In the Ramayan, the place which stands testimony to the friendship of Lord Ram with the monkey king, Sugriv is Kishkinda. In present times, this is a popular destination Hampi, historically famous as the capital city of the Vijayanagar Empire. This vast landscape of hills and rocky boulders in Hampi is the place where Lord Ram met Sugriv and Hanuman in his quest of searching for Sita. There are many places which mark the important incidents of Ramayan in this legendary place. There are several inscriptions too which authenticate the fact that Hampi was previously Kishkinda.
A lake called Pampa Sarovar while reaching Hampi, has an ancient reference which can be traced back to the story of Goddess Parvati worshipping Lord Shiv on the banks of Pampa. The folklores here associate it with Mother Shabari’s ashram, where Lord Ram met her and got information about Sugriv’s whereabouts. Today, there is a temple located on the banks of the lake dedicated to Mother Shabari.
The Anjanadri Hill is said to be the birth place of Hanuman and a temple is dedicated to him on the hill. A little ahead from this place is a small village Venkatapur, wherein Hanuman first met Lord Ram and Lakshman in disguise seeking their identity. This place is also believed to be the place where Bali and Sugirv fought their battle and Lord Ram killed bali.
The Rishyamuk hill, where Sugriv was in hiding is located ahead of Pampa Sarovar. Sugriv was hiding here as Bali, his brother had thrown him out of the kingdom. Besides Rishyamuk hill is the Matang Hill. Bali never stepped on this hill, because of the curse given to him by Sage Matang, when he hurled the corpse of the demon Dundubhi onto the hill. The Sage was furious and cursed Bali that he would die if he stepped onto the Matang hill. Hence, Sugriv and his ministers were living in this area as they knew Vali would not come there.
Later, Lord Ram killed Bali and crowned Sugriv as the king of Kishkinda. There is a temple of Lord Ram called as Kodandaram temple where Sugriv was crowned king. A little away from the temple, there is a huge mound of ashes, believed to be the ashes of Bali. This place is called the Bali Kaashta.
Close to the Kodandaram temple, there is cave called Sugriv cave, where the ornaments of Sita were safeguarded by Sugriv. These ornaments were thrown by Sita for the vanaras to help Lord Ram in tracing her when she was being kidnapped by the demon Ravan. Though it looks very small from outside, it spreads into a huge cave inside.
There is the Malyavantha Raghunath Hill (formerly known as Prasravana Giri), where Lord Ram and Lakshman spent their time waiting for the rainy season to pass on, so that they can move forward in their quest to locate Sita. A temple on the top of the hill is present today dedicated to both the brothers.
Today, along with huge number of temples dedicated to Lord Ram, one can see innumerable monkeys around this vast area. They are spread all over Hampi in every nook and corner and the locals believe them to be the former vanaras and they are left free and unbothered to roam about in the sacred place which bear the footprints of Lord Ram.