Thumri is a romantic vocal style from northern India, sung in dialects such as Awadhi, Bhojpuri and Braj. Its name comes from thumak, a swaying walk that makes ankle-bells jingle, and the songs often describe love, separation and devotion to Krishna. Unlike the strict structure of classical khayal singing, thumri lets a singer bend a raga's notes to stress the emotional meaning of each word. It flourished in the 19th-century court of Wajid Ali Shah in Lucknow, where it was sung by tawaifs and performed alongside Kathak dance. Today it often closes classical concerts.

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.