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Hampi (Vijayanagar)

Pop: 1,000 Area Code: 08394

Hampi was once the capital of the powerful Vijayanagar Empire, which flourished for two centuries and was one of the most powerful empires in Indian history. It is 360km north of Bangalore. Vijayanagar means the “city of victory.”

It was once considered greater than Rome and was one of the richest cities in the world. At its height, half a million people lived here; the Vijayanagar army alone consisted of over a million men. Now only about 1,000 people live here. It is a big tourist spot and is especially popular with young travelers. If it weren’t so difficult to get to, it would definitely be one of the top five most visited tourist sites in India—it is an extremely interesting place. I never knew a place like it existed on earth.

The ruins are spread over a 26 sq km area and there are over 500 monuments. On a day trip, you could see the Virupaksha complex in the morning and the royal area in the afternoon. If you go quickly, you can see everything in one day if you go by foot. The sites are spread out; and you should bring good walking shoes. You can hire a bicycle to get around.

A good place to start is the site museum, where you can purchase D Devakunjari’s authoritative Hampi (1983). It has a map and a detailed description of each monument.
The Virupaksha Temple and the Vitthala Temple are the two most interesting temples to visit. The Vitthala Temple has fifty-six pillars, each of which produce a different musical tone when tapped.

WARNING!  Be especially careful of mosquitoes here—Hampi is a malaria zone. If you are alone, especially a woman, be careful of potential muggings. Several have been reported in recent times. You should be careful of drinking the tap water here, as it is worst than most places in India.

History
Hampi dates back to 1343 when two Telugu princes, Harihaka and Bukka, founded it. They were captured by the Delhi Sultanate and supposedly converted to Islam. Later, they were returned to this area as rulers, but broke away to set up their own kingdom, abandoning Islam. After a short time, they established their capital at Vijayanagar, and over the next two hundred years, it became the largest, most powerful kingdom in South India. During the reign of Krishna Deva Raya (1509-29), the Vijayanagar Empire controlled most of South India.

The city was destroyed in 1565 when the five Bahmani Muslim kingdoms united to defeat the Vijayanagar army. The battle took place 100km north of the city. The emperor of that time, Rama Raya, was captured and killed, but members of his family fled, taking with them as many riches as they could carry. Over 100,000 people were massacred and the city destroyed.

This place is said to be where Lord Rama first met Hanuman. It is also said to be the place where Parvati (known locally as Hampi) met and married Lord Siva.

Getting Around
Most people take a bus or taxi to Hampi Bazaar from Hospet, then walk to the Vitthala Temple. They then walk south to the Palace complex and either walk back to Hampi Bazaar or to the village of Kamalapuram. You could also get off the bus at Kamalapuram and visit the site museum first, then the palace area, then head north to Hampi Bazaar, then walk to the Vitthala Temple. This would be my preference.

It is possible to see all the sites in one day. You could take a bus to Kamalapuram and then hire a bicycle. You could then ride to Hampi Bazaar, stopping at the Palace Complex on the way, and walk along the river to the Vitthala Temple (leaving your bike at the bazaar). You could then ride back to Kamalapuram, stopping at the shrine of Ugra Narasimha on the way.

To rent a bike in Hampi Bazaar costs Rs 5 per hour, and in Kamalapuram Rs 3 per hour. Seeing everything in one day requires that you cover about 6km, which can be rough in the hot sun. You can rent an auto-rickshaw (Rs 250 for 5 hr) or a taxi (Rs 400 for 5 hr) to take you around the sites.

Kishkindha
The town of Anegundi is believed by the local people to be the ancient place known as Kishkindha, where Rama met Sugriva and Hanuman. Also by Hampi is the Rsimukha Mountain, mentioned in the Ramayana.

The ancient Kishkindha was ruled by the monkey chiefs Sugriva and Vali. After a quarrel with Vali, Sugriva and Hanuman were driven out. They went to live at Matanga-parvata Hill. You can get a view of the surrounding area from the top of this hill. While searching for Sita, whom Ravana had kidnapped, Rama and Laksman came south and met Sugriva and Hanuman. Rama killed Vali and restored Sugriva to his kingdom. While Hanuman went to search for Sita, it is said that Rama stayed at Malyavanta Hill, on the road to Kampili, about 6km east of the Virupaksha Temple. There is a Raghunath Temple there now with a large Deity of Rama.

