King's Balance

King's Balance, also known as Tula Bhara, is a historic stone weighing scale located just outside the Vittala Temple complex in Hampi, Karnataka. Built during the Vijayanagara Empire, it consists of two tall granite pillars supporting a stone beam with hooks for weighing. Kings were weighed against gold, gems and grains during the Tulapurushadana ceremony, with the wealth distributed to priests and the poor. It is a notable example of Vijayanagara architecture within the Hampi World Heritage Site.

Visitors can expect an open-air stone structure comprising two carved granite pillars about 5 meters high supporting a horizontal stone beam with three hooks. The balance stands on a raised platform in a relatively open area near the Vittala Temple eastern entrance and the Tungabhadra River. The site is uncrowded and allows close viewing and photography of the pillars, beam and carvings. It is typically visited as a short stop during the Vittala Temple circuit with surrounding boulder-strewn landscape and temple ruins.

Built during the Vijayanagara Empire (14th-16th century), the King's Balance was used for the Tulapurushadana ritual in which the king was weighed against gold, silver, gems, and grains, which were then distributed to temple priests and the poor. It reflects the empire's royal charity traditions and architectural skill in granite construction and is part of the Group of Monuments at Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Represents the Vijayanagara royal tradition of dana (charitable giving) and the Tulapurushadana ceremony, symbolizing kingship, prosperity and religious devotion. It remains a cultural landmark illustrating medieval South Indian court rituals and temple-centered social practices.