Historical

Nalnad palace, built by Dodda Viraraja in 1792, once belonged to the Hindu king Langaraja, promises the tourists a valued visit and enthralls everybody with its eye-catching paintings and marvelous architecture.

Used as a hunting lodge, it is not a palace in the usual meaning. It is a double storied structure used by the Kodava kings. The palace has intricate wood carvings all around the structure. Nalnad Palace is situated at the bottom of the highest peak Thadiyandamol. Decorated with ancient paintings and historical architecture, Nalnad Palace attracts many to its fold.

The old Anand Bhavan, which in 1930 was donated by Motilal Nehru, a freedom fighter and father of Jawaharlal Nehru, is renamed by Motilal Nehru as Swaraj Bhawan. This building served as the headquarters of the Congress Committee. Now, the premise conducts classes to teach arts and crafts to children.

A light and sound programme is also organized here. There will be four shows every day.

This gigantic Ashoka pillar is made of polished sandstone and stands at a height of 10.6 meters. The pillar was originally erected by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka in 3rd century BC but was later moved to the Allahabad fort by the Mughal emperor Jahangir.The Pillar had a Persian inscription of Emperor Jahangir inscribed on it to commemorate his accession to the throne.

Standing tall inside the Allahabad Fort, built by Akbar, is the polished sandstone Ashoka Pillar. This 10.6 m high pillar dates back to 232 BC. This pillar has several edicts. It was earthed by the order of the great Mauryan king Ashoka.

Anand Bhavan is, in fact, a large mansion established by prominent Indian political leader Motilal Nehru in the nineteenth century. It served as the ancestral home of the Nehru–Gandhi family (late prime ministers of India, Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi were born there). The premise stands as a mute testimony to the Indian freedom struggle.

The main building of Anand Bhavan has been converted into a museum displaying the memorabilia of the Nehru–Gandhi family. Nehru’s bedroom and study as well as rooms dedicated to Indira Gandhi and Mahatma Gandhi are on display.

Allahabad Fort: Built by Emperor Akbar in 1583 A.D., the fort stands on the banks of the Yamuna near the confluence site. In its prime, the fort was unrivaled for its design, construction and craftsmanship. Most of the fort is under military control and public access is prohibited to many parts. The fort is best appreciated by taking a boat ride around it.

The Fort is situated on the northern banks of the Yamuna, near to Triveni, the confluence. This majestic fort has three magnificent galleries flanked by high towers. This fort was built by the great Moghul king Akbar in 1583. One can achieve the best view from the river side.

Outside there is a sculpture of Nandi, the mount of Lord Shiva, and the hillock where the palace stood connected to the temple by a passage. The 800 years old statues flaunt hairstyles that can be seen even today.

All but one of the bracket figures have vanished into oblivion. On the walls, the infant Krishna frolics, battles rage, Shiva and Parvati embrace, the demon king Ravana lifts mount Kailash and Shiva dances.

Hampi region is divided into two parts about 3 kilometers apart - the Sacred Center and the Royal Center. Scared Center encloses religious sites while the Royal Center encloses the royal buildings.

The Royal Center area of Hampi is totally different from other regions, as there many curved boulders littering, most have been used to create amazing propagation of brilliantly executed walls of stone. Royal Enclosures attract the tourists with its stone-walled enclosures.

The street facing the Virupaksha temple is Hampi bazaar, or Virupaksha Bazaar. It consists of rows of shops showcasing numerous products which one can pick up.

Both sides of the street have a series of very old pavilions, some single storied and others two storied. These buildings were once the part of a booming market and house of the upper class.

This bazaar is well-known for jewels prepared by the Lambani nomads and also for embroidered textiles. Shopping here is interesting - one can purchase shawls, skirts and bags among other things. One could also get antique coins as mementos and other artifacts.

Nandi, the monolithic bull, is one of the grandiose wonders in Hampi. This bull is locally known as Yeduru Basavanna, the ride of Lord Shiva. At the east end of Hampi bazaar, this bull is placed like a guard.

The sculpture is placed in a two storied pavilion constructed on a high platform. It is placed in the background of a heap of mammoth boulders.

A very imposing and huge structure, Mahanavami Dibba is where the kings of the Vijayanagara Empire ruled the kingdom with the gem studded golden throne and observed the religious and royal processions passing by.

The structure is embroidered with thickly carved bands of soldiers, horses and figures of a variety of aspects of courtly life. The tallest structure in the area, this resembles an elevated platform from far off distance. The king Krishnadevaraya built this structure to commemorate the victory over Udaygiri.