Ch 7An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara — Class 12 History, concept-first.

The story of Hampi begins not with its glory, but with its rediscovery. For centuries after the fall of the Vijayanagara empire, its capital lay in ruins, buried under vegetation and the dust of time.…

According to tradition and epigraphic evidence, the Vijayanagara Empire was founded in 1336 by two brothers, Harihara and Bukka.

The prosperity of Vijayanagara rested heavily on trade, and the most critical item in that trade was the horse.

The empire reached its peak under Krishnadeva Raya of the Tuluva dynasty, but the seeds of its decline were present in the very structure of its polity.

The empire was not run by the king alone. A great deal of power was held by military chiefs who controlled forts and commanded armed supporters.

The most striking feature of Vijayanagara’s location is the natural basin formed by the river Tungabhadra, which flows in a north-easterly direction.

The most striking feature about the location of Vijayanagara is the natural basin formed by the Tungabhadra River, which flows in a north-easterly direction.

The entire city of Vijayanagara was defined by its fortifications — not just walls around a palace, but a layered system that enclosed fields, forests, and hills.

The urban core of Vijayanagara was the heart of the city, but what we know about it comes mostly from indirect evidence.

The royal centre of Vijayanagara was not a single palace complex but a sprawling zone in the south-western part of the city.

The mahanavami dibba is one of the most distinctive structures in the royal centre of Vijayanagara. It is a massive platform, located on one of the highest points in the city.

The Lotus Mahal is one of the most beautiful buildings in the royal centre. The name was given by British travellers in the nineteenth century, and it is certainly romantic.

The northern end of Vijayanagara, a rocky area along the Tungabhadra river, was chosen as the sacred centre of the city.

The choice of Vijayanagara as a capital was not accidental. The site was already rich in sacred and political meaning long before the city was built, and the rulers deliberately connected themselves t…

The most visible change in temple architecture during the Vijayanagara period was the sheer scale of new structures. These were not just religious buildings; they were statements of imperial power.

The first step in studying Vijayanagara was not simply reading old texts — it was a massive, painstaking physical survey of the site itself.

The buildings that survive from Vijayanagara tell us a great deal about how spaces were organised and used, how they were built, and with what materials and techniques.

Questions from official CBSE sample papers.