Virupaksha Temple
Virupaksha Temple
4.5
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  • Sapan Gupta
    Chennai (Madras), India124 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Virupaksha Temple, Hampi
    This is such a beautiful architecture . Big temple complex and the place has lot of history. They have 3 headed nandi which was destroyed so ASI has placed 3 different Nandi to denote 3 times Pooja of Lord Shiva. You can do darshan very easily and temple complex has a elephant which goes by the name Lakshmi. She will bless you once you give some offerings. The inverted shadow of the gopuram is beautiful.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 26 September 2023
  • Akshay Sharma
    New Delhi, India11,054 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A marvellous place to visit
    When you start a tour of Hampi this is the first historical place you would visit. Hiring a guide is worth the money as the guide will explain you the nitty gritty behind the temple the past, the present and the future. It is not only architecturally beautiful but has lots of historical importance attached to it. Even to this date devotees say prayers here.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 3 February 2024
  • Nuthan Nagaraj
    Mumbai, India150 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lost City of Vijayanagara Empire
    I was mesmerised looking at the vastness of the empire and their architecture, art and Natural beauty of Hampi. No doubt its one of the best UNESCO sites in India. Virupaksha temple is a Hindu Religious place Temple has huge Gopura (entrance architecture). Inside the temple one can see several deities, including Bhuvaneshwari (Karnataka State Deity) one can witness paintings on the ceiling of the madapam. good stone carvings on both side of the mandapa.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 21 March 2024
  • Sagarika
    Chennai (Madras), India60 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Magnificent, Glorious
    Virupaksha Temple is the main attraction of Hampi, the first time we saw it during our Hampi by the night - light and sound. As you walk through Hampi Bazar towards the temple, you are transported back into the golden times of Hampi. The feeling and the vibe, can not be explained. The architecture of the temple is exquisite but its uninterrupted history from the 7th century onwards makes it a pilgrimage for many. Please visit during morning hours as well as evening to enjoy the temple in full glory.
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 1 April 2024
  • Harsh & Leena
    Pune, India2,894 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Shiv temple on the bank of Tungabhadra river
    1. One of the main temples in Hampi is devoted to Shivji. It is a marvelous temple. 2. One can park the vehicle and then visit the temple and it takes 15-20 minutes. 3. It is on the bank of river Tungabhadra river. 4. You can see the Lakshmi elephant on the left of the entrance. 5. Whole Hampi is part of UNESCO and is well maintained. You can see rich history of Vijaynagara Empire. 6. Cold water is available at right of entrance 7. I would suggest witnessing the sunrise at Hamkuta hill and then descend down to take blessings of shivji.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 28 August 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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shubhi
Bangalore District, India26 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2019
Virupaksha temple is believed to be one of the oldest temples in India which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple has its own significance in Hindu religion as Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati were believed to be married here. The temple gets really crowded during the day with thousands of pilgrims across India. Temple has its own Elephant name “Lakshmi” which goes for bath to river every morning.

Virupaksha temple has no entry fees and it is adjacent to the Hampi Bazaar. You can visit the temple in evening and participate in evening Aarti. Post Aarti, we left the temple and got back to hotel calling it a night to recharge ourselves.
Written 18 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bharat K
Jaipur, India688 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
If you truly wish to see and know the History of Hampi, spend at least 3 days here with a good ASI approved guide. You would also need transport (Auto-rickshaw / Taxi / own vehicle) to move from one site to another due to the distances.

The Virupaksha temple is an imposing 50 meter tall structure of 12 stories. A must visit there to see this temple and the surrounding attractions including the Floating Plliar, the Musical Hall that has the 7 musical notes played by striking the pillars.

Another site has the 12' tall Monoiithic Badvalinga alongside the 22' tall Ugra Narsimha.

Then you could visit the Monolithic Stone Chariot (a bit of a disappointment as this structure is not as large as we had expected), and the Kadalekalu Ganesh, another 18' tall monolithic statue.

The very interesting part of Hampi and the surrounding areas is the amazing formation of the Rocks and Boulders stacked precariously over one another. Good timing and photography could get you some awesome pictures.

