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Vinit Jain

Hampi Chronicles


Preface


Ruins, remnants of the ancient civilizations. They are the imprints of the days gone by. Fingerprints from the past. Decoding these fingerprints unravels the mysteries of civilizations. It gives you a true picture of their architecture, their culture, their tradition, their magnificence, and their grandeur. It is hard to believe that these people could achieve so much through limited knowledge (that’s what we believe).


I was always in love with the ruins and their history. Call me an inquisitive soul but I am in awe of these ancient civilizations and their way of living. I always wanted to visit such places whenever possible and by whatever means. Pompeii, Herculaneum, Rome, Greece, Anatolia, Mohenjo-Daro, Harappa, remains of the Assyrian, Sumerian, Babylonian civilizations have always fascinated me. For now, it’s difficult to visit these places but they are surely on my list.


So to start with the quest of visiting old civilizations, I zeroed in on Hampi. Remains of the great Vijaynagara dynasty in our very own India. The dynasty spanned 4 centuries starting 13th century A.D. and gave us innumerable monuments and structures carved out of stone. I always wanted to visit this place. In fact, in 2013, everything was extensively planned right from ticket to hotel booking and the places to visit but it didn’t materialize. Close, but no cigar. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting”. This was my opportunity and no way I was going to miss it.

 

Planning


The planning started as soon as I heard the news that Hiren was arriving from Canada. I discussed with him the tentative dates we would be traveling. He would be here for a month and would be spending time with his family since he was coming home after 4 ½ years. It was difficult to get his dates, but after going through his appointments he gave me the dates we will be together. We decided to start our trip on 19th December 2015 and end it on 24th December as he needed time to pack his bags for his return journey to Toronto on 27th December 2015. I had to use all my convincing powers to persuade him to spend at least a week with us. He is a hard nut to crack and we were skeptical that he would budge from his stance but to my astonishment, he agreed. It was an easy job which we didn’t expect.


So, the dates were agreed upon. It would be 19th – 25th December 2015. I spoke to Sameer about the outing on the decided dates and also messaged others about the plan. Sameer readily agreed but the others disappointed me as usual. Nevertheless, we carried on with our plan. The onus of deciding the place was as always on me. It was the easiest job to decide as I had no other place on my mind other than Hampi. I informed both Sameer and Hiren about the place and they had no problems with it.


I got cracking with the reservations and I found out to my horror that all the trains to Hospet were running full for the entire week starting 19th of December. I checked for the 18th of December and fortunately found some seats available in 2 Tier AC on the LTT-Hubli train which I readily booked. The problem here was that we had to take a connecting train to Hospet as it was the nearest railway station to Hampi. It was not a hard task to book the tickets from Hubli to Hospet as there were a lot of tickets available and so was the scene with the return journey from Hospet to Hampi.


Now, the major hurdle was the return journey from Hubli to Mumbai. All the trains were running to their capacity and we couldn't change the dates of arrival. Any date later than 24th and Hiren would miss his flight and any date earlier than 24th, my plans would go for a toss. After a lot of hard work, I managed to get the booking on one of the trains. Unfortunately, it was a waiting list. RLWL/1,2 and 3. For people who don’t know what is RLWL, it is a Remote Location, Waiting List. These tickets were booked from Hubli to Mumbai i.e. from the location which was not where the train originated from but from a mid-point. If anyone, who is traveling from Hubli to Mumbai cancels their tickets, only then our tickets would be confirmed. The chances of the tickets getting confirmed were few and far between.


Nonetheless, we took our chances and waited with bated breath for the confirmation of the tickets. I use to check the status every 2nd day but the status remained the same till the date we departed. I lost all hope and stopped checking further, relying heavily on our fate.


The next big thing was to book our hotel and it was not a huge task as a range of accommodations were available. Guesthouses to star hotels. We wanted to stay close to the ruins so Hospet was out of the question as it was 13 km from Hampi. I booked the room at Mowgli Guest House which is on the other side of the river and that is where all the action is. Got a good deal from Cleartrip and we were all set to roll.


