The present volume is a collection of research papers, penned by Shri.C.TM Kotraiah, formerly of the Archaeological Survey of India, during his service in that august organization, and also after retirement from time to time. They have been published in various journals, books, felicitation volumes, etc, as indicated at the end of each paper. Most of them are based on the field survey of the vast site of Hampi Vijayanagara once a fabled city. It is needless to say that he was almost the first field archaeologist to take up that kind of survey and study barring A.H Longhurst in 1917, of the last century, during the British reign. He had to undertake a similar study for a different purpose like writing a guidebook on the then surviving but widely scattered monuments etc., at that site. Subsequently the staff of the Department of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Karnataka under their enthusiastic project "Resurrection of Hampi" started in 1979 and also the "Vijayanagara Research Project of the United States of America, headed by Dr. John. M. Fritz of New York and Dr. George Michell of London, assisted by teams of scholars and archaeologists, have since 1981. put forth their best through patience and intense research in the study of that abundantly rich but reputed site, quite exhaustively, systematically, scientifically, and thoroughly to the minutest details Most importantly, all their observations and findings have been thoroughly documented and published quite systematically and they are made available to the archaeologists, historians and other scholars, quite invaluable contributions indeed.
The title for this volume is given as "Archaeology of Hampi - Vijayanagara" since for research scholars, archaeologists, tourists, etc., both names go together and are synonymous. While Hampi proper has its history at least from the 6 century but only as a sacred and pilgrims center. But during the 14 century, circumstances made it to accommodate a seat for the new political authority night in its neighborhood which came to be founded for the first time and named Vijayanagara. With political success, economic progress, and prosperity, Vijayanagara expanded encircling several suburbs/ extensions. Yet it was not with Hampi proper as the presiding deity of the place, Virupaksha came to be declared as the god of the Vijayanagara rulers who not only revered whole-heartedly but also patronized it liberally. Hence some of the important monuments and other contributions of those rulers are to be seen at Hampi even now. Remains of the Vijayanagara period though spread over a vast area are seen right from Hampi and continuously throughout the extent of that once metropolitan city which is an important factor for selecting the title for this volume, as above.
The present papers are covering varied subjects and topics and offer interesting and useful. study. On that account, the services of the present author were enlisted by the above American organization to work jointly with them which has led to the publication of research articles and a monograph by it
