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Vijayanagara |
Vijayanagara (often written Vijayanagar, meaning the city of victory), in northern Karnataka, is the name of the now ruined capital city of the historic Vijayanagara empire in the Southern part of India.
Vijayanagara
Most of the city lies on the south side of the Tungabhadra river. The city was
built around the original religious centre of the Virupaksha temple at Hampi.
Other holy places lie within its extents, including the site of what is said
to be Kishkinda, the cave home of Sugriva, the monkey king of the Ramayana.
The central areas of the city, which include what are now called the Royal Centre and the Sacred Centre, extend over an area of at least 40 sq. km. It includes the modern village of Hampi. Another village, Kamalapuram, lies just outside the old walled city, but is also surrounded by ruins and monuments. The nearest major town and railhead is the town of Hospet, about 13 km away by road.
The natural setting for the city is a hilly landscape, dotted with numerous granite boulders, of all sizes. The Tungabhadra river runs through a gorge alongside it, and provided protection from the north. Beyond the hills on the south bank on which the city was built, a plain extended further the south. Large scale walls and fortifications of hewn granite defended the centre of the city.
The name means 'City of Victory', from vijaya (victory) and nagara (city).
The ruined city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, (where it is called the Ruins of Hampi).
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