History
has its own grace; and so does Hampi! Hampi, in Karnataka is one vacation
destination that offers the tourists serenity and calmness away from
the busy city life. For the history lovers, Hampi is the one of the
most preferred places for adventure
in Bangalore.
The place
Hampi
is the city of ruins. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of
the very important historical places of South India. It was the royal
capital of dominant Vijayanagara Empire once upon a time and now it
is a ruined town having many ancient palaces and forts. Hampi
is situated on the south banks of river Tungabhadra.
Hampi is a small area of
25 sq km. It is bounded by mountains Anjaneya, Malyavanta and Matanga
Hills on the three sides and has Tungabhadra River on the fourth.
Vijayanagara Rulers had decorated the city with many temples, palaces
and monuments and thus it was considered as one of the famous ancient
metropolises in India.
Attractions
There are a number of attractions
in Hampi.
The
Virupaksha temple is the main pilgrimage center of Hampi and one of
the oldest temples having the deity of Shiva. It is at the foothills
of Hemkuta.
The Vithala Temple Complex
is known for its beauty and is located on the southern bank of Tungabhadra
River. The temple is known for its sculptured works.
Nandi- It is one of the
largest monolithic bull in Asia and one of the major attractions in
Hampi. This bull is known by the local name Yeduru Basavanna. The
bull is placed like a guard at the east end of Hampi bazaar.
Hampi Bazaar is located
in the street facing the Virupaksha temple. It has got many shops
displaying various types of products one can pick up.
Mahanavami
Dibba is a huge structure. The structure has got carved bands of soldiers,
horses and others. This is the structure from where kings of Vijayanagara
Empire ruled their kingdom and observed various religious and royal
possessions.
Statue of Ugra Narsimha
is a huge statue of about 6.7 meter that is located in the south region
of the temple complex of Hemkuta. This is the incarnation of Lord
Vishnu.
Queen's bath is located
within in Royal Enclosure and is a building of rectangular shape.
It has a long veranda and has a square tank that is 6 feet deep. This
is the place where the king and their wives had their wives.
Matanga
Hill has spectacular view with scintillating surroundings. It is one
of the holy places described in the Ramayana.
How to reach
The nearest rail station
is Hospet which is about 13 km from Hampi. People can take taxi from
Hospet to Hampi. Hospet is well connected to Bangalore, Hyderabad
and other important cities in Karnataka and other surrounding states.
Best time to visit
Though the weather remains
pleasant throughout the year but winter (November to February) is
the ideal for sightseeing and exploring the place. People can go for
adventures like rock climbing during winter.
Visit Thrillophilia for
more adventures and exciting getaways.
