Hampi, which is located in the northern part of the state of Karnataka, is home to some glorious historical monuments that are in ruins now, but have been declared as a world heritage site by UNESCO. The village of Hampi lies within the ruins of Vijayanagara, which was once the capital of erstwhile empire of the Vijayanagara kings. Spread over an area of 25 sq. km., this quaint village comprises ruins of palaces, forts, temples, market places and aquatic structures. A popular place amongst historians, Hampi is one of the most sought-after destinations in India. If you wish to visit the ruins of this village, then you can travel here via the town of Hospet, which is connected to other parts of the country by road and rail transport. In case you plan to travel by air, then you can fly to cities such as Mumbai, Pune, Chennai or Bengaluru, and then take either take a bus or train to Hospet. The village of Hampi is a bus ride away from the Hospet town. You can get cheap flights to Mumbai, Chennai, Pune or Bengaluru if you book online.

Temples at Hampi

This village boasts of ruins of numerous majestic temples, and few of the important ones are Virupaksha Temple, Vittala Temple and Krishna Temple.

The Virupaksha Temple is said to be one of the oldest yet active temples in the country. The temple is devoted to Lord Shiva and is situated at the banks of a river. Popular amongst both tourists and devotees, this temple comprises pillared halls, sanctum of the deity and series of huge entrance towers. If you are yet to see a Hindu religious function, then this is the place to witness it.

The Vittala Temple is devoted to Lord Vittala, an incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu. This temple boasts of many halls and shrines, where the halls consist of pillars that have animated carvings on them. Additionally, there is a set of pillars in the temple, known as musical pillars because they ring when tapped. In front of the main temple stands a giant stone chariot, which looks splendid. The complex of the Vittala Temple comprises many other small temples devoted to different deities.

The Krishna Temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna. This temple has a main shrine of the deity, along with shrines of other gods and goddesses, temple tank and chariot street. In the main hall of the temple, you can witness a series of pillars that carvings of mythical creatures on them.