CAUSES OF POPULATION EXPLOSION IN INDIA

India is the world’s most populous country, with over 1.3 billion people. It overtakes China to become the world’s most populated country. Overpopulation is a major problem in India, as the country’s population is growing at an unsustainable rate. The population is expected to exceed 1.5 billion by 2030, and 2 billion by 2050. This rapid growth is putting immense pressure on India’s resources, and is contributing to environmental degradation, poverty, and social unrest. The government has taken some steps to address the problem, but much more needs to be done.

Today, the world is inhabited by over 7 billion people. Rapid population growth is the bane of the economy of underdeveloped, poor and developing countries in the world. The population figures present an ironical situation: whereas North America’s area is 16% of the world, only 6% population of the world lives there but it consumes 45% of the world’s total income. On the other hand, Asia comprises 18% area of the world, but it is home to 67% of the world’s population.

Still, it consumes only 12% of the world’s income. The situation in Africa is also more worrisome. Clearly, the areas with higher population remain socio-economically backward. Their residents get food which is not only insufficient, but is also not good in terms of nutrients.

Unbearable burden of population is clearly seen in four regions of the world – Southeast Asian countries in which China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Philippines, India, etc., are the forerunners. The population of the region consisting of the Middle East and North Africa have also been expanding at a rapid pace over the past few decades.

Latin America can also be reported to be responsible for sounding the warning bells for the world. Along with the population increase here, it is witnessing decrease in the quality of life of the people and increase in internal instability. In the sub-Saharan Africa, there is a rapid increase in population due to higher birth and fertility rates.

These above-mentioned areas of the world have been termed as explosive areas of population. Not only the population has increased more in these regions so far, but these areas will be liable to population increase even in the near future too.

CAUSES OF OVERPOPULATION IN INDIA:

• The main reason is the high birth rate in India. Many couples have more than two children. People believe more children mean more help and support when they get old. So they keep having many kids. But this makes the population grow very fast.
• Earlier in India, people used to prefer small families. Now people think that having many kids is good. So more children are born. This changed attitude leads to overpopulation.
• Many people in India are uneducated. They do not understand that having many children is a problem. Educated people know they should have fewer kids. But uneducated people keep having more kids. This grows the population quickly.
• The Indian government promotes family planning. But many people still do not practice family planning properly. Couples should space out their children and have fewer kids. But many do not. This results in a large population.
• Now people in India live longer lives. They live up to 70 or 80 years. Earlier, people used to die young. So the total population was less. Now people live longer and have multiple children. So the population increases a lot.
• Now, better medical care means fewer people die from diseases. Even babies have less chance of dying. So more babies become adults and have their kids. This adds to the population.
• Now farmers grow more crops due to newer methods. So more food is available. When more food is available, more people can live and have kids. Earlier, fewer crops meant less population.
• In India, there are fewer job chances for young people. Students do not get work after study. So they marry early and then have more kids. They think kids will help with work. But this also adds to overpopulation.
• Poor people tend to have more kids. They think kids can work and add to the family income. Rich people can afford fewer children. But for poor people, more kids mean more help and income support. This leads to overpopulation.
• In India, cities grow very fast, but no long-term planning exists. New buildings and facilities are not enough for the growing population. So overcrowding happens in cities. This overcrowding is a result of overpopulation.

EFFECTS OF OVERPOPULATION:

• Burden on natural resources: Overpopulation leads to over-exploitation of natural resources. Increasing population puts further burden on the earth’s capacity to produce food and water and other natural resources. As a result, the underprivileged people have to suffer malnutrition, starvation and unhealthy living conditions Excessive increase in population leads to grave forms of pollution and deforestation.
• Rise in poverty: Overpopulation leads to the vicious circle of illiteracy, unemployment and poverty. Lack of education deprives the people of the opportunities to earn their livelihood and fulfil the bare necessities of their lives.
• Widening the rich-poor gap: Overpopulation leads to an unequal distribution of wealth and income. Consequently, the gap between the rich and poor is widened further.
• Migration of Population: Migration is a natural human trait. When the burden of population in any area becomes imbalanced compared to the available financial resources, people tend to move away from their original location. It is comparable to the phenomenon of bee hive – when it is completely filled, flies leave it and go elsewhere. Similarly, human beings stop at one place for a time and then feel the urge to move on again. For this reason, human beings generally do not live anywhere permanently except for a few exceptions.

