Hampi

Hampi is a village Karnataka in South India. The small hamlet rests in the quaint ruins of the ancient capital of the Vijayanagar Empire from the 14^th to the 16^th century. It was strategically located with defensive mountains on three sides and the Tungabhadra River in the North.

The majestic city was built with Dravadian style temples and monuments, but during 1565, just before the city was abandoned; it was heavily pillaged and was conquered by the Deccan Muslim Confederacy or the Five Sultans of the Deccan.

The various palaces across the town invited many Italian, Portuguese and Arab travelers with their majesty and grandeur. Also, for the Hindus this place carries religious importance because it is also the home of Pampa, daughter of lord Bhrama who eventually got married to Lord Shiva. It is most often referred to as Pamapakshethra in the Hindu scriptures.

Two major temples that attract tourists from across the globe are the Ramachandra and Hazara Rama Temples. Their sophisticated structures, bundles of pilasters and colonettes feature amongst the most extraordinary structures from ancient India. The chariot with two elephants at the Vitthaal temple is another favorite among visiting tourists.

And, not just the temples, but also the basic civic complex of the ruins of the town are pretty impressive. Lush with public buildings, markets, common baths and other public enclosures also tends to keep the visitors awed by the kind of planning ancient cities in India had.

Today tourist visiting Hampi can enjoy a mix of the modern and the ancient. Every year during November the town organizes the annual Hampi Festival, which attracts thousands of tourists many nearby regions. Tourists present in the town during the festivals can enjoy splendid puppet shows, music, dance and fireworks that will for a while take you back in times and reveal the rich cultural history of the town.