There was a remote possibility of the trip getting canceled as Hiren’s dad had to go under the knife. We, Sameer, and I consulted with Hiren about the seriousness of the surgery and asked him whether we should abandon the trip. But Hiren gave his assurance that the trip would go on as planned and that there was no need to worry. Still, we were on the tenterhooks till the last day and were not sure whether the trip would go on as planned. The good news was that everything went well with the surgery. It was very brave of Hiren to continue with the trip. He surely is tough as old boots.


Now, we were patiently waiting for the appointed hour.


A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words

The Tourists (L-R): Hiren, Myself, Sameer
The Models (L-R): Myself, Sameer, Hiren
 

THE JOURNEY


Eventually, the wait was over. Our excitement knew no bounds. Everything fell into place. The place we were visiting, the bookings were confirmed, the company was amazing and the icing on the cake was the mode of transport. Train journeys have always fascinated me and no other mode of transport brings a smile to my face as this machine on rails.


I suppose Hiren was more excited. Don’t know whether it was the place or the company since he was the first one to call me in the morning, otherwise, it’s always Sameer who calls up.


Hiren booked an Uber cab to Lokmanya Tilak Terminus and reached my place at 6.45. I was ready with all my gears and was animated to receive his call. I put my bags in the boot space except for my camera bag which, as always is by my side. We picked up Sameer from the In-Orbit signal and moved towards our first destination, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus. On reaching the terminus I realized that I have forgotten my tripod. It was a major frustration for me be-cause we had planned on some night photography and videos using 2 DSLRs. Another sign of age catching up with me but age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.

As soon as we got down from the cab, beggar kids started asking for alms feigning distressed faces. Sameer took pity on one of them and gave her a 10-rupee note. Soon, other kids surrounded him and started asking for money. Sameer is soft-hearted and generous and thinks that he is doing a good deed unaware of the fact that it's a recipe for disaster. He gave a 10-rupee note to another kid. Then, all hell broke loose and we could see other kids from all around running towards Sameer thinking he is on a money distribution spree. We took him to task to make him understand that what he is doing is not good and that he’s encouraging people to beg. We warned him sternly not to give in to their fake sad faces. We assumed that he took heed of it and hope that he doesn’t fall into the trap again.


We reached well before time. The departure time was 9.05 am and we were at the platform before 8 am. The train was on the platform but the doors were locked. The attendants were cleaning the compartment is what the guy on the food stall told us. There was no option but to wait. We bought some biscuits, wafers and some munching stuff for our journey. A man arrived with his aged mom on the platform and asked us to clear the luggage from the seats so that his mom could sit. We cleared the space for her. The guy asked us about our destination. When we replied ‘Hubli’ he requested a favor. He asked us to take care of his mom who was traveling alone and that if we could help her with her luggage at Hubli station. We assured him not to worry about his mom and that we would take good care of her. He was relieved after hearing this.

While roaming on the platform, we saw some huge guys standing on the platform. These guys were huge with ripped muscles, their bodies like a rock. We came to know afterward that they were going to Belgaum to participate in a bodybuilding competition. I always had this dream of being like them but I guess, I never had it in me to work hard like them, never had an appetite like them. You cannot accomplish your dreams without working hard to realize those dreams. I guess instead of the heavyweight category I would go in for the flyweight category. With my physique, I have a good chance in Somalia.


Finally, the door of compartment A1 was unlocked. We reached our seats, made ourselves at home. The train de-parted on time. As soon as the train started its journey, Hiren commenced his journey by eating junk, and Sameer after sitting for some time unrolled his blanket and laid his back to rest. Within no time Sameer was snoring and Hiren was preparing himself for his ‘famous’ power nap. Meanwhile, I was gearing up for the journey alone as these two were planning to drift off to sleep. At this point, I decided to make my time count. I grabbed Hiren’s laptop and watched the movie ‘Mad Max - Fury Road’. Now don’t expect a review of the movie.


