Hampi is a village within the ruins of Vijayanagar in Karnataka
State, India. In former times it was an important city, and one of the most
beautiful in the medieval world.
The Hindu kingdom of Vijayanagar, which reached its peak
during the reign of Krishna Deva Raya (1509-30), was extremely wealthy, and
magnificent temples and palaces were built during a period that lasted from the
14th to the 16th centuries. However, the Deccan Muslim
confederacy overran the city in 1565 and it was abandoned.
Among the group of monuments and buildings on this extensive
site are the temples of Ramachandra (1513) and Hazara Rama (1520) which are among
the best in the whole of India.
Within the fortified area is a whole range of civil and
public buildings, as well as religious ones. There are stables for horses and
elephants, bazaars and markets. The Queen’s Bath is particularly impressive, as
is the Lotus Palace.
Within a courtyard of the Vitthala temple is a stone
monument that depicts a massive chariot being pulled by two small elephants,
which would not appear to be up to the job as they are no bigger than the
chariot’s wheels.
The whole complex has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site
since 1986, under the criteria “Human creative genius”, “Testimony to cultural
tradition” and “Significance in human history”.
© John Welford
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