City-information for Hampi (Vijaynagar)

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Hampi was once the capital of the powerful Vijayanagar Empire, which for two centuries was one of the most powerful empires in Indian history. It is 360 km north of Bangalore. Vijayanagar means "the city of victory." It was considered at one time greater than Rome and "the best provided city in the world." At its height, half a million people lived in the city, and the Vijayanagar Empire had an army of over a million. Now only about 1000 people live here. It is a big tourist spot and is especially frequented by 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, as it is an extremely interesting place.

The city dates back to 1343 when it was founded by two Telugu princes, Harihaka and Bukka They were captured by the Delhi Sultanate and converted to become Muslims. Later they were sent back to rule the area, but they immediately broke away to set up their own kingdom. The city was destroyed in 1565 when the five Muslim kingdoms of the Deccan (South India) joined together to invade the city. The Vijayanagar emperor fled the city and over 100,000 people were massacred. Most of the city was destroyed at this time.

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

The ruins are spread over a 26 sq km area and there are over 500 monuments. For a one-day trip, you could see the Virupaksha complex in the morning and the royal area in the afternoon. If you go very quickly, you can see everything by walking in one day. The sights are spread out, and you should bring a good pair of walking shoes. Local transportation is negligible. 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 good map and a good description of each monument.

The Virupaksha Temple and the Vitthala Temple are the two most interesting temples to see. The Vitthala Temple has 56 pillars that produce different musical tones when tapped.

It is a good idea to be especially careful of mosquitoes here, as Hampi is in a malaria zone.