these days Hampi is a tiny village in the state of Karnataka but in ancient times it was the seat of the great Vijayanagara Empire. the numerous ruins from the 1300-1400s spread out over kilometers make the village a popular site of historic tourism. each year the village hosts a 3 day cultural festival, Vijaya Utsava, celebrating the area's unique heritage. we happened to be visiting Hampi just before the festival as a myriad of preparations were being installed and erected. since this is a shadow contest i won't bore you with the amazing array of ruins dotting the hillsides at sunset or the incredibly ornate carved details of the various temples and royal buildings, nor review the ancient history and the decline of the empire. i won't even waste your time describing daily life along the meandering Tungabhadra river and the empire's astoundingly sophisticated irrigation systems still supporting the rich agriculture today in otherwise dry rocky terrain. no for that you must go in person and take the time and effort to experience it all for yourself. if you are thinking about attending the festival just be prepared for a massive crowd in a tiny village.
what i will show you is the shadow of the overhead sunscreen along the road leading past the gigantic stone chariot to the Virupaksha Temple built in the 700s and still very much in use today.
