Anegundi

Surrounded by the river Tungabhadra on one side and hills on three sides, Anegundi is located in the Indian state of Karnataka. This village, older than Hampi, lies in the Koppal district. The first capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, Anegundi means elephant pit in Kannada. The historical monuments and the temples of this place that boasts of India's heritage and culture are protected and preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India. This is also a part of the World Heritage Site. Maurya Mane a Stone Age colony which is thousands of years old is situated in this village and is part of the Neolithic history. According to geologists, this place is around four billion years old. Apart from these archaeological sites, the Anegundi Fort is another popular tourist destination. The fort has many gates and several tombs within. There are two temples a Ganesha Cave temple and a Durga temple in this fort.

64 pillars temple, Anegundi. Image source Raghu

Some of the famous temples in Anegundi that are frequented by tourists are Pampa Sarovar Laxmi Temple, Anegundi Lord Ranganatha Temple, Jain Temple, and Chintamani Shiva Temple. The Gagan Mahal built by the Vijayanagara rulers in the 16th century continues to be a monument of beauty in spite of being 500 years old. The best time to visit this place is from October to March. Read more about Anegundi here.