On the way between the Virupaksha Temple and the Vitthala Temple there is a cave on the bank of the Tungabhadra, where Sugriva is said to have hidden Sita’s jewels for safety. There are marks and streaks on the rocks said to have been made by Sita’s garments.

There is a huge mound of scorched ash in the nearby village of Nimbapuram said to be the cremated remains of Vali. Hanuman’s birthplace is said to be a little to the northwest.

Information
The Archaeological Survey of India in Kamalapuram publishes a booklet about Hampi, which includes a map of the site. They also have a small museum. Open daily except Fri 10 am to 5 pm. The museum sells the ASI booklet on Hampi.
There is a Tourist Information Counter at Hampi Bazaar, 100m from where the bus stops. They have a good map of the site. The useful Michell and Fritz’s Hampi is offered free of charge at the Tourist Office, if it is in stock. They can arrange a tour or help you hire a private guide (Oct to March, Rs 400 per day, April to Sept, Rs 150). Open Mon to Sat 10 am to 5.30 pm.

The KSTDC tour lasts all day, but only the morning is spent at Hampi, which is not enough time to see everything. The tour guide speaks good English and is informative. You could take the tour in the morning and stay at Hampi after the tour leaves.

There is a Photo Gallery, eastern end of Hampi Bazaar, with a picture of the ruins taken by the Englishman Alexander John Greenlow in 1856. Next to it is a picture taken by John Collins in 1983. There is not much difference in the pictures. The gallery is open Tues to Sun 10 am to 5.30 pm. Admission is free.

The best time to visit is between late October and the middle of March, when the weather is not too hot. To see the sites in Hampi, you have to take some long walks where there is absolutely no shade or cover.

Practicalities
There is a good bookshop at the end of Hampi Bazaar by the Virupaksha Temple. You can buy Longhurst’s useful Hampi Ruins and R Sewell’s Forgotten Empire there, if it is in print.

At Guru’s Bicycle Shop, about 50m from the tourist office, you can rent a bike for Rs 20 a day (Rs 5 an hour). Open 7 am to 5 pm.
You can change money and use a Visa and MasterCard at the Canara Bank in Hampi Bazaar. There are several other places that change money in Hampi bazaar at slightly worst rates.
There is a small post office outside the Virupakshi Temple entrance. Postal code: 583239.

Royal Palace Complex and Archaeological Museum
The Palace Complex is in the extreme southern part of the ruins by Kamalapuram village, 3km south of Hampi Bazaar. It is the first thing you see when you enter the Hampi area coming from Hospet.

The Archaeological Museum (daily except Fri 10 am to 5 pm) is in the village of Kamalapuram. Turn right as you come out of the bus station, then right again, and walk about five minutes. The museum is on your left. The museum contains interesting sculptures and a scale-model of the city.

To get from the museum to the Palace Complex, return to the main road and take the turn marked “Hampi 4km.” After 200m you reach the inner city wall, which goes 32km around the city. You then reach the Queen’s Bath, which is open to the sky and has a corridor around it with twenty-four domes.

To your right further east is the 14th century Jain temple. Beyond it is Bhima’s Gate, which used to be one of the main entrances to the city. There are bas-reliefs of Bhima avenging the attempt to strip Draupadi by killing Kichaka. Draupadi vowed not to put up her hair until Kichaka was killed. There is a panel showing her tying her hair after his death.

Going northwest you come to Mahanavami Dibba, or the “House of Victory,” built to celebrate a successful victory in Orissa. It is said that the king would give and receive gifts while sitting here. Dibba means “platform.” South of the Dibba is a deep water tank called Pushkarini, excavated in 1986.

To the west of Mahanavami Dibba is what is said to be the basement of the King’s Audience Hall. It contains 100 pillars and was the highest building in the city at one time.

North of here is the pink Lotus Mahal, part of the Zenana Enclosure, or women’s quarters. The pavilion is open on the ground floor, and the upper floor has windows and a balcony. There is a moat surrounding the building, which was used to cool the place in the summer. It was built for Krishna Deva Raya’s queen.

Beyond this is the elephant stable with its ten-domed chambers. It is in the northern part of the complex. The elephants were chained by each foot and by the back and neck to beams in the ceiling.

