Hampi is the town of ruins of the Vijayanagara Empire. It is one of the UNESCO recognized world heritage sites in India. The place is one of India’s most known archaeological destinations. The town of Hampi is in a secluded area, with royal residences, temples, towers, roads, and statues, all spread over a massive area.
The heritage site is located near the River Tungabhadra. The famous tourist destination never fails to attract travellers all around the world throughout the year. Here are a few less known facts about Hampi. These facts about Hampi are enough to make you plan a visit to this incredible place.
1. Musical Pillars in Hampi
A standout amongst the most appealing structures is the Vittala Temple. This antiquated temple is famous for its marvellous architecture. It is also known for another extraordinary architectural marvel – 56 melodic columns or the musical pillars. These pillars create melodic sounds when tapped delicately. The most intriguing thing is that the columns are constructed using stones. The melodic mainstays of Vittala Temple are also called SAREGAMA pillars.
2. Architect tactics of those times
Hampi is scattered with ruins of giant monuments of the Vijayanagar Empire which were built with granite rock stones that existed in abundance in the town. There is an interesting tactic that the artists of those times followed to cut these gigantic stones and changed them into bits of art pieces in that old age. When a rock was cut, a sequence of holes was made on the stone’s surface.
Then the dry wooden pieces were pegged into the stone. Water was poured over the pegs such that they are soaked well in it. As the wooden pegs are completely doused with the water, their size expands and the small pegs cause the stone to split and break apart due to the mounting pressure inside.
3. The name and the age of Hampi
There is a typical misguided judgment that Hampi was built up by the Vijayanagara Empire. Nonetheless, the primary historical record of settlement in Hampi goes back to 1st Century. Evidence shows that the district of Hampi was under the governor of Ashokan Kingdom amid the third century BC.
Hampi customarily known as Kishkinda-kshetra, Pampa-kshetra or Bhaskara-kshetra is obtained from Pampa, an old name of the River Tungabhadra. The city of Hampi is located at the southern bank of this river. The name Hampi is an adaptive form of the Kannada Hampe (derived from Pampa). This is indeed an interesting fact about Hampi, isn’t it?
4. The Archaeological Museum
The Archaeological Museum in the town shows numerous things from the vestiges and ruins of the empire era. These incorporate many pictures of Durga, and furthermore the Lakshmi statue juxtaposed with the solid Narasimha of Vijayanagara. In the courtyard of the historical museum, there is a huge model of the whole town of Vijayanagar. Pictures and detailed history of early and ancient man in the area can likewise be found in it.
Not the majority of guests know about this museum. It is situated close to the town of Hosapete within the ruins of the Vijayanagara Empire.
5. Relics of Ramayana
Hampi is also famous for the Hazara Ram temple. The temple has gained popularity because of the presence of historical objects and fossils that are claimed to be present at the time of Ram and Krishna’s era.
The entire outer walls of the temple are carved and ornamented with the antique objects that narrate the Ramayana, a holy book that delineate the life of Lord Rama. It is claimed that the fossils and antique objects that are present in this temple are the rarest ones found in the whole of India. We bet did not know this fact about Hampi.
6. Naughty Baby Elephant
On entering the second tower on the left side in the Virupaksha Temple; one would see the temple’s main detainee, a baby elephant. If given a one-rupee coin, the elephant will collect it with his trunk and will kiss on the head as a blessing.
7. The Inverted Tower
There is a staircase behind the leading sanctum of the temple that heads towards the back exit of the temple. A dark chamber with a small opening in the wall is present before the exit on the right side. At the point when the sun beams go through the opening and fall on the western wall, the inverted main tower is visible as the shadow in the image.
8. Foodie Ganesha Statue
There was a day when Ganesha’s stomach was about to explode since he stuffed a lot of his favourite meal. Tying his stomach with a snake was the last resort that Ganesha could find. As necessary, Ganesha tied a snake along his belly to escape the bursting of his stomach. This traces back the cause behind the unique design of the Ganesha’s statue in the temple.
The Ganesha has 4 hands holding the pasha (noose), goad, his broken tusk and modak (sweet). This statue is made out of a single rock and is around 8 feet tall. The statue is covered with an old pavilion. Indeed, this is a less known fact about Hampi.
9. The Royal Enclosure
There exists an enclosure zone, where the royal group of the Vijayanagara Empire used to reside. This royal enclosure is spread over a range of 59,000 square meters. This enclosure can house around 43 houses at once. The royal families of the era used this place.
The highlight of this place is the Lotus Mahal amidst the enclosure. This secluded area was built for queens and other royal ladies of the Vijayanagara Empire. Most of the parts of the enclosure are destroyed; even then the vestiges provide a great visual of the royal life of those times.
10. A long street – Hampi Bazaar
In front of the Virupaksha Temple unfolds a one-kilometre long street called the Hampi Bazaar. The street is covered on both sides with a set of old pavilions. The street makes a good place for a morning stroll with beautiful views on either side. A wooden car attired with tin sheets is in the midst of the street. During the annual car festival, the tradition of pulling the car is practised. There is a Nandi statue at the eastern end of the street, next to which lies the two-storied photo gallery pavilion.
Related Readings
- In Kannada: ಹಂಪಿಯ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ನಿಮಗೆ ತಿಳಿದಿರದ ೧೦ ಸಂಗತಿಗಳು!
