Hampi Utsav Postponed and will be held in February next Year

In light of the prevailing drought situation in the state, the Karnataka government has opted to postpone the internationally acclaimed Hampi Utsav to early next year.

The event is likely to be held in January or February 2024. The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The meeting recognized that numerous taluks across various districts, including Vijayanagar and Ballari, are grappling with drought, rendering it difficult to hold the Utsav now.

About Hampi Utsav

The ruins of Hampi, a UNESCO world heritage site in central Karnataka, come alive with music and sounds of dance when the State Government holds the Hampi Utsav to recreate the grandeur of the erstwhile Vijayanagara Empire. 

• At the backdrop of River Tungabhadra, the illuminated ruins of Hampi stand tall, igniting a billion sparks during the Hampi Utsav. Hampi Utsav is an ode to the legacy of the Vijayanagara Empire showcasing the rich heritage and culture of the region.
• It is believed that the Utsava has been celebrated since the time of the Vijayanagara Empire and hence might be one of the oldest celebrations/festivals in India. 
• Today, the Hampi Utsava also called Vijaya Utsava is celebrated over a week that captures the pomp, splendour, and glory of the Vijayanagara Empire. 
• The festival includes lighting up the prominent monuments in Hampi, Jumbo Savari (elephant procession), and performances by some of India’s most celebrated singers, dancers, and performers, water sports, food courts, photography competitions, Rangoli/ Mehndi competitions, etc. 

Group of Monuments of Hampi

The austere and grandiose site of Hampi comprises mainly the remnants of the Capital City of Vijayanagara Empire (14th-16th Cent CE), the last great Hindu Kingdom. It is located in the Tungabhadra basin in Central Karnataka, Bellary District.

• Hampi’s spectacular setting is dominated by river Tungabhadra, craggy hill ranges and open plains, with widespread physical remains. The sophistication of the varied urban, royal and sacred systems is evident from the more than 1600 surviving remains that include forts, riverside features, royal and sacred complexes, temples, shrines, pillared halls, Mandapas, memorial structures, gateways, defence check posts, stables, water structures, etc.
• Among these, the Krishna temple complex, Narasimha, Ganesa, Hemakuta group of temples, Achyutaraya temple complex, Vitthala temple complex, Pattabhirama temple complex, Lotus Mahal complex, can be highlighted.
• Suburban townships (puras) surrounded the large Dravidian temple complexes containing subsidiary shrines, bazaars, residential areas and tanks applying the unique hydraulic technologies and skilfully and harmoniously integrating the town and defence architecture with surrounding landscape. 
• The remains unearthed in the site delineate both the extent of the economic prosperity and political status that once existed indicating a highly developed society.
• Dravidian architecture flourished under the Vijayanagara Empire and its ultimate form is characterised by their massive dimensions, cloistered enclosures, and lofty towers over the entrances encased by decorated pillars.
• The Vitthla temple is the most exquisitely ornate structure on the site and represents the culmination of Vijayanagara temple architecture. It is a fully developed temple with associated buildings like Kalyana Mandapa and Utsava Mandapa within a cloistered enclosure pierced with three entrance Gopurams.