Hampi is one of the most scenic ancient UNESCO Heritage Sites in India. Situated in Karnataka by the banks of Tungabhadra river, Hampi houses numerous ruins of the Vijayanagar empire dating back to 1500 CE. The place has everything that could possibly pull us towards itself – the story of a lost kingdom, architectural marvels from our past that we could boast of and a rugged yet alluring landscape. Exploring the ruins of Hampi has much feels of Indiana Jones, allegedly in a desi avatar!
Hampi has an unearthly landscape of boulders, fascinating history in each corner, thousands of years old ruined temples and palaces (Virupaksha temple, Hemakuta hill, Vitthala temple, Matanga hill), unbelievable architecture (lotus mahal, queen's bath), green paddy fields and mischievous monkeys! It’s truly a land of fantasy. Hampi lets travelers dive into history to experience the lost tales of South India’s largest, wealthiest and the most powerful kingdom, the Vijayanagara empire. Hampi is split into two sides, one is the ruin/ heritage side and other is the hippie side of Hampi (across the Tungabhadra river). The hippie side is gaining popularity among the young crowd due to its laid back and super relaxing vibes. However, this travel guide covers everything you need to know about the ruins/heritage side.
Location & Best Time to visit:
Hampi is located in central Karnataka, near the state border with Andhra Pradesh. It is situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra River. It is 376 km from Bengaluru and 165 km from Hubli. Given its rocky terrain, Hampi remains excruciatingly hot during most part of the year making it extremely difficult to explore the ruins. Hence, it is best to visit Hampi from October to February. The temperature remains moderate and the chances of rainfall are almost nil during this time.
Top 5 things to do in Hampi:
Visit sacred Virupaksha Temple in Hampi - Virupaksha temple is one of the oldest functioning temples in India and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is the main centre of pilgrimage in Hampi. Given the religious importance, the temple gets really crowded during the day with thousands of pilgrims across India. It is recommended to reach the temple around 7-8 am in the morning. During that time, you can also see the morning aarti and the elephant named “Lakshmi” walking towards the river for her daily bath. Virupaksha temple has no entry fees and it is adjacent to the Hampi Bazaar.
Embrace the details of grand Vijay Vitthala temple in Hampi - Vitthala temple is the epicentre of the ruined town with a huge temple complex. It is dedicated to the lord Vitthala (Lord Vishnu’s another form) and is known for its unmatched marvellous architecture, famous stone chariot and mysterious musical pillars. The best way to reach Vitthala temple will be through Tungbhadra riverside trek Path. The path has many shrines, carved artefacts, boulders and ruins of ancient structures and goes along-side the river. It will be a serene walk of around 2 km. The Vijaya Vittala Temple is the most extravagant architectural wonder of Hampi. Outside the main temple complex, there are other ruins too. In fact, it is the remains of the ancient town of Vittalapura. Vittala, another form of Lord Vishu was worshipped in the temple.
Hemakuta Hills - The hill is just near the Virupaksha Temple. The hill provides a gorgeous sight of the Virupaksha Temple and the other ruins of the Vijaynagar empire. The hill itself has a large number of ruins of temples, archways and pavilions. This is one of the places to view the splendid sunsets at Hampi. However, we coupled this during the day time and got much less crowd, leading us to explore the ruins and boulders better!
Krishna Temple - The Krishna Temple was built by the King Krishnadevaraya in 1513 AD to commemorate his victory over the kingdom of Udaygiri or Utkala (in the present day Odisha). The main idol inside the temple was the figure of Balakrishna (Lord Krishna as an infant). This idol is now displayed in the state museum at Chennai. There is a huge slab inside the temple that tells the story of the conquest of Utkala. While Hampi has so many temples to explore, this one is certainly not to be missed.
Elephant Stable - The Elephant Stable is part of an enclosure named Zenana Enclosure and is a must visit. The Zenana enclosure is a high-walled compound, which has two excavated palace structures and watchtowers. Contrary to popular belief, historians believe that the women of the Vijayanagara court did not live there. Since it is located in the vicinity of elephant stables and parade ground, the kings and their commanders most likely used it. Inside the Zenana enclosure is the Lotus Mahal, which is the most attractive structure inside. The Lotus Mahal is characterized by a cluster of nine pyramidal towers and lobed arches giving it an ethereal look. Finally we arrived at the Elephant Stable, which is another specimen of Indo-Islamic architecture in Hampi. It comprises eleven chambers, each of which could accommodate two elephants.
2 day itinerary of Hampi: Hampi has lots to offer. Hence, to cover maximum places needs some immaculate planning. This 2 day itinerary is a humble effort to help discover Hampi: Day 1: Start with the Vijay Vittala Temple, Hemakuta Hills, Krishna Temple and add the Virupaksha Temple in the second half to have a fulfulling day! Day 2: Start with the Queen's bath, Zenana Enclosure, Lotus Mahal, Elephant Stables and finish off with sunset at Matanga Hills! Some things to remember:
1. The monuments in Hampi remain open from 6 AM to 6 PM.
2. The Archaeological Museum remains open from 10 AM to 5 PM. It is closed on Fridays.
3. Entry fees are required for visiting Virupaksha Temple, Vijaya Vittala Temple, and Zenana Enclosure. For the rest of the monuments, entry is free.
4. The weather in Hampi is quite hot most of the year. Hence, we suggest starting as early as possible. Explore until lunch and take a break afterward as the sun remains harshest between 12 PM to 3 PM. Start traveling again after 3 in the afternoon.
5. Though the ambiance of Hampi is quite chilled out, we suggest dressing modestly as most of the monuments in Hampi are religious in nature.
6. Carry an umbrella, wear hats and sunglasses, and drink plenty of water. Keep yourself hydrated with coconut water, which is easily available in Hampi.
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