HUBBALLI: AI images depicting the glorious past of Hampi and the Vijayanagara Kingdom have become an instant hit among heritage buffs. The images were widely shared by officials from the Union Ministry of Culture a few days before the G20 meet was held in Hampi.
Since then, the images have been receiving overwhelming responses from heritage buffs and netizens. They depict the erstwhile Hampi market with people moving around and making purchases. Horses, elephants and other animals are also seen in the market. In one of the images, a member of the royal family is seen showcasing jewellery. “The images are attractive and give a glimpse of the grandeur of the erstwhile Vijayanagara Kingdom, where even jewels were sold in the market,” said Nagaraj K, a senior tourist guide at Hampi.
Nagaraj, who was among the guides selected to assist G20 delegates, said Hampi is the most photographed tourist site in Karnataka. A large number of tourists can be seen photographing monuments, temples and other heritage sites at Hampi on a daily basis.
Now, pre-wedding shoots are becoming popular at Hampi. Permission from local authorities is needed for photo or film shoots. However, there are no restrictions on cell phone photography at Hampi, he said. Shivashankar Banagar, a well-known photographer from Hampi, said AI images are attractive. But they do not do justice to the architectural splendour of Hampi. The images resemble the temples located in north India. However, they should have a local flavour, he added.