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Hampi. A mythical landscape, littered with huge granite boulders balanced precariously on top of each other bound by mythology and history. Bisected by the Tungabhadra and ancient irrigation canals that create a sliver of blue and green across the rugged terrain, this is a land imbued with the presence of gods, goddesses and heroes. Scattered among this is the ruins of a once magnificent city. Described as the ‘the best provided city in the world’ the ruins of Hampi is a destination in itself. One that the discerning traveler will relish exploring one leaf at a time.
In this Blog on Hampi we dive back into its history and mythology to bring to you fascinating tales and anecdotes from South India’s largest, wealthiest and most powerful kingdom. While excavating and shifting through the sands of time we invite you to share with us your experiences of this surreal realm.
Krishna Deva Raya, king of the Vijaynagar empire at its zenith, stormed the Raichur Fort after a bloodily victorious battle against the forces of Ismail Adil Shah, ruler of the Bijapur Sultanate. The Battle of Raichur (1520), though celebrated widely through the streets of Vijayanagara, signalled the slow-yet-steady downfall of the Vijayanagara Empire. Ultimately, the…
The kitchens of Evolve Back are famed for the originality and sumptuousness of their platters. Made from the freshest and finest produce, and served in some of the most spectacular settings, the Evolve Back repast offers an extensive selection of the finest in Indian and Continental cuisines. Our table also boasts a creative vernacular flavour…
My first trip to Hampi took place over a long, empty weekend. It was the kind of south-Indian November where the sun and the clouds played their everyday magic, allowing for long, winding strolls through the ancient ruins. Back then, with a less than vague idea of the Vijayanagara Empire, I was anything but a…
Throughout the annals of medieval Indian history, fact and legend intermingle to give readers a variety of stories about how major empires were born. It is no different in the case of the Vijayanagara Empire, but most historians have settled on an inscrutable theory. The brothers Bukka and Harihara, who were either in the service…
The heritage site of Hampi and the surrounding countryside is dotted with historical monuments ranging from defensive walls, temples and tanks, to ceremonial and residential buildings. They include relatively complete buildings to badly damaged structures barely discernable to the untrained eye. And not to mention its vast and yet to be excavated archeological wealth that…
The landscape of Hampi is deceptively barren. The imposing boulders on the bone-dry plains create an illusion that life here has abandoned verve. After all, the monuments of Hampi have abandonment writ large on them. But it’s not all melancholy. All landscapes are not lush but that’s no testimony to lack of joie de vivre…
The Battle of Talikota in 1565 was the absolute downfall of the Vijayanagara Empire and the wide-scale plundering and desecration of the temples in Hampi. The combined forces of the Deccan sultanates overpowered Rama Raya, the last king of the Vijayanagara Empire, whose mid-battle beheading sent the Vijaynagar troops into disarray. The Battle of Talikota…
Evolve Back is proud to have been chosen as a ‘Monument Mithra’ by the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India, under their ‘Adopt A Heritage’ campaign. ‘Adopt A Heritage’ is a novel campaign rolled out by the Ministry of Tourism in 2017. Its purpose is to involve the private sector in adopting one or more…
When we speak of historically significant empires, the Romans and the Greeks come first to mind. However, in the mid-1300s, with the foundation of the Vijayanagara Empire, India witnessed the rise of a line of kings who would hold sway over a kingdom larger than Austria, for 250 years. In 1330, northern India was in…
It is no understatement to say that India is a country that reeks of artistic heritage and cultural traditions which literally exist in its nooks and corners. Villages and towns that are seemingly non-descript are home to traditional art and craft forms that more often than not date back centuries. Kinnal village that is situated…