Virupaksha Temple

In the age of the Ramayana, the monkey god Hanuman was born on Anjanadri Hill near present-day Hampi. The entire rocky landscape of Hampi is believed to be ancient Kishkindha — the kingdom of the monkey king Sugriva and his general Hanuman. When Rama arrived here searching for his kidnapped wife Sita, he formed his alliance with the monkey army that would eventually march to Lanka.

The Virupaksha Temple has been in continuous worship since the 7th century — over 1,300 years. When the Vijayanagara Empire made Hampi its glorious capital in the 14th century, the temple became the spiritual heart of what was then one of the richest and largest cities in the world, with a population of over 500,000. European travelers who visited Hampi compared it favorably to Rome.

The temple holds a remarkable scientific secret — a tiny pinhole in the western gateway gopuram projects an inverted image of the tower onto the inner wall. This natural camera obscura has been delighting visitors for centuries. The temple elephant Lakshmi blesses visitors daily, touching their heads gently with her trunk in exchange for a coin.

In 1565, the Vijayanagara Empire fell to a coalition of Deccan sultans in the devastating Battle of Talikota. The magnificent capital was sacked and destroyed over months. Every building, every palace, every monument was systematically demolished — except the Virupaksha Temple. Even the conquerors could not bring themselves to desecrate a living temple of Shiva.

Continuously functioning since the 7th century. Became the royal temple of the Vijayanagara Empire. Survived the destruction of Hampi in 1565.

The annual chariot festival in February and the betrothal festival of Virupaksha and Pampa in December draw thousands.

A towering 50-meter eastern gopuram leads into colonnaded courtyards. Famous for the natural pinhole camera effect that projects an inverted image of the tower inside.