LORD VIRUPAKSHA OF HAMPI

THE CITY AND ITS TEMPLE

Hampi, the great scat of Virupaksha, popularly known as Pampapati stood there amidst isolation long before the Vijayanagara empire came into existence. And it is now too lying in isolation, with a difference. During the heyday of Vijayanagar empire, the fame of this family god reached the pinnacle of its splendorous glory, when numerous kinds of Kainkaryas and nitya naimithika sevas were offered on an ostentatious pompous scale befitting the imperial status of the emperor. The capital that was built and beautified with additions of monumental palaces, offices, quarters, industries occupied nine square miles in area. The glory of this of sprawling city owes its origin to this temple, and so every cultural activity revolved round it; and it was built on the Southern bank of Tungabhadra called Pampa in the scriptures.

The devotees visiting the temple normally proceed first from Kamalapur for sight seeing lying at a distance of 11 km from Hospet. Historians described it as the entrance to "the vast open air museum of Hindu monuments in the Dravidian style of architecture". As they proceed further some huge structure or the other in its splendrous beauty gleams into their sight.

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