Virupaksha Temple

Hampi's living Shiva temple, active since the 7th century, elephant blessed.

The spiritual heart of Hampi, a living temple dedicated to Shiva that has been in continuous use since at least the 7th century. The towering 49-metre gopuram at the entrance is visible from most of the site and is the first thing you see arriving from Hospet. The resident elephant Lakshmi blesses visitors in the morning by touching her trunk to their heads in exchange for a small offering.

The bazaar street leading up to the temple entrance was once lined with the richest market stalls in India — traders from Persia, Arabia, China, and Portugal are recorded here in the 15th century. The colonnaded hall just before the main entrance still has its original carved columns. The inner sanctum is always busy with pilgrims; remove your shoes at the entrance and be respectful — this is an active place of worship, not a museum.

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A story
Virupaksha Temple has been in continuous use since at least the 7th century — it was already ancient when the Vijayanagara kings built their capital around it. The kings considered themselves devotees of the temple's deity and drew their legitimacy partly from their association with this sacred site. When the city was destroyed in 1565, the temple alone was spared — it has never ceased to function.

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