NCERT Class 12 History — Chapter 3: An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara (c. 14th - 16th centuries)

mcqeasy

According to local traditions associated with Hampi, the mother goddess Pampadevi is believed to have performed penance in the surrounding hills to marry which deity?

Official previous-year question

Verified 1 Aug 2026.

Options

AVenkateshwara
BRanganatha
CVirupaksha
DVitthala

Did you get this right?

Solution

Correct Option

The correct option is Virupaksha.

Explanation

The location of the Vijayanagara capital, Hampi, was chosen partly due to its sacred geography. The site is traditionally associated with the local mother goddess, Pampadevi, and the guardian deity of the kingdom, Lord Virupaksha.

Detailed Analysis

The Tradition of Penance: According to local tradition, the goddess Pampadevi performed severe penance in the hills of Hampi to marry Virupaksha.
Identity of the Deities: Virupaksha is a form of Lord Shiva and was regarded as the guardian deity of the Vijayanagara Empire. Pampadevi is identified with the river Tungabhadra (Pampa).
Cultural Significance: This tradition symbolizes the integration of local folk beliefs (Pampadevi) with the greater Brahmanical or Puranic tradition (Virupaksha/Shiva). The annual marriage of these deities is still celebrated in the Virupaksha temple.
Royal Patronage: The Vijayanagara kings claimed to rule on behalf of Lord Virupaksha, often using the signature "Sri Virupaksha" in the Kannada script on their royal orders.

Key Takeaway: The sacred landscape of Hampi is defined by the mythological marriage between the local goddess Pampadevi and the kingdom's guardian deity, Virupaksha (Shiva).

Your note

More from Chapter 3: An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara (c. 14th - 16th centuries)

Consider the following statements regarding the titles used in popular traditions of Vijayanagara: 1. The Deccan Sultans were termed as ashvapati. 2. The Gajapati rulers of Orissa were termed as narapati. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

medium

Which of the following pairs of travellers and their countries of origin is/are correctly matched? 1. Nicolo de Conti : Italy 2. Abdur Razzaq : Persia 3. Afanasii Nikitin : Portugal 4. Fernao Nuniz : Russia Select the correct answer using the code given below:

easy

Which one of the following waterworks drew water from a dam across the Tungabhadra and irrigated the cultivated valley separating the "sacred centre" from the "urban core"?

medium

The battle of Rakshasi-Tangadi (1565), which led to the sacking of the city of Vijayanagara, was fought between the Vijayanagara army led by Rama Raya and the combined armies of:

easy

With reference to the discovery and reconstruction of the history of Hampi, consider the following statements: 1. The initial information received by Mackenzie was based exclusively on the written records preserved in the Virupaksha temple. 2. The ruins at Hampi were first brought to light in 1800 by Colonel Colin Mackenzie. 3. Epigraphists began collecting inscriptions at Hampi only after 1947. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

medium

Keep practising Chapter 3: An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara (c. 14th - 16th centuries)

Work through every question from this NCERT chapter.

Browse all NCERT Class 12 History chapters

Correct Option

The correct option is Virupaksha.

Explanation

Detailed Analysis

The Tradition of Penance: According to local tradition, the goddess Pampadevi performed severe penance in the hills of Hampi to marry Virupaksha.
Identity of the Deities: Virupaksha is a form of Lord Shiva and was regarded as the guardian deity of the Vijayanagara Empire. Pampadevi is identified with the river Tungabhadra (Pampa).
Cultural Significance: This tradition symbolizes the integration of local folk beliefs (Pampadevi) with the greater Brahmanical or Puranic tradition (Virupaksha/Shiva). The annual marriage of these deities is still celebrated in the Virupaksha temple.
Royal Patronage: The Vijayanagara kings claimed to rule on behalf of Lord Virupaksha, often using the signature "Sri Virupaksha" in the Kannada script on their royal orders.

Key Takeaway: The sacred landscape of Hampi is defined by the mythological marriage between the local goddess Pampadevi and the kingdom's guardian deity, Virupaksha (Shiva).