Hill, Rishimukha Hill, are some of the other tourist attractions.
Vijaya Vitthala Temple
The colossal Vijaya Vitthala Temple complex, which dates back to the fifteenth century, is a testament to Vijayanagara architecture. The temple is purported to be the biggest historic building in the region and is devoted to Lord Vitthala, a manifestation of Lord Vishnu. The complex comprises various halls, pavilions, and shrines, such as the Maha Mantapa (main hall), Kalayana Mantapa (marriage hall), Devi Shrine (shrine of Goddess), Utsav Mantapa (festival hall), Ranga Mantapa, and the magnificent stone chariot in the courtyard, which was formerly movable. This temple, which features beautiful and detailed sculptures that symbolise numerous gods, is a priceless piece of historical and architectural legacy.Not to mention the massive SAREGAMA pillars, also known as musical pillars, which emit gentle musical chimes when lightly tapped (however tourists are not permitted to play the musical pillars to prevent damage).
Sri Virupaksha Temple
The Virupaksha temple, one of the primary pilgrimage sites in Hampi, is among the nation’s oldest temples, having been built in the seventh century and is still in operation today. The temple, which honours Virupaksha, a manifestation of Lord Shiva, has enormous gateway towers, a hall supported by columns, three antechambers, a courtyard, shrines, and other modest buildings. The temple is adorned with beautifully carved walls that tell tales and legends. Make sure you receive blessings from Lakshmi, the temple elephant, before departing the premises.
The temple complex is enormous, encompassing courtyards, sanctums, and halls supported by columns. The eastern gopuram, or gateway tower, is the most remarkable feature. It is a nine-story, over-50-meter-tall monster. The elaborate carvings on this tower portray a variety of Hindu deities and scenarios from mythology. The extraordinary craftsmanship of the time is on display in the gopuram’s elaborate features as well as the temple complex itself.
Look out for interesting details within the temple complex:
- The inverted shadow of the main gopuram falling on a specific wall at certain times of the day.
- The intricately carved pillars within the halls.
- Shrines dedicated to other deities like Bhuvaneshwari and Vidyaranya.
Lakshmi Narasimha Temple
The tallest monolith in Hampi, this enormous statue is 6.7 metres tall and was carved from a single granite block. It shows Lord Narasimha, the fourth avatar of Vishnu, in a fearsome aspect. The figure of Narasimha, who is half-lion and half-man, represents Vishnu’s ability to defend his followers. With his eyes bulging and his claws sharp, Narasimha is shown in the statue sitting in a yoga pose with a ferocious face. He is perched on the seven-headed serpent Adisesha, a representation of the cosmic cycle and the taming of evil.The statue was originally a composite form, with Narasimha’s consort, Goddess Lakshmi, sitting on his lap. Sadly, following the battle of Talikota in 1565, this portion of the sculpture was destroyed. The statue that is still standing exudes tremendous strength and grandeur in spite of this loss.
In addition to its size, the Lakshmi Narasimha statue is an important landmark in Hampi because of its artistic and historical value. It provides insight into the remarkable sculpting abilities of the empire and their commitment to portraying strong Hindu deities. Make sure to include a visit to this stunning monument on your agenda if you’re visiting Hampi.
Queen’s Bath, Hampi
In Hampi, the massive Queen’s Bath is a prime example of the magnificent architecture that characterised the Vijayanagara Empire. It may be found near Hampi’s Royal Enclosure entrance.
Over five centuries after its construction, the Queen’s Bath, which was erected during the Vijayanagara Empire, continues to astonish tourists.
Achyuta Raya is credited with building the Queen’s Bath for the benefit of the Vijayanagara royal family’s female members. Despite being called the Queen’s Bath, it was most likely the monarch and his queens’ private bathing area. The opulent bath was reportedly a royal pleasure facility. The bath’s position outside the Royal Enclosure is the reason for this idea.
The Queen’s Bath is a complex building with an intricate interior and a plain outside. Constructed in the Indo-Islamic architectural style, this eye-catching enclosed area is intended to stand out from any other Hampi private or public bath.
The structure of the Queen’s Bath is rectangular. The building is thirty square metres in size. The structure’s heart contains a sizable sunken bath that is 15 square metres in size and 1.8 metres deep. Beautiful arched passageways with pillars and projecting elaborate balconies with windows encircle the bath.
