Hampi

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Hampi
ಹಂಪೆ
Town
Virupaksha Temple, Hampi, Karnataka
Hampi
Coordinates: 15°20′06″N 76°27′43″E / 15.335°N 76.462°E / 15.335; 76.462Coordinates: 15°20′06″N 76°27′43″E / 15.335°N 76.462°E / 15.335; 76.462
Country India
State Karnataka
District Bellary
Founded by Harihara and Bukkaraya
Languages
 • Official Kannada
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Nearest city Hospet
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Group of Monuments at Hampi
Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List
Type Cultural
Criteria (i)(iii)(iv)
Reference 241
UNESCO region Asia-Pacific
Inscription history
Inscription 1986 (10th Session)
Endangered 1999–2006

Hampi (Kannada: ಹಂಪೆ Hampe) is a village in northern Karnataka state, India. It is located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, it continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple, as well as several other monuments belonging to the old city. The ruins are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed as the Group of Monuments at Hampi.[1]

Etymology

Hampi traditionally known as Pampa-kshetra, kishkinda-kshetra or Bhaskara-kshetra is derived from Pampa, which is the old name of the Tungabhadra River on whose southern banks the city is built.[2] 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

Discovery of emperor Ashoka's minor rock edicts in Nittur & Udegolan (both in Bellary district) leads one to believe that this region was within the Ashokan kingdom during the 3rd century BC. A Brahmi inscription & a terracotta seal dating to the 2nd century AD were also discovered from the excavation site.[3]

The first historical settlements in Hampi date back to 1 CE.[citation needed]

Immediately before the rise of the Vijaynagar kings, the region was probably in the hands of chiefs of Kampili, now a small town, 19 Kms east of Hampi.[4]

Hampi formed one of the core areas of the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1343 to 1565, when it was finally laid siege to by the Deccan Muslim confederacy.[1] 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 significant historically and architecturally. The topography abounds with large stones which have been used to make statues of Hindu deities. The Archaeological Survey of India continues to conduct excavations in the area, to discover additional artifacts and temples.

Geography

Hampi is situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra river. It is 353 km from Bangalore and 74 km away from Bellary. Hosapete (Hospet), 13 km away, is the nearest railway head. Mantralayam, which is also on the banks of Tunghabhadra, in AP is some 150 km away.The principal industries of the village are agriculture, the support of the Virupaksha temple and some other local holy places in the vicinity, as well as tourism. The annual Vijayanagar Festival is organized by the Government of Karnataka in November.[citation needed]

Due to the presence of several mineral deposits in this region (iron-ore, manganese), mining has been conducted for a number of years. A recent boom for the supply of iron-ore in the international market has led to increased levels of mining in this district. Some feel that the World Heritage Site at Hampi as well as the Tungabhadra Dam is under threat as a result.

Architecture

The city of Vijayanagara was originally encompassed by seven lines of fortifications. These fortifications had a large number of bastions & gateways. The seventh & the innermost fortification enclosed the main city & is the best preserved.[5] The extant monuments of Vijanagara or Hampi can be divided into Religious, Civil & Military buildings. While most of the monuments at Hampi are from the Vijayanagara period, a small proportion may be assigned to pre-Vijayanagara times. The Jain temples on Hemakuta hill, the two Devi shrines & some other structures in the Virupaksha temple complex predate the Vijanagara empire. The earliest amongst them, the Shaiva shrines with their stepped pyramidal vimanas or superstructures, date to the later Chalukyan period around ninth-tenth century AD.[6]

Religious buildings

Hampi has various notable Hindu temples with some vedanta mythology inside the temples, some of which are still active places of worship. Among the most notable are:

  • Achyutaraya Temple/Tiruvengalanatha Temple:
  • Badava Linga
  • Chandramauleshwar Temple
  • Malyavanta Raghunathaswamy temple was constructed in the anicent style of architecture, the temple of Malyavanta Raghunathaswamy stands three km down the road. Its inner walls flaunt peculiar and interesting motifs of fish and marine creatures.[7]
  • Hazara Rama Temple Complex: This ruined temple complex is well known for elaborate frescoes from the Hindu religion and a sprawling courtyard well-laid with gardens. It is well known for more than many thousand carvings & inscriptions on & in the temple depicting the mighty story of Ramayana. It has about 1000 carvings & inscriptions depicting the story of Ramayana.
The sacred pushkarani or tank located on the eastern side of Krishna temple in Hampi, India
  • Hemakuta group of temples
  • Krishna Temple Complex:This temple complex has been recently excavated through the last decade, and restoration work is still in progress. The temple has the Sacred Tank or the Pushkarani located on its eastern side.
The mandapas of vittala temple
  • Vittala Temple Complex:
    The stone chariot at Vittala complex
    This is perhaps the most famous and well-known among the ruins of Hampi. The iconic stone chariot in the vicinity of this temple complex is a symbol of Karnataka Tourism. Off late, floodlights have been installed in the temple complex that provide illumination at dusk, thereby adding to the grandeur of the architecture.

