Hampi

Hampi ( Kannada: ಹಂಪೆ, Hampe in Kannada)( Telugu: హంపి , Hampe in Telugu) is a village in northern Karnataka state, India. The name is derived from Pampa, which is the old name of the Tungabhadra River on whose banks the city is built. Hampi is located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara empire. Possibly predating the city of Vijayanagara, this village continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple. The village of Hampi contains several other monuments belonging to the old city. It extends into some of the old ceremonial streets of Vijayanagara.

As the village is at the original centre of Vijayanagara, it is sometimes confused with this ruined city. The Vijayanagara ruins are listed as the Group of Monuments at Hampi as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The name "Hampi" is an anglicized version of the Kannada Hampe (derived from Pampa). Over the years, it has also been referred to as Vijayanagara and Virupakshapura (from Virupaksha, the patron deity of the Vijayanagara rulers).

History

Hampi is identified with the historical Kishkindha, the Vanara (monkey) kingdom which finds mention in the Ramayana. The first historical settlements in Hampi date back to 1 CE.

Hampi formed one of the cores of the capital of the Vijayanagara empire from 1336 to 1565. It was destroyed by Moslem sultans. Hampi was chosen because of its strategic location, bounded by the torrential Tungabhadra river on one side and surrounded by defensible hills on the other three sides.

The site is of great importance in terms of architecture and historical significance. The demography is abundant with large stones which have been utilized to make larger than life statues of god. One can see a structure of historic importance every quarter of a mile.

Sadly the city is in ruins as it was not able to defend itself against Islamic aggressions who treat Idol worship as blasphemy. Many statues have been destroyed or damaged and successive governments have not been able to keep the place free from treasure seekers who cause further damage.

Recently the Archaeological Survey of India has been conducting continuous excavations in the area to discover more artifacts and temples.

Geography

Hampi is situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra river. It is 353 km from Bangalore, 254 km from Bijapur and 74 km away from Bellary. Hosapete, 13 km away, is the nearest taluka headquarters. The chief language spoken is Kannada,Telugu. The principal industries of the village are agriculture, the support of the Virupaksha temple and some other local holy places in the vicinity, and tourism. The annual Vijayanagar Festival is organized by the Government of Karnataka in November. Due to the presence of several mineral deposits in this region (iron-ore, manganese), mining of these minerals has been going on for many years now. But a recent boom for the supply of iron-ore in the international market has led to excessive mining in this district. The World Heritage Site at Hampi as well as the Tungabhadra Dam are now under threat.

The City has been given limited connectivity to preserve the character with no scarcity in electricity, good GSM network coverages and amenities, it is becoming a popular tourist destination as on Oct 2007

Important sites at and near Hampi

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• Achyutaraya Temple/Tiruvengalanatha Temple
• Akka Tangi Gudda
• Anegondi
• Anjeyanadri Hill
• Aqueducts and Canals
• Archaeological Museum at Kamalapura
• Badava Linga

• The Kings’ balance
• The Underground Temple
• Tungabhadra River
• Uddana Veerabhadra temple
• Ugra Narasimha
• Virupaksha Temple
• Vittala temple
• Yeduru Basavanna
• Yentrodharaka Anjaneya temple
• Zenana enclosure
• Virupapurg
• Madhavan Palace with above 10,00,000 pillars

Temples

Hampi has various notable Hindu temples, some of which are still active places of worship. Most notable ones are:

• Virupaksha Temple complex: Also known as the Pampapathi temple, it is a Shiva temple situated in the Hampi Bazaar. It predates the founding of the Vijayanagar empire. The temple has a 160 foot high tower at its entrance. Apart from Shiva, the temple complex also contains shrines of the Hindu goddesses Bhuvaneshwari and Pampa.

See also

• Vijayanagara
• Vijayanagar Architecture
• Krishna Deva Raya
• Vidyaranya
• Kanakagiri

Notes

References

• T.S. Satyan, Hampi: The fabled capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, (Directorate of Archaeology and Museums), Govt. of Karnataka, 1995
• J.M. Fritz et al, New Light on Hampi: Recent Research at Vijayanagara, (Performing Arts Mumbai, 2001) ISBN 81-85026-53-X
• A.N. Longhurst, Hampi Ruins Described and Illustrated, (Laurier Books Ltd., 1998) ISBN 81-206-0159-9
• The Ruins of Hampi:Travel Guide ISBN 81-7525-766-0

Articles and Travelers experiences

• Magnificent Hampi
• Hampi : Every stone has a story to tell.

External links

• Group of Monuments at Hampi - UNESCO page
• Karnataka.com - Hampi
• A Guide to History and Tourism at Hampi
• www.Hampi.in : A website dedicated to info on Hampi.
• Hampi Pictures & Photos
• Excellent Hampi Pictures

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