The ancient ruins of Hampi
Continuously active since the seventh century, lively Virupaksha Temple is one of the signature landmarks of Hampi. 
Photograph by Francesco Lastrucci

Photo story: a pilgrimage to the rock-hewn temples of Hampi, India

The one-time capital of an ancient Hindu kingdom, Hampi was abandoned in the 16th century, and today the ruins have become a site of pilgrimage.

Story and photographs byFrancesco Lastrucci
January 15, 2024
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
Virupaksha Temple
Covering around 9,900 acres in the Indian state of Karnataka, Hampi was the last capital of the Hindu kingdom of Vijayanagara, a flourishing empire whose temples and palaces would have seduced any visitor at its peak between the 14th and 16th centuries. 
Photograph by Francesco Lastrucci
Landscape of Hampi
Conquered by a group of sultanates known as the Deccan Confederation in 1565, the city was plundered for months before being abandoned. 
Photograph by Francesco Lastrucci
A tree decorated with yellow and red paint and flowers by worshippers.
Today, Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising hundreds of monuments scattered across the landscape. It’s still an important place of pilgrimage and devotion.
Photograph by Francesco Lastrucci
Hampi is best admired from the small temple on top of Matanga Hill, where a young priest performs a puja (prayer) at sunset. This was a sacred place long before it became the capital of an empire, in part due to its eye-catching landscapes, defined by gills dotted with massive granite boulders. Shaped into sinuous forms by the elements and lining the banks of the Tungabhadra River, boulders like this were used to build the ancient city.
Macaques and langurs in the abandoned temples
Abandoned temples follow the river; their stones camouflaged among the rocks, as if shaped by the same natural forces. Wildlife has reclaimed the structures, with macaques and langurs socialising in them at twilight.
Photograph by Francesco Lastrucci
View of the Achyuta Raya Temple
Of the more than 500 temples in the area, one of the largest and most intricate is the Achyuta Raya Temple, built in 1534 and dedicated to a form of the god Vishnu. The temple was a masterpiece, representing one of the purest expressions of the Vijayanagar style before the fall of the kingdom. Its main shrine is covered with a series of striking reliefs and carvings. The grand and romantic ruins, at the side of Matanga Hill, somehow remain off the beaten path and feel hidden away. Visitors who enter one of the gates, often in solitude apart from a lone guard, must feel like they’re entering a world apart. It’s easy to imagine the former splendour of the temple at such a place. 
Photograph by Francesco Lastrucci
The Lotus Mahal
The Royal Enclosure was the kingdom’s seat of power at Hampi. Within it is the lavish Lotus Mahal, with its intricately carved arches. Its function remains unclear but one theory is that it served as a sort of exclusive chat room for women of the royal family. 
Photograph by Francesco Lastrucci
The Royal Enclosure, an elaborate structure with gardens.
Similar architectural lines are found in the Royal Elephant Stables, a magnificent row of 11 domed chambers that each housed an elephant, once used for ceremonies and parades.
Photograph by Francesco Lastrucci
A couple playing in a river
Venturing through the landscape, it’s easy to come across scenes of contemporary life, too, such as couples playing in the river by the ghats. It is this juxtaposition that makes Hampi so complex, unique and unforgettable.
Photograph by Francesco Lastrucci
Published in the Jan/Feb 2024 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).

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