King’s Balance at Hampi, Karnataka

King’s balance at Hampi is about 5 meter tall. On special occasions like solar or lunar eclipses, the King would arrive and be seated on the scale of a balance hung from the pillar of the square arch by three loops. On the other scale would be placed special articles to balance the emperor's weight. These articles would be distributed among the deserving. This ritual was known as tulapurusha daanam.

Portraits of the emperor and his two spouses are sculpted on the pillar from where the balance is hung. Experts assume these portraits are of Krishnadevaraya, the great Emperor of Vijayanagara and his two queens.

Hampi was once the seat of the Vijayanagara Kingdom. It is situated on the southern banks of Tungabhadra River at Hospet village in Belleri district, Karnataka state.