City of Ruins

I visited Hampi when I was around 12 or 13. Whenever someone asks what led me to architecture, my mind immediately returns to that trip, along with a handful of historic sites across Karnataka that I explored with my family. There is no place quite like Hampi: the heat, the stillness, the ruins scattered across the landscape, and the stories that seem to linger in every structure. You can know facts about Hampi before you go, but once you’re there, the place has a way of transporting you to the height of the Vijayanagara Empire.

And the architecture—exquisite in every sense. The region is carved out of granite, so it naturally became the primary building material. Granite is incredibly hard to shape, yet the intricacy of the carvings and moldings is remarkable. Even at that age, I remember being struck by the sheer amount of labor and craftsmanship behind every surface. Years later, I still think about that: the knowledge, the artistry, and the practices that once shaped entire civilizations, and how quietly they’re slipping away.