India - Karnataka - Vidhana Soudha

Vidhana Soudha is the largest state legislative building in India and serves as the seat of the state legislature of Karnataka. It is one of the mot popular tourist attractions in Bangaluru city. It is constructed in Neo-Dravidian style and was completed in 1956. It measures 213.36 by 106.68 metres on the ground and is 53.34 metres tall.

Sent by Murali from Bengaluru, India.

Vidhana Soudha (also spelled Vidhāna Saudha, lit. "Legislative House") is the seat of the Karnataka Legislature in Bengaluru, India. Completed in 1956, it houses the bicameral legislature comprising the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and the Karnataka Legislative Council. Regarded as one of the most prominent examples of post-independence civic architecture in India, it stands as a landmark of Karnataka’s political identity, architectural ambition, and cultural heritage.

Designed in the neo-Dravidian style, Vidhana Soudha consciously rejected colonial architectural influences, incorporating elements from classical temple traditions of the Chalukya, Hoysala, and Vijayanagara dynasties. Conceived by Chief Minister Kengal Hanumanthaiah as a “Shilpa Kala Kavya” (sculptural epic in stone), its massive granite structure features a central dome, ceremonial staircases, carved pillars, and ornamental woodwork. Inscriptions like “Government Work is God’s Work” and motifs such as the Ashoka Chakra convey ideals of ethical governance and national unity.

Beyond its administrative function, Vidhana Soudha serves as a significant civic and cultural symbol. Its premises feature landscaped gardens and have hosted notable events, including the 1986 SAARC Summit. The building has also been featured in philatelic commemorations and has recently expanded its public engagement through permanent LED lighting installations and guided tours initiated in 2025. Its iconic design has inspired similar government buildings across Karnataka, such as the Vikasa Soudha and the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi, cementing its status as a powerful emblem of the state's governance and cultural pride (read more).

India - Karnataka - Manjirabad Fort

A star shaped fort was built by the ruler of Mysore, Tipu Sultan using French military architects in the Hassan district of Kanataka in 1792. The name jeshderives from the word Manjara which is a version of 'manju' meaning 'fog or mist' in Kannada (read further).

Sent by Rajesh from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.

India - Rickshaw in Hampi, Karnataka

A rickshaw in Hampi in Karnataka State, India.

Sent by Kamran, a postcrosser from India.

This is from Wikipedia : Hampi (Kannada: ಹಂಪೆ Hampe) is a village in northern Karnataka state, India. It is located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, it continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple, as well as several other monuments belonging to the old city.

As the village is at the original centre of Vijayanagara, it is sometimes confused with the ruined city itself. The ruins are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed as the Group of Monuments at Hampi.

The name is derived from Pampa, which is the old name of the Tungabhadra River on whose banks the city is built. The name "Hampi" is an anglicized version of the Kannada Hampe (derived from Pampa). Over the years, it has also been referred to as Vijayanagara and Virupakshapura (from Virupaksha, the patron deity of the Vijayanagara rulers).

Hampi is identified with the historical Kishkindha, the Vanara (monkey) kingdom mentioned in the Ramayana. The first historical settlements in Hampi date back to 1 CE.

Hampi formed one of the core areas of the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565, when it was finally laid siege to by the Deccan Muslim confederacy. Hampi was chosen because of its strategic location, bounded by the torrential Tungabhadra river on one side and surrounded by defensible hills on the other three sides.

The site is significant historically and architecturally. The topography abounds with large stones which have been used to make statues of Hindu deities. The Archaeological Survey of India continues to conduct excavations in the area, to discover additional artifacts and temples.