In conclusion, overpopulation in India is caused by many social, economic, and lifestyle factors. India needs better education, family planning programs, poverty reduction schemes, and employment creation to control population growth. The government and the public must work together to solve this big problem. With awareness and responsibility, India can reduce population growth rates and control overpopulation.

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 WHY OUR FORESTS ARE BURNING.?

Wildfires are increasing around the globe in frequency, severity and duration, heightening the need to understand the health effects of wildfire exposure. The risk of wildfires grows in extremely dry conditions, such as drought, heat waves and during high winds.

Wildfire smoke is a mixture of hazardous air pollutants, such PM_2.5, NO₂, ozone, aromatic hydrocarbons, or lead. In addition to contaminating the air with toxic pollutants, wildfires also simultaneously impact the climate by releasing large quantities of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. 

With climate change leading to warmer temperatures and drier conditions and the increasing urbanization of rural areas, the fire season is starting earlier and ending later. Wildfire events are getting more extreme in terms of acres burned, duration and intensity, and they can disrupt transportation, communications, water supply, and power and gas services.

Wildfires can start with a natural occurrence—such as a lightning strike—or a human-made spark. However, it is often the weather conditions that determine how much a wildfire grows. Wind, high temperatures, and little rainfall can all leave trees, shrubs, fallen leaves, and limbs dried out and primed to fuel a fire. Topography plays a big part too: flames burn uphill faster than they burn downhill.

*SLASH AND BURN DEFORESTATION: The vast majority of the fires in the Amazon and Indonesia are manmade and intentional—the result of illegal deforestation and clearing of farmland. Wildfires are in fact quite rare in tropical rainforests, due to the high humidity. Even in the dry season, the flora is usually too wet for lightning to spark a blaze or for accidental fires (from a burning campfire or cigarette) to take hold.                                 

Agribusinesses clear vast stretches of pristine, untouched forest to make room for cattle pasture (in Brazil) and cropland (soy in Brazil, palm oil in Indonesia). The cheapest and quickest way to do this in such humid conditions is to cut down the trees and underbrush with chainsaws, let them dry out for a month, and get rid of the debris by burning it.

The damage does not stop there. Large-scale clearing disrupts the very processes that give the rainforest its name—the ability to absorb, store, and recycle water as rainfall. As the soil dries out and tree cover is lost, the forest shifts from being fire-resistant to fire-prone. “This is one of the most traumatic things you can do to an ecosystem,” explained Nigel Sizer, the Rainforest Alliance’s chief program officer. The thin-barked trees of the rainforest have no natural resilience to fire, so the flames simply consume everything in their path.

Wildfires are a natural part of many forest ecosystems, often playing a vital role in their life cycle of renewal. The giant redwoods of California, for example, rely on periodic fires (natural or man-made) to clear undergrowth and germinate their seeds.

Throughout the ages, many farming communities around the world have responsibly used controlled burning to manage their lands. Satellite images currently depict fires across vast swaths of forests in Central Africa—but experts note that these are part of a traditional cycle of burning managed by farmers to stimulate new growth in the savanna.

The current climate crisis, however, has multiplied the likelihood of both wildfires and traditional burning cycles spinning quickly out of control. Rising temperatures and extreme heat dry out ecosystems to the point of extreme vulnerability. Alarmingly, the Arctic—which is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet—saw a dramatic increase in wildfires this summer, from eastern Siberia to Alaska and Greenland.