The temple houses the famous musical pillars. The British wanted to check the reason behind this wonder and so they had cut two pillars to check anything was there inside the pillars that was producing the sound. They had found nothing but hollow pillars. Even today we can see those pillars cut by the British.

The road leading to the temple was once a market where the horses were traded. Even today we can see the ruins of the market on both the sides of the road. The temple contains the images of foreigners like Persians selling horses.

  • Muslim Sunni masjid
  • Preksha temple and groups
  • Sasivekalu Ganesha
  • Virupaksha Temple known as the Pampavathi temple, it is an ancient temple situated in the Hampi Bazaar. It predates the founding of the Vijayanagar empire. The temple has a 160-foot (49 m) high tower at its entrance. Apart from Shiva, the temple complex also contains shrines of the erotica statues Bhuvaneshwari and Pampa.
  • Underground Shiva Temple
  • Yantrodharaka Anjaneya temple

Civil buildings

  • Aqueducts and Canals
    The remains of a giant Bukka's Aqueduct located near Anegondi
  • Archaeological Museum at Kamalapura
  • Lotus Mahal
    Lotus Mahal at the Zenana Enclosure
  • Zanana enclosure

Military buildings

  • Elephant stables:
    Elephant Stable
    used to house the eleven royal elephants in King Krishnadeva Raya's army. The neighbouring building housed the elephant riders of the royal elephants.
  • The Kings’ balance

Important sites at and near Hampi

Schematic map of Hampi with major tourist spots and areas of mythological significance
  • Anegondi
  • Anjeyanadri Hill
  • Kadalekalu Ganesha
  • Lake (Near sanapur)
  • Tungabhadra River
  • Uddana Veerabhadra temple
  • Sri Lakshmi Narasimha
  • Virupapura
  • Yeduru Basavanna

Global Heritage Fund efforts

Non-profit organization Global Heritage Fund (GHF), in partnership with the Hampi Foundation, Cornell University, and the State of Karnataka, has been actively involved in the conservation of Hampi's unique cultural heritage. After producing a master conservation plan for the site of Chandramouleshwara Temple, GHF's efforts have moved to "stabilization of the temple and its associated structural features."[8]

Scenery

Hampi Scenery, 360° Panorama Shot from Matanga Hill

Hampi Gallery

  • Farms as seen from Anjaneyadri Hill

  • Stepped Tank near the Underground Temple

  • Stray Temples

  • Watch tower

  • Narasimha Vigrah

  • Zanana Enclosure

  • Stone Monolithic Nandi Bull statue - craved out of a single boulder at the Main Market

  • Thungabhadra River in Hampi

  • Tall Carved pillars of the Sasivekalu Ganesha Temple at Hemakuta Hill

  • Monolithic Ganesha at the Hemakuta Hill, Hampi Bazaar

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Group of Monuments at Hampi". World Heritage. Retrieved 2006-12-20. 
  2. ↑ D Devakunjari. World Heritage Series: HAMPI. Eicher Goodearth Limited, New Delhi for Archeological Survey of India. ISBN 81-87780-42-8.  Unknown parameter |Page= ignored (|page= suggested) (help)
  3. ↑ D Devakunjari (2007). World Heritage Series HAMPI. Eicher Goodearth Limited, New Delhi for Archeological Survey of India. p. 11. ISBN 8187780428. 
  4. ↑ D Devakunjari (2007). World Heritage Series HAMPI. Eicher Goodearth Limited, New Delhi for Archeological Survey of India. p. 11. ISBN 8187780428. 
  5. ↑ D Devakunjari (2007). World Heritage Series HAMPI. Eicher Goodearth Limited, New Delhi for Archeological Survey of India. p. 32. ISBN 8187780428. 
  6. ↑ D Devakunjari (2007). World Heritage Series HAMPI. Eicher Goodearth Limited, New Delhi for Archeological Survey of India. pp. 22,23. ISBN 8187780428. 
  7. ↑ "Shimla, Himachal Pradesh – Expert Bulletin". Expertbulletin.com. Retrieved 2013-10-05. 
  8. ↑ Global Heritage Fund - Where We Work - Hampi, India Accessed on 2009-04-24.

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

Karnataka State Gazetteer 1983.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Group of monuments at Hampi.
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