The immense Pampapati temple is the ancient and most holy temple in Hampi. Parts of it are older than the founding of the city and kingdom of Vijayanagar, Hampi's old name.

The temple's first gate is adorned by a supercilious pyramidal tower entirely covered with hundreds of sculptures and carvings of men, women, hunting scenes, and many other representations, all retreating in size as the tower narrows toward the top. Around all these statues play hundreds of monkeys.

Passing that first gate is the great courtyard with another similar gate, only smaller, at the other end. That second gate opens into another large court with verandahs all around on pillars of stone; a hallowed elephant is cared for in a corner and in the center of this court is the house of the Bhuvanesvari shrine.

The shrine is lit by hundreds of oil lamps and candles housed in small holes in the wall. Images of different small idols are everywhere, the main one being a round stone lingam, the object of much worship. There is a larger lingam nearby in the ruined Shiva shrine between the Narasimha statue and the main Krishna temple.

Pampapathi Temple attracts hundreds of devotes every year who offer their prayers religiously and with utmost devotion.

Southindiatourtravel.com provides information about Pampapathi Temple Hampi and different temples around Karnataka.