Monument

King's Balance

A 5 m stone balance near the Vittala Temple where kings were weighed against gold given away as charity.

Open

6:00 am – 6:00 pm

Entry

Free entry

Best time to go

Morning

Time to spend here

About 35 minutes

Crowds

Usually quiet

A two-minute walk south-west of the Vittala Temple; easy to pair with a Vittala visit.

Before you go

17 min walk in

Or the battery buggy from the gate

Toilets 190 m away

Straight-line distance

Drinking water 170 m away

Straight-line distance

Listen to the story

About this place

Near the Vittala Temple, at the end of Kampa Bhupa's Path, stands the King's Balance — Tula Bharam or Tula Purushadana — two carved granite pillars about 5 metres tall bridged by a heavy stone beam with three loops on its underside. On auspicious days such as solar and lunar eclipses, coronations and new-year, the Vijayanagara king was weighed here against gold, gems and precious stones, which were then distributed to Brahmins and temples. One pillar carries a relief believed to depict Krishnadevaraya with his two queens. The scale pans are long gone, but the arch-like frame survives almost complete.

How to get there

Parking: Vittala visitor parking
1.3 km walk · about 17 min
Battery buggy runs too

Drive or take an auto to Vittala visitor parking
This is as far as a private vehicle can go.
Directions to the parking
Walk 1.3 km to King's Balance, or take the buggy
About 17 min on foot, along the path on the map. Battery buggies also run from the parking; fares, queues and times can change.
Walking route from the parking
Arrive at King's Balance