Hampi Information
Location:
Hampi is located in the central part of the state of Karnataka, in
southern India. It is 353 km from Bangalore and 13 km from Hospet. This
location was the obvious choice for the capital of the empire, as it is
naturally fortified and protected on all sides;
About Hampi
Hampi is famous for its ruins belonging to the erstwhile medieval Hindu
kingdom of Vijaynagar and it is declared a World Heritage site. The main
tourist spots in Hampi can be divided into two broad areas: the Hampi
Bazaar area and the Royal center near Kamalapuram.
Temples of this city are noted for their large dimensions,
florid ornamentation, bold and delicate carvings, stately pillars,
magnificent pavilions and a great wealth of iconographic and traditional
depictions, which include subjects from the Ramayana and the
Mahabharata. The Pampapati temple is one of the largest temples at
Hampi.
Vitthala Temple
The Vitthala temple is an excellent example of Vijayanagar style. Also
present are some monolithic statues of Lakshmi, Narasimha and Ganesha
which are noted for their massiveness and grace. Other temples in the
surroundings are the Krishna temple, Pattabhirama temple, Hazara
Ramachandra, Chandrasekhara temple and the Jaina Temple.
Virupaksha Temple
The Virupaksha Temple located at the western edge is one of the
earliest constructions in the city. The main shrine is dedicated to
Virupaksha, a form of Lord Vishnu. Overlooking Virupaksha temple to the
South, Hemakuta hill has several scattered ruins, which includes Jain
temples and a monolithic structure of Narasimha.
Ugra Narasimha
The 6.7 m tall monolith of Ugra Narasimha is worth seeing. The huge
image is situated in the south of the Hemkuta group of temples that
contains the Virupaksha Temple. The Narasimha is a seated four-armed
figure under a canopy of a seven-hooded snake.
Getting There :
* The nearest airport is at Bangalore
* Hampi does not have a Railway station. The nearest railhead is at
Hospet, which is 13 km from the ruins of Hampi. Travelers use Hospet as
a base to commence their journey to Hampi.
* There is well developed road network between Hampi and Goa, Bangalore
and other southern cities.