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FACTS YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW ABOUT "INDIA"

WITH MORE THAN 1 BILLION INHABITANTS, 2 MILLION TEMPLES, 300 THOUSAND MOUSQUES, HUNDRES OF PALACES, 400 LANGUAGES AND DIALECTS, COUNTLESS GODDESSES AND GODS, AND DIVERSE SPECIES.INDIA IS A COUNTRY IN ASIA WITH A CULTURAL, RELIGIOUS AND LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY, THAT OFFERS A WHIRLWIND OF SENSATIONS TO ITS VISITORS.CHECK THIS OUT:

1.COWS ARE SACRED IN INDIA: The cow is considered sacred in the Hindu religion in India. They believe that each cow contain 330 millions gods and goddesses. In ancient Hindu, the cow appears as “Kamdhenu”, which fulfils all desires. Its horns represent the ancient Hindu scriptures or the “Vedas” and its utter, the four objectives of life, material wealth, salvation and desire.

2.HINDUISM IS THE OLDEST RELEGION IN THIS WORLD: The official religion of India is Hinduism, whose followers are adept to meditation and chanting mantras (words chanted in honor of specific deities). With document dating back in 5500 B.C.., Hinduism is considered as the oldest and third largest religion in the world, serving more than 1 billion people.

3.THE TAJ MAHAL IS NOT A PALACE: Another fact is that a Taj Mahal is actually a Tomb. Commissioned in 1632 by Emperor Shah Jahan to built the  Taj Mahal in honor of his late wife, Mumtaz Mahal,. Taj Mahal is among the Seven Wonders of the World, and is a stunning symbol of love and architectural brillance. About 28 different types of precioud stones were used for adorning this place and they were sources from Tibet, China, Sri Lanka and some parts of India. One of the most significant Mughal Empire structural wonders, it still stands in all its beauty and fineness in Uttar Pradesh, India.

4.THEY ARE PIONEERS: As one of the oldest civilizations in the world, Indians gave the worlds a lot of important inventions and discoveries. You may don’t know, but chess is one of them, the king Balhait ordered an Indian brahmin to design a game to promote the intelligence of people. Wireless communication is another one, this innovation revolutionized the way we communicate by Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose.The wireless radio communication, which enables individuals to communicate quickly and transmit data over a distance without the electrial wires or cables.

5.INDIA WAS THE FIRST COUNTRY TO MINE DIAMONDS: India was the source of diamonds were in the world from the 4th century BC for around 1000 years. The pure diamonds were found in the Krishna River Delta, located in Andhra Pradesh.

6.NOT ALL INDIANS ARE VEGETARIANS: India is the most vegetarian country in the world. But still, only about 40% of the population is vegetarian. Many Indians eat chicken and fish. The only truth here is that you won’t find beef to eat in any restaurant, and at most you will find buffalo meat in a few places.

7.INDIA IS THE SECOND LARGEST ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRY IN THE WORLD: Lastly, in our list of facts about India, did you know that India is the second largest country in the world that speaks English? So it is! English is the main language spoken in the country, apart from the 400 languages and dialects we have mentioned before.

FACTS ABOUT "THE LOST CITY"- PETRA, JORDAN

One of the world's seven wonders, Petra is one of the most famous archaeological sites in Jordan. Are you wondering why the city is referred to as “The Lost City” or even “Rose City'' or just generally curious to know more about this special place? Continue reading this blog to discover the reason behind these titles and to learn more interesting facts about Petra!

Here’s a list of some facts you might not know about this beautiful historical city in southern Jordan.

1. During the first centuries BC to AD, Petra is believed to have been home to 20,000 – 30,000 people and was an important trading city. It then sat uninhabited for over five centuries until rediscovered by a Swiss explorer in 1812, hence the name the ‘Lost City’.

2. Petra is also known as the Rose City: The name has been given to Petra primarily because of the colour of the stone from which it was carved. Many structures of the city, which are made of sandstone, take on a beautiful red-pink hue at sunset and sunrise, thus earning the title of the ‘Rose City’. 

3. The entrance to the city of Petra is by a narrow passage cut through the sandstone as a result of years of rain and wind. This passage is known as the ‘Siq’, which simply means ‘gorge’.

4. Petra is one of the oldest cities in the world: Petra is believed to be one of the oldest cities in the world. Archaeologists think that the city was established in 321 B.C. when it became the capital of the Nabataean Empire. 

5. Between 1BC and 8AD Petra suffered severe earthquakes and in AD 363 it is believed about half of the city was destroyed. This led to raiding and theft of artefacts from the site.