Hampi is just endless, and you could go on and on and on ...... so much to see and so much to learn.
Written 9 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Maria J
36 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
We really enjoyed our day at Hampi, the temples are ornate and intricately designed,
I would highly recommend our Auto rickshaw Guide and Driver Venkatesh. He was knowledgeable but most importantly tailored our trip to fit our time and needs. Its an ideal way to see the ruins, as each site has its own guides if you feel a need for one. For the most part you don't one but if you may need one for a specific temple there are guide books available and quite self explanatory .
Hampi Guide Auto Venkatesh cell phone 91 94802 10208 he he all you need.
Written 28 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Manasa
Bengaluru, India1,007 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020 • Couples
The only working temple among the marvelous ruins of Hampi. A beautiful Gopuram welcomes you into the realm of serenity and devotion. The ingenuity of Dravidian architecture boggles one’s mind. Once again, to understand the complexity of the historical and architectural aspects, it is recommended to hire a guide. Mere words cannot describe the beauty of this temple so I would post some pictures for an idea.
Written 18 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Vessense.Elizabeth
Munich, Germany25 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
If history, culture, religion fascinate you then this is a must visit place for you.
Hampi has all the above to offer, and that too in abundance.
So much that you need at least 2 days to tour the whole place.
And it's so beautiful that even after 2 days we couldn't have enough of it.
But as they say - all the good things have to come to an end, so did this tour.
The ancient city has many famous monuments and Unesco heritage sites which tell you why at its peak, it was the world's second-largest city after Beijing.
The well planned city had advanced water supply system, numerous temples, farms and trading markets with huge footfall of foreign traders.
Road from Bengaluru to Hampi is also amazing.
Written 19 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Angeline Martis
Mumbai, India13 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
You are welcomed by the Main carved tower, which can been seen from far across. There is a elephant who blesses you if you offer fruits. The complex is big and it has many beautiful carved temples, where rituals are still performed. Main temple is dedicated to Pampapathi (Shiva), who married Pampadevi (Parvathi) after she did penance.
Written 13 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

tushar_pai
Milton Keynes, UK4,070 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Family
A natural Shiv Linga shrine from the 7th century grew into the massive Virupaksha temple complex under the Vijayanagara empire.

The largest and probably the only functioning temple in Hampi, the complex attracts a lot of visitors.

The Hampi Bazaar is right outside the temple and what used to a market trading precious metals and stones in the 14th-16th centuries is today a vibrant local goods market.

The diety itself is ensconced in the sanctum sanctorum that can be reached via small side entrances and the crowd just keeps swelling up for the Darshan and it is near to impossible to stand in front of the diety and pray.

The water pond associated with the temple has a single turtle and loads of fishes who can be fed. Just a few metres away is the Tungabhadra river that can be accessed via steps.

A ferry to cross over to the base of the Anjanadri Hills (from where 575 steps take you up to the hill rumoured to be the birthplace of Lord Hanuman) also available but due to the swell of the river and the heavy currents it was not operational.
Written 9 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Devendra G
India1,015 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023
Virupaksha temple is one of the main attractions of Hampi. It has one of the oldest svayambhu shivlinaga. Lord Ram had worshipped in this temple during his exile from ayodhya. The temple is an architectural marvel. One needs a minimum of two hours to explore the temple. It would be recommended to take a guide along to understand the historical importance of the place. Seperately, there is no climb or stairs for the temple and can be easily visited by elders too.
Written 6 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Akshay Sharma
New Delhi, India11,054 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Family
When you start a tour of Hampi this is the first historical place you would visit. Hiring a guide is worth the money as the guide will explain you the nitty gritty behind the temple the past, the present and the future. It is not only architecturally beautiful but has lots of historical importance attached to it. Even to this date devotees say prayers here.
Written 3 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sagarika
Chennai (Madras), India60 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Family
Virupaksha Temple is the main attraction of Hampi, the first time we saw it during our Hampi by the night - light and sound. As you walk through Hampi Bazar towards the temple, you are transported back into the golden times of Hampi. The feeling and the vibe, can not be explained. The architecture of the temple is exquisite but its uninterrupted history from the 7th century onwards makes it a pilgrimage for many. Please visit during morning hours as well as evening to enjoy the temple in full glory.
Written 1 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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