Hampi, traditionally known as Pampa Kshetra, Kishkindha Kshetra or Bhaskara Kshetra. Pampa is the ancient name of the Tungabhadra river.
The word Hampi is generally another form of Hampe, which is a Kannada name. It is believed that the ancient Kishkindha of Ramayana is today Hampi. Kishkindha was ruled by the monkey king Bali and Sugriva.

After a quarrel with Bali, Sugriva and Hanuman took refuge in Mount Matang. When Sita was taken to Lanka by Ravana, Rama and Lakshmana came south in search of Sita and met Sugriva and Hanuman. Rama kills Vali, gives Sugriva his kingdom and Rama stops on Mount Malyavant, to wait for the results of Hanuman's search for Sita in Lanka.

Hampi and its surroundings are considered sacred land and many of its sites and names are associated with episodes from the Ramayana. Sugriva took refuge in the Matanga hill at Hampi, a steep hill on the southern bank of the Tungabhadra and for the artists of the village of Hampi. On the way to Kampili is Mount Malyavant, on which Rama stayed for the fourteenth day, and there is also a Raghunath temple with a large image of Rama. A huge mound of ashes is believed to be in the nearby village of Nimbapur, where Bali was cremated. A cave on the southern bank of the Tungabhadra is said to be where Sugriva hid Sita's gems for protection, while the rock near it has some marks and stripes in the form of marks made by Sita's clothes. The Rishyamukh hills are on the northern bank of the sacred pond of Pampasanavar and Tungabhadra. And there are sacred ponds on the Rishyamukh hills which are on the northern bank of the Tungabhadra river.

Temples of Hampi

• Virupakshaswara Temple: 
  The Virupaksha or Pampapati Temple in Hampi is the main center of pilgrimage. It is one of the oldest and most beautiful temples in India. The presiding deity here is Virupakshaeshwara or Pampapati (Shiva).
   
• Badaviling Temple
  The unique fact about the Badavilinga temple is that the Shiva Linga is permanently surrounded by water running through a pedestal as a water channel flows through it. The monolithic linga of the temple is carved out of 3 m black stone, the three lines on the linga in the carving represent the three eyes of Lord Shiva.
   
• Kadalekalu Ganesha: 
  This is one of the biggest idols of the elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesh Kadalekalu, Kadalekalu means Bengal village in the local language. Due to the size of this idol, his name is known as Kadalekalu Ganesha.
   
• Krishna Temple: 
  This temple is dedicated to Krishna in his infant form. The complex consists of the main temple, shrines of gods and goddesses, the road to the chariot market and the temple tank. This huge monolithic idol of Lord Lakshmi Narasimha is the largest statue in Hampi. Narasimha who is one of the 10 incarnations of Vishnu.
   

Celebration

Annual celebrations in November Hampi Utsav (Victory Utsav), Diwali, Shivratri

Best time to visit: September to February

Nearby Places: Sri Mallikarjuna, the iconic stone-built chariot opposite Vijay Vitthal Temple at Hampi, Kalki Vishnu Temple, Badava Linga Temple and Basavanna Temple