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Karnataka - Hampi

Hampi was the capital of Vijayanagara Empire. It takes you through the pages of history since 14th Century. Each buckled stone sculpture has a great story to recount and no wonder if it becomes the World Heritage Centre.

Hampi is such a nice place to visit and I bet you that you might not have a place like this before. You can sight the splendour of Vijayanagara in its shell. The Virupaksha Temple rises royally at the western end of a 700m long street that was once the famous Hampi bazaar. This is the only temple at Hampi that is still used for worship. Nearby is the 6.7 m tall monolith of Ugra Narasimha, seated under a canopy of a seven hooded snake.

The most attractive testimonial of Hampi is undoubtly the Vithala Temple. It has got 56 pillars in the main hall which produces musical notes when struck. To the east of the hall you can see the famous Stone Chariot with stone wheels that actually spin. Hampi is full of such surprises. Like the King's Balance, where decree kings were weighed against grain, gold or money which was then circulated to the poor, the Queen's Bath, with its domed corridors, projecting balconies and lotus - shaped fountains. Or even the Lotus Mahal in the 'Zenana' enclosure.