How did the name Hampi (another name for Vijayanagara) come into use? When and who discovered its ruins?
Hampi was another name for Vijayanagara. This name was derived from the local mother goddess named Pampadevi. The ruins of Hampi were discovered in 1800 by Colonel Colin Mackenzie, an engineer and antiquarian. In fact, Colin Mackenzie was an employee of the East India Company of England.