Hampi-An Introduction:
Located in the Hospet town in Bellary district in Karnataka, Hampi is known around the world for its extensive ruins of the splendid capital of the medieval Hindu empire of Vijayanagara. In its heydays, Vijayanagara was known for its riches and ostentatious lifestyles of its rulers, nobles & other people.
It visitors were enthralled and were left in a state of awe. Abdur Razzak, Nicolo Conti, Domingo Paes, Nuniz etc have left glowing accounts of life in Vijayanagara. Vijayanagara was synonymous with imperial magnificence. Two hundred years of wealth & power are reflected in the ruins of Vijayanagara. As the locus of imperial power, it was but natural that the art and architecture contained within it are outstanding.
Predominantly scattered between the Kamalapuram and Hampi villages, the ruins of the once proud city does not fail to impress its visitors. Hampi, the Imperial city is spread over a vast area of about 26 square kilometers. It has remains mainly of temples and other religious buildings belonging to Hindu, Jaina religions , Palace basements & walls, Gateways, Fort walls; secular structures, water tanks, irrigation channels etc.
In various stages of preservation, The remains leave no doubt about the wealth and power of the Vijayanagara Empire. Only a powerful empire could have had the resources to create what today looks like an extensive open art gallery. Though neglected for many centuries, it is easy to understand the past grandeur of this city as one walks around the area.
Among what remains today, religious structures predominate over secular ones. With a large number of magnificently carved temples dedicated to numerous deities scattered all over, it is the ultimate religious zone for the practicing Hindu. If there be Nirvana, it should be obtained here.
There are a plethora of Gods and celestial beings all over the religious and secular buildings. Ganesha, Krishna, Vishnu, Mahishasuramardhini, Rama, Shiva and Parvathy, every member of the Hindu pantheon in different forms are present here. In those days, this must have been the most happening place for Gods. Temples in India served as the habitat of Gods and thus naturally institutions of religious activities due to their sacred nature. Vijayanagara is known for large and remarkable temple complexes.
The carvings seem so real that one can’t touch and feel the carved idols or the beautiful pillars without experiencing a sense of euphoria. There must be very few such beautiful places where the almighty might actually want to reside.
If there are Gods, I am sure they might actually be quietly residing here. The numbers could be large because, unlike secular structures, they were made of more durable material-stone. Religious structures like religious beliefs are meant to last. The remains of secular structures do confirm that its superstructures were supported by more elegant yet less durable materials like timber and were subject to the easiest ways of destruction-arson.
Temples in India were not just sacred-spaces but represented the religio-political locus. The community life revolved around it. If highly evolved art be an indication of advancement of society, then the Vijayanagara society was highly advanced. With classical aesthetic sense, the figures on the walls are life-like and well proportioned.
Once acknowledged as one of the greatest medieval capitals of the world, Vijayanagara’s history goes back beyond historic times.
The Tunghabadhra is the chief tributary of the river Krishna. The river is perennial in character and comes down in frequent heavy rushes during the rains. It has served as a natural frontier through the centuries. It has served as the unfordable and effective border for the territories of the Chalukyas of Badami,
The Rashtrakutas, the Chalukyas of Kalyani, the Pallavas and Cholas during days of impermanent territorial possessions and shifting borders. For the ancient and medieval people Tunghabadhra was not just a body of water. The nature worshipping people deified it as a goddess. Tunghabadhra was revered as the goddess Pampa in the minds of the religious laity.
Deriving its name from ancient times from the river, the region around Hampi was also known as Pampa-Kshetra or the region of the Pampa. The word Hampe or Hampi is a corruption of the word Pampa. Hampi doesn’t fail to evoke ecstasy and agony at the same time.