Hampi’s uniqueness lies in the fact that despite the many centuries over which it was built and the many dynasties that ruled it, the architecture is distinctly Dravidian and reflects a “highly evolved multi-religious and multi-ethnic society”.
The Virupaksha temple in Hampi, Ballari district, Karnataka. ▲
The gopuram of the Virupaksha temple as seen from a hillock strewn with the ruins of temples. ▲
The Hampi ruins are spread over a vast rocky area. ▲
The Vittala temple complex’s richly sculpted stone chariot (ratha), considered to be the most stunning piece of architecture of the Vijayanagara kingdom.. ▲
The Vittala temple complex. ▲
The Hemakuta hill temples. ▲
Nobleman riding a yali, pillar detail. ▲
Carvings on the granite lintel of the Durbar, or Audience, Hall of the Hazara Rama temple. ▲
Panels in the Hazara Rama temple depicting scenes from Hindu mythology. ▲
Panels in the Hazara Rama temple depicting marching bands, dancing damsels, ambling elephants and trotting horses. ▲
Ruins of a sprawling market square that abuts the Virupaksha temple. The Tungabhadra can be seen in the distance meandering on its rocky riverbed. ▲
A stepped Pushpakarani, perfectly proportioned and made of granite, which was used for religious and ceremonial purposes. Pushkarnis were fed with the water from the nearby Tungabhadra river through a series of canals and aqueducts. ▲
Granite lintels, mandapas, alters and friezes near the Hazara Rama temple. ▲
Kadalekalu Ganesha, which is en route to the Hemakuta Hill. ▲
A monolithic Lakshminarasimha. ▲
The impressive colonnaded walkway, mostly intact, at the periphery of the market square. ▲
A pavilion on a rocky outcrop. ▲
The facade of the Hazara Rama temple. ▲
Hampi is an open-air museum of antiquity. It also offers something for everyone. Its stunning location and vantage perches offer Instagram-worthy images. ▲
The Lotus Mahal. It is a pleasing monument that sports a syncretic architecture. Despite its aesthetic appeal, the Lotus Mahal does not seem to have had any specific royal purpose. ▲
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