As the village is at the original centre of Vijayanagara, it is sometimes confused with the ruined city itself. The ruins are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed as the Group of Monuments at Hampi.[1]
Etymology
The name is derived from Pampa, which is the old name of the Tungabhadra River on whose banks the city is built. The name "Hampi" is an anglicized version of the Kannada Hampe (derived from Pampa). Over the years, it has also been referred to as Vijayanagara and Virupakshapura (from Virupaksha, the patron deity of the Vijayanagara rulers).
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History
Hampi is identified with the historical Kishkindha, the Vanara (monkey) kingdom mentioned in the Ramayana. The first historical settlements in Hampi date back to 1 CE.
Hampi formed one of the core areas of the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565, when it was finally laid siege to by the Deccan Muslim confederacy.[1] Hampi was chosen because of its strategic location, bounded by the torrential Tungabhadra river on one side and surrounded by defensible hills on the other three sides.
The site is significant historically and architecturally. The topography abounds with large stones which have been used to make statues of Hindu deities. The Archaeological Survey of India continues to conduct excavations in the area, to discover additional artifacts and temples.
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Geography
A Hindu temple naga decoration at Hampi.
Hampi is situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra river. It is 353 km from Bangalore and 74 km away from Bellary. Hosapete (Hospet), 13 km away, is the nearest railway head. Mantralayam, which is also on the banks of Tunghabhadra, in AP is some 150km away.The principal industries of the village are agriculture, the support of the Virupaksha temple and some other local holy places in the vicinity, and tourism. The annual Vijayanagar Festival is organized by the Government of Karnataka in November.
Due to the presence of several mineral deposits in this region (iron-ore, manganese), mining has been going on for many years now. But a recent boom for the supply of iron-ore in the international market has led to increased levels of mining in this district. The World Heritage Site at Hampi as well as the Tungabhadra Dam are now under threat.
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Important sites at and near Hampi
Vitthala temple with musical pillars, Hoysala style multigonal base Hampi
Achyutaraya Temple/Tiruvengalanatha Temple
Akka Tangi Gudda
Anegondi
Anjeyanadri Hill
Aqueducts and Canals
Archaeological Museum at Kamalapura
Badava Linga
Chandramauleshwar Temple
The Kings’ balance
The Underground Temple
Tungabhadra River
Uddana Veerabhadra temple
Ugra Narasimha
Virupaksha Temple
Vittala temple
Yeduru Basavanna
Yentrodharaka Anjaneya temple
Zenana enclosure
Virupapura
Madhavan Palace with more than 1,000,000 pillars
Sasivekalu Ganesha
Elephant stables
Lotus temple
