WATER CHANNELS

The Palace area is dotted with innumerable water tanks of various sizes. In fact, the whole of Hampi ruins has very many water tanks. All these tanks were supplied with water by a well-planned water supply system.

Water from the Kamalapura tank feeds the main stone aqueduct running east to West in the royal enclosure. First it feeds the large public tank and then the stepped tank. Later the main stone aqueduct branches off to North and West, which in turn feed nineteen other small and big tanks all over the royal enclosure. At the point of branching off of the main stone aqueduct, a well was dug to enable water supply in case the water supply from Kamalapura tank ceased. The drain and waste water from the royal enclosure was taken out through underground stone slab-lime concrete drainage channels either directly or through a huge drain found on the southern side adjoining the walled garden.

The major irrigation works of the Vijayanagara rulers include Raya Canal, Basavanna Canal, Turthu Canal and the huge tank at Kamalapura. These irrigation works are still in use.