By late 1965 the Beatles had grown tired of live performance, and John Lennon said their concerts had become tribal rites rather than music. In June 1966 they toured West Germany and Japan, facing threats in Tokyo and a demanding itinerary in the Philippines, where they were criticised for not visiting Imelda Marcos. Lennon's remark that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus caused protests in the American Bible Belt. A poor US tour in August proved to be their last. Back in England, rumours of a split spread, and George Harrison considered leaving before being persuaded to stay. During a three-month break, Harrison studied sitar with Ravi Shankar, and the members pursued solo projects that prepared them for the new studio era.

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.