Hampi Mandir, Karnataka, IN

Deities: Lord Virupaksha, Vishnu
Location: Hampi, near Hospet, Karnataka
Significance: Listed as World Heritage Site
Also known as: Vitthala Temple
Constructed by: Vijayanagar Empire, 7th Century
Type of construction: Dravidian

“If dreams were made out of stone, it would be Hampi"

Hampi (Kannada) is a village in northern Karnataka state, India. The name is changed from Pampa, which is the puranic name of the Tungabhadra River on whose banks the city is built. 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". Most of the ruins are along the road leading from Kamalapura to Hampi. Three kms down the road, on a commanding site, stands the temple of Malyavanta Raghunathaswamy. It is built in the Dravidian style. Strange-looking fishes and marine monsters carved along its outer walls are worth noticing. The Hampi Bazaar, 35 yards wide and nearly 800 yards long was known to be a very beautiful street with very beautiful houses.

The Vijayanagara ruins are listed as the Group of Monuments at Hampi as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As the epicenter of Hampi's attractions, Vitthala Temple is the most extravagant architectural showpiece of Hampi. No amount of words can explain this spectacle. The temple is built in the form of a sprawling campus with compound wall and gateway towers. There are many halls, pavilions and temples located inside this campus. Vittala, after whom the temple is known, is a form of lord Vishnu. This aspect of Vishnu was worshiped in this part of the country as their cult deity by the cattle herds.

HAMPI, the seat of the famed VIJAYANAGARA Empire was the capital of the largest empire in post-mogul India, covering several states. The empire reigned supreme under Krishnadevaraya, the Emperor. The Vijayanagara empire stretched over at least three states - Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh. The destruction of Vijayanagar by marauding Moghul invaders was sudden, shocking and absolute. They reduced the city to ruins amid scenes of savage massacre and horrors beggaring description.

The Virupaksha or the Pampapathi temple is the main center of pilgrimage at Hampi. It is fully intact, and it incorporates some earlier structures. This temple has three towers; the eastern tower rises to a height of 160 feet and is nine tiered. It dates back to the first half of the fifteenth century and was renovated in the sixteenth century by Krishnadevaraya. This tower has been built such that an inverted shadow of this huge tower falls on the western wall of the temple through a small hole behind the sanctum. The northern gopuram has five storeys, and the inner eastern gopuram is endowed with three storeys. The presiding deity here is Virupaksheshwara or Pampapathi. His consort Pampa is believed to be the daughter of Brahma. There is an ornate shrine to Bhuvaneswari. There is a shrine to Vidyaranya, the spiritual founder of Vijayanagar in this temple. The inner prakaram consists of shrines and pillars dating back to the 12th century. Krishnadevaraya also built a mandapam in front of the sanctum, and embellished it with Vijayanagar style bas reliefs and murals. Several of Shiva's manifestations, and the ten incarnations of Vishnu are portrayed here, as is the classic scene from Mahabharata depicting Arjuna's shooting the fish device in order to secure Draupadi's hand in marriage. There is also a mural depicting Vidyaranya the spiritual founder of Vijayanagar in procession. The Virupaksha Temple rises majestically at the western end of the famous Hampi Bazaar. Nearby is the 6.7m tall monolith of Ugra Narasimha. An inscription nearby states that it was hewn from a single boulder in 1528 during the reign of Krishnadeva Raya.

In the vicinity of the Virupaksha temple are several dilapidated mandapams. In front of the temple was once an ancient shopping center lined with mandapams, the ruins of which stand today.

Festivals:
The chariot festival in the month of February is the chief annual festival celebrated here. The divine marriage between Virupaksheshwara and Pampa is celebrated in the month of December.
Major Tourist Attractions:
Virupaksha Temple
Ugra Narasimha
Vithala Temple
Lotus Mahal
Hazara Rama Temple
Queen's Bath
The Underground Temple
Tungabhadra River.

How to reach:
by Air: The nearest air station at Tornagallu in Sandur Taluk which is 32 kms. from Hospet. The second nearest airport is Bellary (74 kms). Other convenient airports are at Belgium (190 kms) and Bangalore (353 kms).
by Rail: Hospet is the nearest rail head (13 kms). Hospet is linked by rail to Bangalore, Bijapur, Hubli and Guntakal.
by Road: Hampi is 350 kms from Bangalore. KSRTC Buses ply regularly from Hospet, Taxis from anywhere in Karnataka.

Visit www.eTirth.com for more information on Temples, Ashrams, Gurus, Festival and Daily Panchangam (Hindu ephemeris).

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