About Hampi
Vijayanagara
A Mythical Landscape
If the legendary grandeur of Hampi appears to transcend historical time, the same cannot be said of Vijayanagara, the magnificent metropolis founded here in the middle of the 14th century. It was occupied until 1565 when it was sacked and abandoned. From inscriptions on contemporary monuments, travel narratives of foreign visitors to the kingdom, and memoirs of later Persian historians at the Deccan sultanate courts, Vijayanagara's history is rather well known.
History of Hampi
The fascination of Hampi's setting is by no means confined to its geology, for this is a mythical landscape imbued with the presence of gods, goddesses, and heroes. There can be no doubt that human habitation has existed in the area for at least 3,000 years. Prehistoric rock shelters abound in this part of the Tungabhadra river valley, some with painted designs showing horsemen with spears and figures of animals.
Rāmāyana
The Ramayana is one of the world's most famous ancient epics. Many of the events in the Ramayana are linked to specific sites in the Hampi landscape. Relief figures of Rama and Sita, as well as Lakshmana and Hanuman, carved into stones in the environment, some of which are integrated into temples, add to the Ramayana themes.
Krishnadevaraya
Krishnadevaraya ruled Vijayanagara from 1509 to 1529. He was the Tuluva Dynasty's third monarch and is often regarded as its greatest. After the fall of the Delhi Sultanate, he inherited India's biggest kingdom. Many Indians see him as an idol since he presided over the empire at its pinnacle.
Over 500 years ago, King Krishnadevaraya ruled over his dominion. Ceremonies like Dussera and architectural advancement in the form of many temples erected and rebuilt are some of Krishnadevaraya's legacy. Vijayanagar established itself as the keeper of Indian culture.
Destruction of Vijayanagar
By 1565, King Rama Raya had grown overconfident in his power. Nearby Muslim nations banded together against Vijayanagara, believing this was the perfect moment to demolish the king's city and arrogance. The group was successful in overpowering and defeating the monarch. The king's death caused panic throughout the city.
The enemies had come to destroy, and they had mercilessly carried out their mission. They massacred the inhabitants without compassion, destroyed the temples and palaces, and rained such violent retribution on the kings' habitation that, except for a few large stone-built temples and walls, there is now nothing but a heap of rubble to identify the location where the elegant buildings once stood. The sculptures and carved work were demolished. Perhaps never in the history of the world has such damage been wreaked on such a magnificent city, and wreaked so abruptly.
Original Chronicles of Paes
Domingo Paes, a Portuguese traveler, came to Hampi in the year 1520. Paes traveled to the Vijayanagara empire with a group of Goan tradesmen, during the reign of the empire's most powerful king, Krishna Deva Raya.