6. Petra is home to over 1000 tombs: The Nabateans believed in the afterlife and taking extra care of their dead. They built over 1000 tombs in Petra. This makes the site ‘one of the largest royal tomb complexes in the world’. 

7.Petra’s four Royal Tombs: Petra has possibly some of the most stunning burial places in the world. The four tombs that make up its Royal Tombs include The Urn Tomb, The Silk Tomb, The Corinthian Tomb and The Palace Tomb. The structures suffered damage due to floods in the past but continue to be magnificent works of art from the first century. 

8. Petra has a massive theatre constructed on the side of the mountain at the foot of another famous structure, the High Place of Sacrifice. The theatre was built during the rule of King Aretas IV and could accommodate roughly 4000 spectators. 

9. For a long time, no cars or motor vehicles were allowed in the city, and only animal-driven carriages such as horse-drawn carriages or camel rides were permitted. But recently, in 2021, cars became an accepted mode of transport within Petra in the face of animal welfare. Tourists can now buy tickets to use a car from the Visitor Centre. 

10. Archaeologists have been able to discover only 15% of Petra so far. The rest remains largely underground and unexcavated. 

This list, by no means, is a fully exhaustive compilation of all aspects of this wondrous Jordanian city. But hopefully, it provides enough material to spark your interest in Petra and maybe one day visit this Wonder of the World!

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HOW SOCIAL MEDIA "A BOON FOR BANE" FOR STUDENTS ? 

CHANCES ARE, IF YOUR ARE A COLLEGE STUDENT YOU ARE USING SOME FORM OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE PAST YEAR-OR IN THE PAST DAY OR IN THE PAST HOUR. SOCIAL MEDIA IS DEFINED AS, "FORMS OF ELECTRONIC OMMUNICATION THROUGH  WHICH USERS CREATE ONLINE COMMUNICATE TO SHARE INFROMATION, IDEAS, PERSONNEL MESSAGES AND OTHER CONTNT". IT CAN BE A TOOL FOR MARKETING, SHARING NEWS, COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND MORE; HOWEVER IT CAN ALSO BE A PLACE WHERE NEGATIVITY SPREADS OR SCROLLING STEALS HOURS OF YOUR TIME. SO, WHAT CAN COLLEGE STUDENTS GAIN FROM SOCIAL MEDIA?

TODAY'S COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE UNIQUE IN THAT THEY HAVE GROWN UP KNOWING THE EXISTENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA. THEY ALSO TEND TO USE MORE THAN THEIR MILLENIAL COUNTERPARTS, AVERAGING ABOUT 4.5 HOURS OF USE EACH DAY, AS OPPOSED TO THE AVERAGE MILLENIAL'S 3.5 HOURS.

THEIR ARE BOTH PROS AND CONS TO THEIR INCREASED USAGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AMONG THE MODERN COLEGIATE POPULATION:

*PROS: IT HELP STUDENTS STAY CONNECTED TO PEOPLE AT HOME:

College, for many students, is a first foray outside of the world in which they grew up. It is a time for them to forge their own paths, which can be intimidating. Support from family and friends is crucial, not only during this period, but throughout the student’s college experience. Fortunately, in today’s world, social media is a resource for communication across hundreds of miles and state – or even country – lines. Not only can students message their friends and family at home directly, but they can share photos and videos, video-call, or send voice messages to them.  

*CONS: IT CAN BE REALLY DISCTRACTING:

Most students have felt the pull of other, perhaps more exciting activities when they are supposed to be doing something that they are not as interested in – such as homework. Scrolling through social media can seem like a “brain break” when the homework gets especially boring, but it is easy to scroll between videos that are just seconds long...for hours. Social media can end up drawing your attention from the task at hand for much longer than you intend. 

*PROS: COLLEGE STUDENTS CAN KEEP UP WITH WHAT IS GOING ON ACROSS CAMPUS:

Most universities have pages on platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Various campus clubs and activities, including many at Concordia, often have an established presence on these platforms. On these pages, students can find out about upcoming events, campus news, and various on- and off-campus opportunities. Social media can also be a place where students can find updates from a variety of organizations on one streamlined platform, such as Instagram.