As you walk west from here on the way to the main road to Hampi village, you come to the Hazara Rama Temple (One Thousand Rams). This temple is believed to have been a private temple for the royal family and was originally called Hajana Rama, which in Telugu means “the palace temple.” It was originally dedicated to Lord Rama in the 15th century, and it contains many interesting sculptures of scenes from the Ramayana on the walls. Worship is no longer performed there. In the temple is an image of the Buddha, who is considered by Hindus to be the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

If you proceed west, you reach the Prasanna Virupaksha Underground Temple, which lies below ground level. The Underground Temple is on the main road. Turn right here, and after about 1km you will reach Hemakuta Hill, next to Hampi Bazaar.

Palace Complex to Hampi Bazaar
Coming up the road from the south, you will find two temples facing one another. In the Virabhadra Siva Temple (1545), worship is still performed. The other temple, Chandikeswara, is partly ruined.

By the Hemakuta Hill is a carving of a huge, seated Narasimha, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu as half-man, half-lion. It is carved out of a single 7m (23 ft) high boulder. Nearby is the Badavi-linga, a large Siva-linga kept within a chamber fed by water from a nearby stream.

North of Narasimha is the Krishna Temple, built in 1513. This temple used to have a Deity of Balakrishna on the altar. There is a pillar in the temple with carvings of the Dasa Avataras (ten main incarnations of Lord Vishnu).

On Hemakuta Hill, overlooking Hampi Bazaar, there is a group of pre-Vijayanagar temples dating back to around the 9th to 11th century. On the southeast slope of Hemakuta Hill are two large monolithic Ganesh statues. The smaller one is 2.5m (8 ft) high, and the larger one is about twice that size. This is a popular place to watch the sunset.

Virupaksha Temple (Pampapati Temple)
This temple is located at the end of Hampi Bazaar. It is dedicated to Virupaksha (Siva). Pampapati mean Siva as the husband of the local river goddess, Pampa. It was constructed during the 15th and 16th centuries.

The 10-storey Bristappaiah Gopuram, over the main gate, is 55m (180 ft) high. Inside the temple compound is an assembly hall and a marriage hall. There is a large tank next to the temple. Worship has been going on here for at least five hundred years. Open daily 6.30 am to 12.30 pm and 3 to 6.30 pm.

If you come out the north gate of the temple, you will find the sacred bathing ghat. Boats cross the river at this place. On the other side of the river is the popular Uma Shankar Café.

Hampi Bazaar to Vitthala Temple
From the Virupaksha Temple, walk east the length of Hampi Bazaar. At the end of the bazaar, there is a path going roughly to the left, following the riverbank.

There is a natural cavern marked with painted stripes where Sugriva is said to have hidden Sita’s jewels when she dropped them after her abduction by Ravana. The nearby pool is also supposed to be related to a pastime with Sita.
On your way, you pass the deserted Achyuta Bazaar. At the southern end is the Tiruvengalanatha Temple, which has musical pillars.

At the Kodandaram (bow-bearing Rama) Temple there are large Deities of Sita, Rama, and Laksman. The temple is opposite the bathing ghat. This is said to be the place where Rama crowned Sugriva as king of the monkeys. There is a temple cart in the Sri Ranganath Temple complex.

The King’s Balance (Tula Purusha­dana) is a granite arch, 4.5m (15 ft) high and 3.5m (12 ft) across, which was built as a scale. On certain festival days, the king would weigh himself and then distribute his weight in gold and jewels to the Brahmins. This is located close to the Vitthala Temple.

Vitthala Temple
This ornate, 16th century temple is dedicated to Lord Vitthala, after the Deity in Pandharpur. It is on the southern bank of the Tungabhadra River and has fifty-six musical pillars, each sounding a different musical tone when struck. There are sculptures of Varaha and other incarnations of Lord Vishnu. In the hall there are pillars decorated with various carved forms of Narasimha. It is considered to be the most outstanding temple in Hampi. Construction was begun in 1513 and it was never finished because the city was destroyed in 1565, before its completion.

In front of the temple there is an impressive stone chariot for Garuda, Lord Vishnu’s carrier. The stone wheels move. This temple is a World Heritage Monument (one of three in South India).

Other Places
The Virabhadra Temple is at Matanga Hill, where Lord Rama is said to have stayed. From on top of Matanga Hill, you have a good view of the area.

In the village of Anantashayangudi, 1.6km from Hospet on the way to Kamalapuram, there is a large Vishnu temple built around 1524. The main vimana (tower over the Deity) is about 24m high.

