Hampi, the glorious temple town and its history

Read on to learn about Hampi, its history and its innumerable attractions…

Wednesday, 21st April 2021

Hampi is one of the most historically enriched places of Karnataka situated on the banks of River Tungabhadra. Hampi is part of the Vijayanagara City of Karnataka and is a World Heritage Site recognized by UNESCO. Tourists from across the country and globe are drawn to Hampi for its rich history and architecturally enriched monuments including temples, gateways, palaces and forts.

Myths associated with Hampi

The other names for Hampi are Kishkindha kshetra, Bhaskara kshetra and Pampa Kshetra. These different names of Hampi have some or the other connection with the famed River Tungabhadra. As per myths, the word ‘Pampa’ which is another name for Hampi as listed above is the name of the daughter of Lord Brahma who got married to Lord Shiva at this very place. Also, mythological tales suggest that Lord Rama and Lord Lakshmana had spent some time at Hampi during their rescue operation for Devi Sita who was abducted by the demon king Ravana.

History of Hampi

Around the 14th century, Hampi used to be the highly prosperous capital of the Vijayanagara Dynasties, namely the Sangama Dynasty, Saluva Dynasty, Tuluva Dynasty and the Aravidu Dynasty. Prior to the rise of the Vijayanagara dynasties, Hampi was under the rule of Kampili and the chiefs of Kampili. As per certain accounts Hampi was the 2nd largest city in the whole of the world after Beijing and was the richest city then. It was an important trading centre and merchants streamed into Hampi to trade in spices, cotton etc. Later when the Vijayanagara (City of Victory) Empire was attacked and plundered by the Mughals around the year 1565, the grand city of Hampi got converted into ruins which still retain their magnificence and ‘decayed glory’. The ruins of the brilliant structures of Hampi date back to around 1500 AD. The intricately carved structures of Hampi clearly reflect the love of the rulers for art and architecture. During the reigning period of King Krishna Deva Raya (1509-1529) the architectural magnificence of Hampi was at its peak.

In the Puranas and also in the Epic Ramayana we find a mention of this quaint yet exotic city referred to as the ‘Pampa Devi Tirtha Kshetra’. Furthermore evidences like era-specific ceramic potteries found in Hampi also indicate that the city’s history could possibly date back to the 2nd and 3rd centuries as well; i.e. the Neolithic as well as the Chalcolithic eras.

Also Read : Learn all about Mysore.

Hampi Tourist Places

The chief tourist attractions of Hampi include Virupaksha Temple, Hazara Ram Temple, Vijaya Vittala Temple, Achyutaraya temple, the Archaeological Museum of Hampi, Matanga Hill, Hippie Island, the Stone Chariot, Lotus Mahal, Sasivekalu Ganesha Temple, Dasara Dibba, Yantrodharaka Hanuman Temple, Elephant Stables, Queen’s Bath, Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Monolith Bull, King’s Balance and more.

The News Talkie Bureau

Source:

India