A curious rock formation greets you as you travel towards the Royal Enclosure area, known as the 'Akka Thangi Gudda' which translates to 'Elder sister - Younger sister rock. The huge boulders seem to be leaning against each other. Akka Tangi Gudda or Akka Thangi Gudda is a build up of two mamoth rocks. It is located at Kaddirampura, just near the main road that leads from Hampi to Kamlapur. It is a natural arrangement of rocks that have been standing at the site from ancient ages.
The rock formation is considered to be an important landmark of Hampi and is a famous sight on the way to the ancient town. It attracts a large number of tourists who love to get photographed near the massive stones and the archway it creates.
It is said that every stone in Hampi carries a story within itself. Akka Tangi Gudda adds weight to this belief. There are several stories associated with Akka Tangi Gudda
Legend:
According to one of the most popular legends regarding the rock formation, the two similar looking boulders that form Akka Tangi Gudda were actually two sisters.
These two sisters once visited Hampi when the town was at the peak of its glory. They became jealous on seeing the beautiful town and said something bad about it.
The deity of the city came to know about the sisters insulting the town. The deity was in fury and in her fit of anger the Goddess cursed the two sisters and turned them into stones.
Since then, the two sisters have been standing as two boulders on the road of Hampi. The Akka Tangi Gudda is also known as the ‘Jealous Sisters’ of Hampi.
In the recent past one of the boulders developed a fissure and partly collapsed. It's attributed to the increased vehicular traffic that passes by these twin boulders.
Present Condition of the boulders