Once upon a time, Hampi-Vijayanagara, located in central Karnataka, was the medieval world's second-largest city after Beijing, and India's richest, attracting traders from as far as Persia and Portugal. Hampi fell into ruins when the Vijayanagara Empire was defeated and pillaged by a coalition of Deccan Muslim sultanates in 1565. It is now a UNESCO world heritage site, visited by
thousands of travelers due to its breathtaking temples, intricate sculptures, and monuments, which give an insight into the splendor and architectural skills of the ancient empire.
Leisure Activities:
Some of the fun things to do at Hampi are taking a coracle ride in the nearby Tungabhadra river.
These round cane boats have been a mode of transport here from the 15th century. You can also
hire a bicycle and take the ride down to any of the interesting ruins, go bouldering or trekking.
Some must-visits are Vijaya Vittala, the extraordinary architectural marvel with 56 musical pillars,
which create melodic sounds when tapped delicately, the stunning Virupaksha and Krishna temples,
the Royal Enclosure with the Queen’s bath and Lotus Mahal (palace).
Anegundi, or Kishkindha, the capital of the Vijayanagar empire is a fine repository of neolithic history
and prehistoric rock art, represented by Mourya Mane, a several-thousand-year-old Stone Age
colony. You can visit the birthplace of Hanuman, the monkey god, or peek at the ancient elephant
stable, where the city’s elephants were fed, bathed and trained for battle and other activities.