Mandrake roots, from the nightshade Mandragora officinalis, have forked taproots that look like a human body, so medieval herbals often drew them as bearded men or women. The plant contains tropane alkaloids that blur vision, speed the heart and cause delirium at higher doses, which made it both a painkiller and a feared poison. Legend said its root gave a deadly shriek when pulled, so harvesters tied a rope to it and to a dog, letting the animal take the risk. Mandrakes were also used as charms for fertility and luck.

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.