The temple of virupaksha , an aspect of Shiva and the guardian deity of the Vijayanagara Kings, rises majestically at the western end of a 700 m long street, once the site of the famous Hampi bazaar. The temple is entered through a 50 m tall, elaborately carved gateway that may have belonged to an earlier period and is believed to have been renovated in 1510 by the empire's most famous ruler, Krishna Deva Raya. Inside is a series of calm courtyards dotted with small shrines and pillared halls, some of which date back to the first Vijayanagara rulers. The hall outside the central shrine is richly carved and has ceiling paintings with scenes from Hindu mythology and the Shaiva Puranas. The shrine itself, still in use, contains the worship of nearly five centuries of devotees.

These idols are in themselves temples. The gigantic 8 - 9 m tall Narasimha image is situated in the South of the Hemakuta group of temples that includes the Virupaksha Temple. The Narasimha is a seated four armed figure under a canopy of a seven hooded snake. Though in a damaged state, the image depicts the benign aspect of the God since apart of the right hand of Goddess Lakshmi skirts around the waits of Narasimha suggesting that goddess Lakshmi was originally seated on his lap. The monolith is disfigured but is magnificence is undisputed.

The Shivalinga is situated next to the Narashimha and is again, gigantic in size. It is 3m high and stands permanently in water that comes through an ancient channel.

The two Ganesha images are on he slopes f the Hemakuta hill. One of the them is enclosed in a temple with unusually tall pillars, the other is in an open hall. The Sasivikalu Ganesha (Sasivi-mustard, Kalu-Grain) stands 2.4m tall without shoes. The Kadalai Kalu Ganesha (Kadalai0gram) is 4.5 m high. The Vijayanagara empire obviously had its jesters!

The Vithala temple is situated on the southern bank of the Tungabhadra river and is generally considered the most splendid of the religious monuments at Hampi. Its reputation is well deserved; both in he variety of styles that characterise the shrines within the temple courtyard and in the fineness of the carving that embellish them. Hard granite has been persuaded to sway, to flow, to rise up in columns so that the texture of the stone itself seems to have changed and become elastic. The main pavilion contains 56 pillars, each of which has been carved out of a single granite block in a rich structural unit with a cluster of slender colonettes raised on crouching animals. When struck, some of these columns give out musical notes as though from different percussion instruments. The Vithala temple also contains a magnificent stone chariot that houses the mythical eagle, the Garuda.

The carving is delicate and the engineering so superb that the stone wheels can even revolve. The brick super structure on top of the chariot is sadly no longer in existence.

Of the non religious buildings in Hampi, probably the most photogenic, is the Lotus Mahal. This graceful two-storied pavilion is located in what is known as the 'Zenana' enclosure. The palace is delightful synthesis of the Hindu and Islamic styles of architecture very different from the awesome grandeur of Hampi's temples. The building is an open pavilion on the lower level and built up with windows and balconies on the upper level. What gives the palace its name are its beautifully recessed archways set in geometric regularity and opening out to the sun and the wind like the petals of a flower.

Another example of Indo-Saracenic architecture at Hampi are the Elephant Stables, a row of eleven chambers which once housed the magnificent beasts. The long facade of the building with its arched entrances and many domes-octagonal, fluted and plain-make it an imposing edifice.

Very close to the Lotus Mahal and next to the Elephant Stables is ruined watch tower, one of many dotted around the city, dignified in spite of its crumbling stone and a testimony to Hampi's need to be ever watchful.

Located to the south of the Hazaara Rama temple is the "Mahanavami Dibba' a high platform on which temporary superstructures were erected for the kings of Vijayanagara to view Dasara festivities. To the south of this is the beautiful 'Pushkarini' - the sacred water tank with its steps built in rhythmic regularly.

Hampi abounds in water channels and water tanks, a telling testimony to the engineering skill which had been achieved. The most elaborate of the bath houses is the 'Queen's bath' situated in the citadel area, south of the Hazaara Rama temple. The building is a large square structure, remarkable for the contrast between is plain exterior and the very ornate interior. The bath is 15m square and 1.8n deep and surrounded by delicately decorated arched corridors and projecting balconies. The carved stucco ornamentation on the ceilings and vaults above each of the arched bays is characteristic of Islamic architecture.

It is truly a bath for a queen, discreet in its outer appearance and rich and elaborate in the enclosed inside.

There is much more to Hampi that what has been mentioned here. So much more in fact that a first time visitor can get rather confused. It would be a good idea to provide oneself with a map of the area and to refer to the many excellent books on Hampi that are available. One of the most exciting aspects of visiting Hampi is the possibility of discovering something new, and excitement that you can share with the dedicated archaeologists who live on the site and are even now engaged in the process of uncovering yet another facet of this fascinating long ago empire.

Hampi has been declared one of the World Heritage Monuments of India. Special measures have been taken by the Department of Culture and the Archaeological Survey of India for the protection and preservation of these monuments which form part of the great heritage of the country.

VIRUP AKSHA BAZAAR

32M. wide and 728M long, this street that runs between Virupaksha Temple and the foot of the Matanga Hill, is the longest street, laid out by the Vijayanagara kings. The Chariot Street is, even now, a street of great majesty. How much more it would have been in its days of glory, has been recorded by Damingo Paes, a Portugese traveller who visited Vijayanagara around 1520 during the reign of Krishna Deva Raya. Of this street he says ".....a very beautiful street full of very beautiful houses with balconies and arcades in which are sheltered piligrims....there are also houses for the upper classes, the king has a palace in the same street where he resides when he visits the Pagoda (the temple)".

The paved 14th century road is now under debris but is being restored and the dilapidated mantapas on both sides are being carefully put back to shape, brick by brick. But even so, with so much gone, Hampi's Chariot Street still echoes with the laughter and merriment of jewelled festivity.

Located behind the elephant stables, this is one of the oldest and most massive of the gateways in the capital city. The gate, called Singarada Hebbagilu or The Beautiful Door according to an inscription that has been discovered near it, was the main entrance to the city. There are two temples within the gateway as well. Now in a state of dilapidation, the gateway is being restored to its former splendour, so that it can truly bear its ancient name.

To the north-east of the recently discovered underground temple, are the remains of several palaces. The size and design of these buildings indicate that they were probably occupied by the aristocracy and high level army and administrative officers. One of these palaces, recently excavated, lies adjacent to the road and is a fourstoreyed building. The topmost floor looks as if it must have housed a rectangular chamber with a narrow verandan running round it, the Palace itself is surrounded by a row of rooms, separated from the main building by a paved corridor. The entire complex is now being called the Noblemen's Quarters and even in its ruined state elegant and noble it certainly is.

The imperial city is a town planner's dream. The 'sacred centre' with its many temples lies along the south bank of the river Tungabhadra. To the south of this is the fortified 'urban' or 'royal' area in which are located the remains of palaces, noblemen's quarters, watch towers and a few temples.

This temple, now unused, is situated in the royal enclosure of the city and was probably the king's private shrine. The enclosure walls of the temple are exceptional in that they are carved both on the outside and the inside. The outer friezes depict horses, elephants, dancing girls and infantry in procession; the inner panels show scenes from the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. On the walls of the god's sanctum are two rare depictions of Vishnu as the Buddha. Though the temple is small, it is a fine example of the skill of Vijayanagara's sculptors. Only master craftsmen can coax filigree and lace of Deccam stone.