Hampi On the Cusp of Time
Hampi in North Karnataka is one of the most popular tourist destination in India. The ruins give a glimpse of powerful Yijayanagara empire. The city was built by local warlords – Harihara and Bukkaraya in 1336 AD, in the next 230 years the city flourished and it became a busy commercial hub till the battle of Talikota in 1565 AD. After the battle the new lords plundered the city and reduced to ruins. Later towards the end of the 19th century, a British archaeologist and historian – Robert Sewell stumbled on the lost glory of the Yijayanagara Empire. Today Hampi a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Some of the most popular attracts are
- The Queen’s Bath: The Queen’s Bath was a swimming pool filled with perfumed water that was confined within a grand monument of filigreed arches.
- Victory house: Mahanavami Dibba or House of Victory was constructed to celebrate Krishnadeva Raya’s victory over the King of Orissa. It is said that the royal family would sit here and preside over the nine-day Dassara festival.
- Narasimha statue,: Narasimha statue is a striking 6.7 m monolith sculpture of the fearsome half-man-half-lion avatar of Lord Vishnu
- Vittala Temple: Vittala Temple is a structure that offers visitors the opportunity to glance at the glorious past.
Travel to Hampi:
Local languages: English Kannada and Telugu
Best Time to Visit: October to March
How to Reach:
- Air: Hampi is situated 315 km from Bangalore and 300 km from Goa’s Dambolin airport. Almost airline operators such as Indian Airlines, Jet Airways have flights from Bangalore and Goa airport.
- Rail: The closest station is Hospet (13 km) which connects the city to various parts of the country.
- Road: You can either choose car hire or state transport and private operator operate frequent buses from Hospet, Goa and Bangalore.
Hotels and Resorts in Hampi:
There aren’t too many tourist-friendly choices in terms of accommodation in Hampi. In fact, as a protected World Heritage Site, hotels are discouraged here. Most visitors use the town of Hospet, where there are a number of hotels including one run by Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC), as a base to explore Hampi.