*CONS: IT CAN BE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN LONELINESS AND UNHELTHY COMPARISON:

Social media, especially on platforms that allow for the sharing of photos and documentation of one’s life experiences, tends to be more of a place for highlights and successes than the sharing of realistic, day-to-day life. Seeing others’ posts over and over that paint their lives as the epitome of happiness and satisfaction can be draining, especially if you spend hours scrolling through Instagram or Facebook. In fact, studies show that high usage of many social media platforms can increase feelings of loneliness and inadequacy.    

*PROS: IT CAN BE A PLACE TO EXPRESS YOURSELF AND YOUR CREATIVITY:

YouTube is full of videos created by people who pour their passions into their craft, just like Instagram is overflowing with posts of the same nature and Facebook can be used for people to share and even buy and sell their handiwork. Being on these platforms can expose you to the vast range of others’ God-given gifts, as well as giving you a place to express yourself. Today, many people use social media to promote their brand, their work, or their skills, resulting in publicity and appreciation for their handiwork. 

*CONS: STUDENTS CAN USE IT DISHONESTY:

Yes, it’s one of the classic examples of the misuse of social media or the Internet in general – cheating. Students may use social media to share answers to tests. They could use AI tools like Chat-GPT to generate convincing, albeit fake, responses to essay prompts. They could also use various technological tools, hidden during tests, to cheat in the moment. These occurrences may be difficult to execute, but they do happen. Therefore, honesty when using social media is of crucial importance to college students, especially those who want to take charge of their own learning while they study.  

*PROS: IT CAN HELP FUTURE EMPLOYERS FIND YOU:

According to Career-arc, as many as 92 percent of companies use social media in some form to hire new employees for jobs. Social media accounts are one place that employers may search to gain insight into a prospective employee’s values, habits and integrity. Plus, employees can even use it to search for or secure a position with a company. Platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter allow employees to connect with employers, find positions in their area and filter available jobs to discover ones that are the right fit for them.

Everything is entirely being operated in the modern world because of the inventions and technologies introduced ten or twenty years ago. Social media is also an integral part of this lifestyle change, and it has revolutionized the ideologies of many people and nations. It has provided employment and other opportunities that were never even thought about in the past years. It is well known by people worldwide that social media has its positives and negatives, but awareness is the central aspect that guides people about how to use it efficiently and not get harmed by it. Everything new to the world or already present inside has its positives and negatives, and social media is no exception. 

People using social media should know that utilizing it in a better manner is very beneficial to them and society. No one should do any harm to themselves or the people around them just by getting influenced in a wrong way by anything said or shown on social media. The concept of awareness is fundamental and plays a significant role in people characterizing and sorting their behaviour on social media platforms.

Social media is a part of our world now and is a kind of technology that is also the future. Every generation will benefit from the goods and services provided through social media and the connection it helps to make. Sorting out the advantages and disadvantages of this technology is that's why very important.

 

DIGITAL MARKETING: "A NEW MARKET"

Digital marketing is the promotion and marketing of goods and services to consumers through digital channels and electronic technologies. These digital channels can include the internet, mobile devices, social media platforms, webinars, search engines, online customer communities and other digital platforms.

Digital marketing also includes a range of approaches and tactics to reach and persuade the target audience through digital media, including email marketing, social media marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing and online advertising.

The goal of digital marketing is to improve brand awareness, generate leads, increase website traffic and, ultimately, drive sales and business growth. The process can involve digital marketing tactics similar to traditional marketing. Organizations can combine both traditional and digital marketing techniques as a strategy.

