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Hemakuta Hill Temples

Famous temples · Karnataka

Hemakuta Hill Temples

Mostly Shiva temples on a hill in Hampi, older than the Vijayanagara Empire

Checked 19 Oct 2026 with 3 sources2 min read

DirectionsShare

Getting there

  • By air

    Jindal Vijaynagar Airport is the nearest airport to Hampi.

  • By train

    Hosapete Junction is the nearest railway station to Hampi.

  • By road

    Hampi has good road connectivity. Bangalore is about 340 km away, a drive of 6 to 7 hours by car or bus.

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Why devotees come here

On a hill in Hampi, the Hemakuta temples have the Virupaksha complex to the north and the Krishna temple to the south. Most of them are dedicated to Shiva, and they are older than the Vijayanagara Empire. Hindus revere the complex as a pilgrimage site, and its carvings and sculptures are detailed.

Legend says Shiva and Pampa's marriage was finalised on this hill, and devotees believe gold rained from the sky at that time. The monuments are decorated with detailed carvings and sculptures. Hindus revere the complex as a pilgrimage site.

The hill holds more than thirty small and moderate temples, along with water cisterns, gateways and pavilions. Two monolithic Ganesha, the Kadalekalu and Sasivekalu, are also on the hill. Hampi lies in Vijayanagara district, Karnataka. The monuments date from the 9th to 14th centuries, before the Vijayanagara Empire was established. Together they are preserved examples of pre-Vijayanagara and early Vijayanagara temple building.

One of these groups has an inscription. It records that Kampila built the monument in the early 14th century. The monuments are modestly sized.

Tips for your visit

  • Go at sunrise or sunset, when golden light falls on the temples and boulders.
  • Look for the Kadalekalu and Sasivekalu Ganesha monoliths, which are on this same hill.

Darshan at home

Not in the app yet

Hemakuta Hill Temples is not in the Divya Darshan 360 app yet. These Famous temples temples are, with darshan videos you can watch at home:

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Get the appAndroid

The app is free, Android only. For darshan as if you are standing there, see the VR box (₹899, or ₹949 cash on delivery).

Questions people ask

Why were these temples once thought to be Jain?

Early sources took two groups of them for Jain temples, because their outer and inner walls are plain. Both groups are Shiva temples with triple linga, so that early identification was wrong.

Can visitors with disabilities reach the temples?

Yes. Ramps and pathways let visitors with disabilities reach the main attractions and facilities in the complex.

How long is the climb to the top of the hill?

Expect a climb of about 15 minutes. After it, the hill flattens out into a small plateau.

What is the legend of the hill?

The story of Shiva and Pampa comes from mythology, so it is best read as belief rather than as recorded history. Devotees believe gold rained from the sky at the time of the marriage.

What can I see on the hill?

More than thirty small and moderate temples, with water cisterns, gateways and secular pavilions. Two monolithic Ganesha, the Kadalekalu and Sasivekalu, are also on the hill.

How we checked this page

On 19 Oct 2026 we checked every fact on this page against these sources, official ones first. Anything we could not confirm is left out.

  1. Hemakuta Hill Temple Complex, Incredible India (Government of India) incredibleindia.gov.in
  2. Hampi, Karnataka Tourism (Government of Karnataka) karnatakatourism.org
  3. Hampi, Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org

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