Hampi was the capital of the Hindu Vijayanagara empire in the 14 century. After two centuries it was defeated by an Moghul army, left in ruins and abandoned. Hampi was a prosperous wealthy city and is estimated the be the world second largest city in 1500 after Beijing. Nowadays its an extraordinary site of partly ruined beautiful Dravidian temples and palaces.

More than 1600 surviving structures can be found there. And I looked at it trying to imagine the city before the destruction when it was still a thriving Hindu centre. And then to make my painting more lively and happy I drew an enlightened figure in its centre.