* BENEFITS OF DIGITAL MARKETING:

• BETTER BRAND AWARENESS:  Out of all the advantages of digital marketing, brand awareness is the most significant, especially for newly established businesses. In fact, social media marketing helps businesses promote their products on various digital platforms, such as Instagram and LinkedIn, and collaborate with other brands to increase awareness. Moreover, SEO helps businesses rank higher on search engines, leading to increased brand awareness and visibility.
• WIDE CUSTOMER REACH: Traditional marketing, like print advertising and tele-calling, can restrict customer reach. However, digital marketing strategies like displaying ads on YouTube, Google, or Instagram help businesses promote their products and services globally, thus expanding customer reach.
• REAL-TIME CUSTOMER FEEDBACK: The advantages of Internet marketing include real-time feedback from customers. As a matter of fact, businesses can use social media live streams, giveaways, polls, and other strategies to engage with customers in real-time. Therefore, digital marketing offers immediate insights into customer behavior and trends that help businesses offer better customer experience and even improve the quality of their products.
• GREATER MARKET SHARE: Digital marketing increases brand awareness and customer engagement. In essence, this helps build trust and improves customer loyalty. Evidently, this can lead to increased customer retention rates, positively impacting the business market share.
• COST EFFECTIVENESS: The customer acquisition cost through digital marketing is lower in comparison to traditional marketing strategies. This mainly happens because companies can generate and nurture leads through free or low-cost channels like social media or email. In brief, this makes cost-effectiveness one of the most prominent advantages of digital marketing.

* CHALLENGES OF DIGITAL MARKETING:

1. TIME CONSUMING: Organizations must continually create content and optimize their marketing campaigns, which takes time.
2. COMPETITIVE: This can occur when prospective customers are inundated with too many competing ads. Marketers must make their brand stand out, which can be challenging
3. DATA PRIVACY:  If an organization is using an individual's data to target them for advertising, then it should understand how to handle that data and follow data privacy laws.
4. COMPLEXITY: Digital marketing has become more complex because of the various new communication channels that have emerged, but also in terms of the analysis required to make sense of customers, prospects and their preferences.

In terms of your business, digital marketing allows you to connect with prospective and existing customers, which is vital for business and brand awareness. Digital marketing is important because it allows you to get creative and stand out from your competitors in congested markets. Not only is it essential for businesses, but customers also now heavily rely on it as a way of finding out about companies. A digital marketing strategy’s ultimate aim is to deliver campaigns that support the company’s wider goals and ambitions, using the numerous digital tactics and channels you have at your disposal.

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   HAMPI: HIDDEN BEAUTY OF INDIA

• What is the History of Hampi ?

Hampi is full of stories – stories from the historical past as well as the mythological anecdotes. Infact, the history of the place gradually mingles with the folklore and then subtly blends with mythology. Hampi is also known as the Pampa Kshetra and Kiskinda Kshetra. These magical stories of Hampi are inexorably linked with the Hindu mythology.

Pampa was the daughter of Lord Brahma. She was a fierce devotee of Lord Shiva. The Lord pleased with her devotion wanted to grant her a boon. She wanted him as her husband. Lord Shiva had to give in to Pampa’s demand, but before marrying her, the Lord did penance at the Hemakuta Hills (He was already married to Parvati). And then it rained gold on the hill. “Hema” is the Sanskrit term for gold and hence the hill came to be known as Hemakuta Hills.Hampi is also known as Kiskinda Kshetra. It is said that the Vanara kingdom of Kiskinda of the Ramayana was actually here. The Kiskinda episode of the Hindu epic Ramayana was based here at Hampi. Infact, it is believed that Anjaneya Hills was the birthplace of Hanuman, the faithful devotee of Lord Rama.

Hampi had reached its pinnacle during the reign of Krishna Deva Raya of Tuluva dynasty who ruled between 1509 to 1529. Hampi at that time reached great heights under the progressive and international trading practices. Also, the art and architecture flourished with beautiful and magnificent temples being made around the city. But the golden era of Hampi did not last long. The empire was brutally attacked by the Deccan Sultans during 1565 and Hampi fell under their attack. The Deccan Sultans looted and ransacked the city for almost six months leaving only mass destruction everywhere. The temples were damaged and the markets were robbed; ultimately nothing left of the great empire. The empire was ruled by different kings after the massive attack, but it could never regain its lost glory. Gradually, the city lost its strategic importance and gradually lost into oblivion. The city became a ghost city.

