Hampi and Vijayanagar

For a walk down the lanes of history, come to Hampi in the southern state of Karnataka. Hampi is a short bus ride from Hospet town which is well connected to major cities by road and rail. Historically, the city of Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire that flourished in the14th and 15th century. The site is bounded by Tungabhadra River on one side and hills on three sides, making it strategic for defence. The landscape abounds in large stones which were used to make statues of Hindu deities.
Today the ruins are a UNESCO World Heritage site. Hampi continues even today to be a centre of religious importance having many ancient temples like Virupaksha Temple, Hazara Rama Temple Complex, Krishna Temple Complex and VittalaTemple Complex. Hampi hosts annual festivals that are religious as well as cultural in nature and attract many tourists.
Best time to visit: September to February.
Languages spoken: Kannada
Climate: Hot and dry summers, good monsoon and pleasant winters
Heritage Sites: Virupaksha Temple, Hampi Bazaar, Monolith Bull, Lakshmi Narasimha temple, Hemakuta Hill temples, Big Shivlinga, Vithala Temple (the famous Stone Chariot is located here), Hazara Rama Temple, Royal Enclosures, Queen’s Bath, Zanana Enclosure (which also houses the Lotus Mahal), Elephant Stables, Achyut Raya temple, Statue of Ugra Narsimha, Virupaksha Temple, Mahanavmi Dibba, the Stepped Bath and the Matanga Hill
Places to visit: Tungabhadra Dam