Archaeology of Hampi - Vijayanagara

Contents: Foreword. 1. Prehistory of Hampi - Vijayanagara. 2. Pre-medieval finds from Hampi. 3. Pampa Sarassu, Kiskindha and Hampi. 4. Pampa Sarassu and Hampi. 5. Hampe - Vijayanagara, names through history. 6. A Brahmi inscription from Hampi. 7. The first inscription of the Chalukya Vikrama Era from Hampi. 8. Hampi before founding of Vijayanagara. 9. Pre-Vijayanagara Hampe : a religious and educational centre. 10. A unique Linga of Hampi. 11. A unique three-sided Linga from the Uddana-Virabhadraswami Temple, Hampi. 12. A unique sculpture of Virupaksha from Hampi. 13. Linga superimposed by another Linga at Hampi. 14. Conception of Aghoresvaramurti at Ikkeri -- a Subordinate Kingdom of Vijayanagara Empire. 15. Relief sculptures of Virasaiva Saints at Bukkasagara. 16. Boundary stones - a short study with special reference to those available in the Hampi Museum. 17. Boundary stones: a study. 18. Inscriptions of Vitthala Temple at Hampi. 19. A note on the term 'Kritartha' of Kannada Inscriptions of Hampi. 20. Significance of 'Ajati Virasaiva' of Telugu inscriptions of Vijayanagara Period. 21. Tirumaladevi Pattana -- present Hospet Near Hampi. 22. The metropolis of the Vijayanagara Empire. 23. Virasaiva Mathas of Vijayanagara Period at Hampi. 24. Mallikarjuna Worship at Hampi. 25. Note on renaming of Cheluvindla Village during the Vijayanagara Period. 26. Note on the place - name Barakuru of the Vijayanagara Period. 27. Irrigation in ancient India and guided enormous activities during Vijayanagara Period. 28. Irrigation systems under Vijayanagara Empire. 29. Irrigation systems under Vijayanagara empire with special reference to Anicuts across the River Tungabhadra. 30. Ancient Anicuts on the River Tungabhadra. 31. Some terms related to irrigation systems, as found in the inscriptions of the Vijayayagara Period. 32. Well and spring-well irrigation during Vijayanagara Period. 33. Maintenance of irrigation works during Vijayanagara Period. 34. Ideological Underpinnigs and development of irrigation in Vijayanagara. 35. Reasons for increased irrigation works during Vijayanagara Period. 36. Pleasures of the court of Vijayanagara -- hunting. 37. Pleasure gardens and water sports at Vijayanagara as seen in contemporary Kannda Literature. 38. Vijayanagara Royal Weddings. 39. A Royal Museum during 14 century, at Vijayanagara. 40. Vijayanagara Paintings at the Virupaksha Temple, Hampi. 41. Literature under Devaraya II of Vijayanagara (AD. 1424-1446).

This volume consists of forty-one research papers penned by Shri C.T.M. Kotraiah, Archaeologist, while he was in the service of that august organization, The Archaeological Survey of India and even after retirement, in the year 1985. All of them are based on his thorough and thoughtful investigations into the archaeological remains spread in that vast but rich site of Hampi - Vijayanagara. All of them were got published by him from time to time in different journals, periodicals, books felicitation volumes etc. And they are reproduced here in one volume thereby making them easily accessible to the interested scholars. Particularly, the articles pertaining to sculptures are unique one since they are explained authentically quoting from the contemporary Kannada literary works which otherwise are not manageable to the non-Kannada scholars. Further much talked of the glorious achievements of the Vijayanagara empire was mainly due to economic prosperity which in turn depended on agricultural prosperity supported by intensive and extensive irrigation systems adopted and practiced during the period. And the same is dealt in nine papers, but authentically as usual. Another one is the conjectural picture of a museum patronized by the royal house specially." (jacket)