• The story about the boulders of Hampi:

The boulders in Hampi has the composition of granite. They belong to what is known as Eastern Dharwar Craton. A craton is a piece of the Earth’s crust that has existed as a solid, without being modified by plate tectonics, since they were formed. These boulders are highly metamorphosed. However, Hindu mythology has a more dramatic and colourful answer to the boulders of Hampi. The place was believed to be Kiskinda and there was a battle for power between the two monkey brothers Bali and Sugreeva. In the fierce battle between the two brothers, the army threw boulders at each other and thus these boulders were piled up all around Hampi. Well, almost everything in India has a mythological essence linked to it.

• What is Hampi famous for?

1. THE VIRUPAKSHA TEMPLE

One of the most prominent structures of Hampi is the Virupaksha Temple located on the southern banks of the Tungabhadra River. Standing tall near the market area, it is not easy to miss the temple.  It is an important place of worship for all the Shiva worshippers. The temple is a grand structure sprawling over a large area with many smaller shrines, pillared halls and gateways. The temple also has an interesting engineering marvel – working of one of the first pinhole cameras can be seen here.

2. The Vijaya Vittala Temple

The Vijaya Vittala Temple is the most extravagant architectural wonder of Hampi. The temple is spread across a large complex where there are numerous halls, pavilions and gateways. Outside the main temple complex, there are other ruins also. Seems like an entire town had been set up there. In fact, it is the remains of the ancient town of Vittalapura. Vittala, another form of Lord Vishu was worshipped in the temple. The most extraordinary feature of this temple is the stone chariot.

3. THE LAXMI NARAYANA TEMPLE

The Lakshmi Narasimha statue is the largest statue in Hampi. Narasimha is sitting on the coil of Seshnag, a giant seven-headed snake. The statue presents a menacing look of Lord Vishnu in his Narasimha avatar (incarnation). The original statue had Goddess Lakshmi sitting on the lap of the God. But the statue was damaged heavily during the fall of the Vijaynagar empire.

4. THE HEMAKUTA HILLS 

The hill is just near the Virupaksha Temple. The hill provides a gorgeous sight of the Virupaksha Temple and the other ruins of the Vijaynagar empire. The hill itself has a large number of ruins of temples, archways and pavilions. This is one of the places to view the splendid sunsets at Hampi.

5.SASIVEKALU GANESHA

The temple is situated very near to the Hemakuta hills and a little south of the Kadalekalu Ganesha Temple. This is a giant statue of Lord Ganesha.

6.KADALEKALU GANESHA TEMPLE

This temple is situated on the north-eastern slope of the Hemakuta Hills. Here a giant statue of Lord Ganesha is present that is carved out of a single stone.The belly of this statue resembles a Bengal gram (Kadalekalu, in local language) and hence the name.

Other places of interest at Hampi are the Queen’s Bath, Mahanavami Dibba, Zenana enclosure, Courtesan’s Street, Royal enclosure, Sugreeva’s cave and Bhima’s Gateway.

How to Reach Hampi?

The nearest railhead to Hampi is Hospet. Hospet is well connected to Bangalore by buses and train. From Hospet, you can take an auto to Hampi. We took an overnight bus from Bangalore to Hospet. From Hospet we took an auto to Hampi. The auto took Rs.150 from us. There are local buses from Hospet to Hampi that you can get from the Hospet bus stand.

The nearest airport to Hampi is the Bengaluru airport.

Why should you visit Hampi?

If heritage and history is your thing, if you get intrigued by the stories of the past, then Hampi is a place that you must visit. Each stone in Hampi tells a story, be it stories about the Vijaynagar kingdom or the mythological stories that are so good to listen.

If you like the architecture of the past, visit Hampi. The Virupaksha Temple and the Vittala Temple are the finest examples of architectures. You will simply get awed by the intricate designs and craftsmanship of these structures.

If you like adventure, then you must visit Hampi. You will get wonderful opportunity to do bouldering. The coracle ride at the Tungabhadra river is also a beauty.

If you love nature, visit Hampi. A small temple town beside the Tungabhadra river dotted with numerous boulders seems a playground for nature’s architecture.

Simply visit Hampi. Unless you visit the place, you will definitely not know why you should visit Hampi.

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