By the time these two got up, it was almost afternoon. It was time to arrange for our lunch. We arrived at a consensus that we would order food from outside and would not gorge on stale railway food. We picked up our phone, logged on to www.travelkhana.com, and ordered 1 chicken Biryani and 1 vegetable Biryani which would be delivered at Pune station.


Emboldened by the delivery, taste of the food, and efficiency, we ordered our dinner immediately after our lunch. 3 veg thalis. Our food was delivered promptly at Miraj Junction. We satisfied our palates with sumptuous lunch and dinner. I suppose it was smart thinking on our part.


We reached Hubli. Again at the correct time. It was chilly at Hubli station. You could feel the nip in the air. Our next train to Hospet was at 6 AM from Hubli, a tiring 2.30 hours of wait. We proceeded to our waiting room with our lug-gage and waited impatiently for the next train. Meanwhile, the cleanliness and the upkeep of the station are worth a mention.


The platform was sparkling clean and it was well maintained. Though I would not say the same about the toilets in the AC waiting room. But, comparatively Hubli station was way above Mumbai platforms as far as the cleanliness goes.


The weather was misty and Hiren wanted to click some photographs. Since we had time on our hands we decided to shoot but I warned Hiren about photographing infrastructures in India as it has become a very sensitive issue after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. So to be on the safer side I decided to take the permission of the railway police. Unfortunately, permission was denied and we were left disappointed. Though it was hard to digest the fact that one can shoot with cell phones but not DSLRs. Anyways, we paid heed to the policeman and desisted from shooting.


We passed our time by clicking some selfies in the waiting room, refreshed ourselves with a cup of hot tea, and got ready to board our train to Hospet. It’s a 144 km journey from Hubli to Hospet. We reached Hospet Junction at 9.30. The train was late almost by half an hour. As it happens at every tourist destination, this was no different. As soon as we landed at the station the rickshaw and the cab drivers, hotel agents started annoying us. It is strange how these people can enter the platform without tickets but anything is possible in India. The same old story of government officials in cahoots with these guys. Anyways, we negotiated with one rickshaw driver who agreed to take us to the Tungabhadra River jetty for Rs. 200/-. Barring some spots, the roads to Hampi were a treat to the eye. Wide roads with proper markings and dividers.


We reached the jetty in 20 minutes. The jetty was full of foreigners. Very few Indians could be seen. I guess people from other countries are more interested in historical places than Indians. Probably, they know the significance of our history more than we know. We bought the ferry tickets and crossed the river. We asked for directions to the Mowgli guesthouse and started walking towards it. As we were striding we saw foreigners all around us, riding on mopeds, on gearless motorbikes, walking, tattooing, relaxing, beading, or boozing. They were everywhere. People from all nationalities. Israelis, Europeans, Americans, Latin Americans, Japanese, Koreans, Chinese, Russians, etc. We felt as if we were not in India. It was a proud feeling to see so many foreigners visiting our country.


Meanwhile, the walk to the guest house continued..........


A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words


 

Day 1


We reached our guest house at around 11 am and after checking our room and the surroundings we rested our backs for some time. We discussed the plans for the day and how to execute the same. After chilling for about 2 hours our stomachs started making noises. It was time to have our meals so we headed straight to the restaurant.


They had a very nice Indian-style sitting area with a terrific view of the paddy fields. As expected, Sameer suggested ordering beer to beat the heat and we all being brew lovers gladly agreed. After chilling our throats with Beer, we ordered our food which comprised of one paneer dish which is a must if you have gujaratis with you, and one chicken dish. We finished our lunch in no time as we were hungry like a bear. No one was amused when it was decided to take a cat nap to refresh ourselves. That was inevitable.


It was supposed to be a nap but we slept like a log. We had planned to visit some sites on our side of the river after a small nap but due to excessive sleep, we had to drop the plan. Instead, decided to view the sunset from a nearby cliff. With all our gears we stepped out of the room for our first sightseeing in Hampi. This was the moment of truth.