Anegundi
The town of Anegundi is about 5km from Hampi on the other side of the Tungabhadra River. The locals believe that this is the ancient place known as Kishkindha, where Rama met Sugriva and Hanuman. There are 5,000-year-old Cave Temples here.

To get here, follow the path pass the Vitthala temple along the Tungabhadra. Take a boat across the river to Anegundi. On the other side of the river, walk straight up the hill to the village.

From there, ask directions, first going to the Durga Temple, then further up the hill to the caves. You can hire a certified guide at the Hampi Tourist Office to take you here (Rs 100 off-season, Rs 400 in season).

Where to Stay
Only basic accommodations are available in Hampi. To get a good place you have to stay in Hospet. Many backpackers stay in Hampi for long periods, many of them going to or from Goa. It has a peaceful atmosphere. The decent places here are usually full, so it is usually best to stay in Hospet, about 13km away, unless you are going to be staying for more than a few days.
Shanthi Guest House (41368), Hampi Bazaar, has basic rooms for Rs 80/125 (Rs 175 in December and January). It has a clean, common toilet and its own garden area. To get here, walk toward the Virupaksha Temple and turn right.
Nearby is the Sri Rama Lodge (41219) in which the beds take up most of the small rooms. Rooms with bath are Rs 75/125.
Also basic is the Rahul Guest House, on the left as you enter Hampi Bazaar from Hospet. Room are Rs 125/150. Nearby is the Ranjana Guest House (41696), which has clean rooms with bath for Rs 350.
Really basic is the Lakshmi Guest House, with mattresses on the floor. You have to walk a few minutes to the toilet, and you should bring your own lock. Rooms are Rs 75/100.
Vikki Guest House, behind the Tourist Office, has rooms with a fan for Rs 150. It has decently clean common baths.
Besides these places, many people will offer rooms in their homes. These are usually basic and may consist simply of a small room with a mattress on the floor and a bathroom shared with the family.
Hotel Mayura Bhuvaneswari (08394 41574), Kamalapuram, is 500m to the left of the Kamalapuram bus stand, down a road on the right. Rooms are large, clean, and modern. Rooms with hot water are Rs 300/350 and Rs 400/450 with A/C. They rents bicycles for Rs 30 a day.
Inspection Bungalow (Power House Guest House) is located at the southern part of the ruins at Kamalapuram, about 3km from Hampi Bazaar.
Mayura Vijayanagar Hotel (59270), at Tungabhadra Dam, 17km from Hampi, is a good place but is inconveniently located. Rooms are Rs 250/300. Buses come here regularly from Hospet.

Where to Stay—Across River
If you cross the river near the Virupaksha Temple, there are several places to stay in the area. This is a peaceful laid-back area.
Rasta, near the river, has basic rooms for Rs 90 or you can sleep on the roof for Rs 20.
Gautam has very basic huts for Rs 50. There are other basic places nearby.
Shanti has good rooms for Rs 110.
Hanuman Restaurant, about 2km northeast, has some very basic huts for Rs 70 and rooms for Rs 140. It is a laid-back restaurant. It can be reached by taking a corracle across the river near the ruined bridge.

Where to Eat
There are several places to eat along the bazaar serving Indian and Continental food (humus and macaroni).
Shankar Restaurant, near the tourist office, is one of the better places. It serves pancakes, sandwiches, and good South Indian food.
The owner cooks the food himself at the Ramsing Teashop, behind the Tourist Office near Vikki Guest House.
Mango Tree, about half a km west of the bazaar near the river, has good thalis.
Hotel Mayura Bhuvaneswari in Kamalapuram has a restaurant.

Travel Between Hospet and to Hampi 
Buses leave every hour between 6 am and 9 pm (30 min) from Hospet to Hampi. They start at the Bus Stand in Hospet (platform 10) and will drop you off either at Kamalapuram village or at Hampi Bazaar, beside the river. You can also take a motor rickshaw (Rs 60) or a taxi (Rs 100). The return trip to Hospet may cost you twice as much. You can rent a taxi at the Malligi Tourist Home in Hospet.

You can take an auto-rickshaw between Kamalapuram and Hampi Bazaar for Rs 5 shared and Rs 30 for a personal rickshaw.

You can ride a bicycle from Hospet to Hampi. Bikes can be rented from Khizer Cycle Market, Station Rd, near the Malligi Tourist Home in Hospet, for Rs 3 per hour or Rs 20 for the day.

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