Hemakuta Hill Temple Complex

Hemakuta Hill, beside Virupaksha Temple in Hampi, is crowded with small temples, shrines and gateways from the 9th to the 14th century, older than the Vijayanagara Empire itself. Most of them are dedicated to Shiva, and the hill is a place of pilgrimage as well as a monument. Traces of an old stone wall still run around it.

The name joins the Sanskrit 'hema', gold, and 'kuta', peak. In legend this is where Shiva's marriage to the goddess Pampa was agreed, and gold rained down on the hill when it happened. A climb of about 15 minutes leads to a small flat top with wide views across the ruins, and the slopes are popular for short walks, photography and watching the night sky.