Sri Virupaksha Temple, Hampi
Hampi Bazaar, Hampi, Vijayanagara district (formerly Ballari) · Lord Shiva as Virupaksha (Pampapati), with his consort Goddess Pampa (Parvati) and Bhuvaneshwari
The one temple of Vijayanagara that never stopped worshipping, under a 50 m gopuram on the Tungabhadra.
Virupaksha is the living heart of Hampi. Shiva has been worshipped here as Virupaksha (Pampapati, lord of the river-goddess Pampa) without a break since at least the 7th century, through the rise of Vijayanagara, the sack of the city in 1565 and the centuries of ruin that followed. Its nine-storey, roughly 50 m eastern gopuram closes the 750 m Hampi Bazaar street. Inside are the Vijayanagara-era Ranga Mandapa with painted ceilings, the shrines of Pampa Devi and Bhuvaneshwari, and a famous inverted pinhole image of the gopuram.
Timings
- Morning: approx. 6:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Evening: approx. 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
- Alternative published hours: Incredible India lists 6:00 AM – 12:00 PM and 4:30 PM – 9:00 PM. Hours vary by season and festival, so check locally.
- Rudrabhisheka slots: approx. 6:30 AM, 10:30 AM and 6:30 PM (third-party listing)
Darshan types and costs
- Dharma (free) darshan – Free
- Special (closer) darshan ticket – approx. ₹25 (check at counter)
- Camera / mobile photography fee – Check at gate (nominal)
Sevas and costs
- Rudrabhisheka – approx. ₹150 (third-party listing; confirm at counter) (Daily, approx. 6:30 AM, 10:30 AM and 6:30 PM)
- Panchamrutha Abhisheka – approx. ₹150 (third-party listing) (Morning abhisheka hours)
- Ksheerabhisheka – approx. ₹150 (third-party listing) (Morning abhisheka hours)
- Trikala Abhisheka – approx. ₹250 (third-party listing) (Morning, midday and evening)
- Mahanyasa Rudrabhisheka – approx. ₹250 (third-party listing) (Abhisheka hours)
- Laghu Rudrabhisheka – approx. ₹2,000 (third-party listing) (By arrangement)
- Vamsha Paaramparya Rudrabhisheka – approx. ₹2,500 (third-party listing) (By arrangement)
- Kalyanotsava (divine marriage) – Check official site (During the annual marriage festival (Mar/Apr) and on request on some dates)
How to book darshan
No booking is needed for darshan. Abhisheka and archana tickets are sold at the seva counter inside the temple on the day. There is no official online booking for Virupaksha sevas. Special rituals (Laghu Rudra, family sevas, Kalyanotsava) are arranged through the temple office. For Muzrai temple information use the Karnataka HRCE portal.
Karnataka Muzrai (HRCE) portal
Dress code
Modest traditional clothing is recommended. Men should wear dhoti/panche, kurta-pyjama or full trousers, and shirts may stay on. Women should wear a saree, half-saree or salwar/churidar with dupatta. Shoulders and knees should be covered. For sevas the counter expects traditional wear.
Best time to visit
October to February, when days are 25–30°C. March–May reaches 40°C. The monsoon (June–September) is green but hot and humid. The temple festivals (December Phalapuja and the Chaitra chariot festival) and Maha Shivaratri are the most atmospheric times, and Hampi Utsav is held by the state (February in 2026).
How to reach
- air: The nearest airport is Jindal Vijayanagar (VDY), Toranagallu, about 35–40 km away, with limited flights from Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Hubballi (HBX) is about 165 km and Bengaluru (BLR) about 350 km.
- rail: Hosapete Junction (HPT) is about 13 km. It has overnight trains from Bengaluru (the Hampi Express) and connections to Hyderabad, Goa and Hubballi. Auto-rickshaws and town buses run to Hampi Bazaar.
- road: Overnight KSRTC and private buses run from Bengaluru to Hosapete (about 6–7 hours). Frequent local buses run from Hosapete bus stand to Hampi. Inside Hampi, hire a bicycle, moped, battery car or auto-rickshaw to see the ruins.
Festivals
- Phalapuja (betrothal of Virupaksha and Pampa) – December (some temple sources place it in Magha month)
- Virupaksha Rathotsava (chariot festival) and Kalyanotsava – March/April (Chaitra, by the local calendar; some sources say February)
- Maha Shivaratri – Feb/Mar
- Hampi Utsav (Vijaya Utsava) – State festival. Held 13–15 February in 2026; earlier editions were in November
- Giri Pradakshina – Twice a year
- Monthly full-moon procession – Every Pournami
- Deepavali – Oct/Nov