Within a short ferry ride from Talawaraghatta (Near Hampi) across the Tungabhadra river, one lands in a not very well known town of  Anegundi which is considered as the twin of Hampi because of its mythological and historical significance.  One can also reach this place directly from Hospet by road. the journey by road takes about 1 hour via the small town of Kampli.

Mythologically, the area surrounding the Anegundi is believed to be the monkey kingdom of Kishkinda from the epic of Ramayana.  It was on the hill of Anjanadri near Anegundi that the Hindu god Hanuman took birth. On a clear day, it is said that the whole of the ruins of Hampi, including the Virupaksha temple and the Vijaya Vittala temple  can be seen from the boulders behind the Hanuman temple.

Seen in the background is the hill of  Anjanadri-The birthplace of lord Hanuman

The Hanuman temple on Anjanadri hill 

The view of the paddy fields surrounding the Anjanadri hills. Also seen is the flight of well-laid steps to the hill, painted in bright orange.

A sole tree on the boulders behind the hanuman temple on Anjanadri hill

The view of Tungabhadra river from the top of Anjanadri. On a clear day, one gets a clear view  of the ruins of Hampi.

The view of kingdom of Kishkinda from the hill

The Pampa Sarovara located at the foothill of Anjanadri is considered to be the place where Shabari met lord Rama who was in search of his wife Sita. It is considered as one of the 5 sacred lakes/sarovars in Hindu mythology. Anegundi also had evidence of rock art and paintings from the prehistoric age.

Pampa Sarovara

Another interesting place to visit is the Nava  Brindavana  located on a small island on the Tungabhadra river and can be accessed by a short ferry ride across the river.  The Nava Brindavana houses the tombs of the 9 Hindu Madhwa saints .

Nava Brindavana

The coracles to ferry tourists from Anegundi to Nava Brindavana

Anegundi is also considered to be the cradle to the Vijayanagara Empire. This is where the Vijayanagara Kings  kept their Elephants and hence the name Anegundi (Ane-Elephant, Gundi- Pit).

The Ranganathan Swamy temple at Anegundi. The temple has a few remains of some of the beautifully carved pillars.

Pavan Mahal at Anegundi

The ruins of an ancient bridge near Anegundi

Next time you visit Hampi, please do not forget to take a ferry across the Tungabhadra river to witness the splendour of this beautiful area. If well planned, one day must be sufficient to cover all the important places surrounding  Anegundi. The view of Sunrise and sunset is considered best from the top of Anjanadri hill-  So, plan your schedule accordingly.

There are many more interesting sites and UNESCO heritage sites at a short driving distance from Hampi. read about Badami, Aihole, and Pattadakal which are as amazing as Hampi and Anegundi.