Hampi

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Image:Hampi1.JPG Hampi (ಹ೦ಪೆ, Hampe in Kannada) is a village in southern Karnataka, India. 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. Hampi is also called "The City of Ruins". The Vijayanagara ruins are listed as the Ruins at Hampi as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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

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History

Hampi is identified with the mythological Kishkindha, the 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. 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.


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Geography

Hampi is situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra River. It is 343 km from Bangalore, 254 km from Bijapur and 74 km away from Bellary. Hospet, 13 km away, is the nearest taluka headquarters. The chief languages spoken are Kannada, Telugu and English. 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.


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Important sites at and near Hampi

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Temples

Hampi has various notable Hindu temples, some of them which are still active places of worship. Some of them 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.


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Pictures

A Hampi monument

Hampi Palace

Statue of Ugranarasimha

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See also

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External links

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Books

  • 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 818502653X
  • A N Longhurst, Hampi Ruins Described and Illustrated, (Laurier Books Ltd., 1998) ISBN 8120601599


Template:World Heritage Sites in Indiade:Hampi fr:Hampi kn:ಹಂಪೆ nl:Hampi pl:Hampi sv:Hampi

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