Bengaluru, Oct 17 (UiTV) – Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Bellary district of Karnataka state. It was the capital of the great Vijayanagara dynasty in the 14th century. Vijayanagara was the last great Hindu Kingdom. Hampi is located in the Tungabhadra basin and is rich in the Dravidian temples and palaces. The chronicles written by foreign travelers indicate that Hampi was a wealthy, prosperous, and highly developed society at that time and had held the record of the second-largest city in the world. It was also considered India’s richest city for many decades and continuously attracted traders from Persia and Portugal.
Hampi is also considered one of the important religious cities for Hindus in south India as it has many ancient temples and monuments like Virupaksha Temple, Vithala Temple, and Nandi Statue. The nearby places of Hampi are also rich in underground minerals.
Famous tourist attractions of Hampi:
Virupaksha Temple –
This is one of the ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Virupaksha. It was built in the 7th century and was a small shrine but later was developed into a beautiful sculpture by the ruler of the Vijayanagara dynasty.
Vittala Temple –
This temple was built in the 15th century and is dedicated to Lord Vittala who is believed to be the avatar of Lord Vishnu. The architectural skills of that time can be witnessed.
Underground Temple –
This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple was built at a certain depth below the ground level and most of its parts remain submerged in water.
Anegodi –
Anegodi was the capital of the region before Hampi and is situated on the opposite bank of the river. Anegodi fort, Chandramouliswara Temple Pampa Sarovar, and Bukka‘s aqueduct are places to visit in Anegodi.
Anjaneya Hill –
Anjaneya is another name of Lord Hanuman. Anjaneya hill is considered to be the birthplace of Lord Hanuman and is located about 4km from the heritage site.
Kamalpura –
It is a small village and situated in the southern part of the region which is famous for Ganigitti temple, Bhima’s Gateway, and museum.
How to reach Hampi?
Hampi attracts thousands of tourists from worldwide and is also a place for archeological study and history. The place is well connected via roadways, railways, and airways.
By road –
There are daily direct buses to Hospet from major cities of Karnataka and Andhra. Both private and Government buses operate. From Hospet, one can easily take another bus or cab to reach Hampi. Tourists driving from Bengaluru are recommended to take the main highway from Bellary to Hiriyur.
By rail –
Hospet Junction is the nearest railway station to Hampi which is 13 km away. Hubli is the nearest divisional railway station. The journey via train is cheaper.
By air –
Hubli and Belgaum are the two nearest airports that are 145km and 270 km away respectively. From these airports, one can reach Hampi by bus or cab.
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