To reach the cliff we had to take a right turn from Shanthi guest house but after a short while, we lost our way. There were rocks around us and we had to negotiate those rocks to reach the pinnacle. However, it was not an easy climb. So, we decided to go back and ask the locals for the correct way to the sunset point. After understanding the directions, we reached the point, negotiating patches of slippery rocks and shrubberies.


The view from the top was breathtaking. Virupaksha temple complex on the south, paddy fields on the west, highway to Gangavathi, Anegundi, and Bukka's aqueduct to the north, and mountains of boulders to the east. There were some people already at the point. Some to meditate and others to watch the glorious sunset. Without wasting time, we took out our gear and started capturing the scenes. Hiren, fixed his GoPro camera to capture the time-lapse, and Sameer sat on the rock peacefully watching the sun going down. It was a sight to behold.


The red fire was soothing to the eye as if some infuriated person had calmed down. As if the sun had worn­ out after a hard day's work. Leaving this side of the globe to light the other side of the earth. The twilight was shredding the sky with different colors. Green paddy fields with water in it were reflecting the last light of the day. There was a stunning reflection of the carroty-colored sky on the water. The last rays of the sun were striking our skin gently. Everyone at the top was hooked to the sunset and was engrossed in the painting unfolding on the blue canvas.


After capturing the scene in our hearts and through the camera we descended from the cliff in the pitch dark. Fortunately, Hiren was carrying his torch which helped us in getting down from the cliff. We ordered tea to refresh ourselves after reaching the guest house. In the meantime, we took a hot water bath and were ready for the intoxicating session. We had a lot to catch up with Hiren. What better location, occasion, and time to share our stories.


We had carried a bottle of Chivas Regal with us. We ordered starters and glasses and by 8.30 we were on the hammock making our pegs. We had a rocking time discussing at length Hiren's good times, bad times, and his exploits in Canada. Some of his stories left us in splits. Pulling legs is an integral part of any trip, party, outing and we did it to our heart's content. We also experimented with our DSLR taking some wonderful shots of the night sky. Some of them came out exceptionally well. After having our dinner which comprised of vegetable pulao, we went for a stroll at night with our camera hoping to get a view of heaven full of stars.


As usual, Sameer decided to hit the sack and we went for a place from where we can capture the stars. We set our tripod in the middle of the trail and started shooting stars. The results were mind-blowing. We were proud of ourselves and for a moment thought of us as 'professionals'.


We came to our room satisfied with our efforts. The excitement of this expedition had kept us tireless, energized, and rejuvenated throughout the day which would put even the best of energy drinks to shame. But in the end, the long journey, the wait, the climb to the cliff, night walk, endless chatters, and banters took our toll. We were dead tired and our body needed to rest to replenish itself for the next grueling day of adventure. We made our beds and the moment we shut our eyes we were fast asleep.


A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

The two narcissists'
Ramsay movie set
Stars Galore
Our very own Atul Kasbekar
Basking in the evening Sun
A Spooky House
 

Day 2


We woke up at 9 the next morning, feeling fresh and energized. It was our first morning in Hampi. What a wonderful morning! We were sitting on the hammock sipping hot tea gazing endlessly at the green paddy fields surrounded by coconut trees at the periphery. Birds chirping endlessly as if chanting some mantras to almighty. It’s a remarkable feeling to be in nature and hear the sounds, of nature, in nature.


We were engrossed in the scene so much that we didn’t realize that the clock had struck 10.30. If we kept admiring nature, we won’t be able to see the ruins to our heart’s content. So, we picked ourselves unwillingly, finished our daily morning chores, and got ready to explore the great Vijaynagara ruins.


We took our precious and the most important equipment, our cameras, and moved towards the Tungabhadra river. We had to cross the Tungabhadra river to reach the other end where 90% of the ruins were located. We bought tickets to the ferry which was Rs.10/- and waited. We were the only Indians on the ferry. We were surrounded by the foreigners and when we reached the other end more foreigners were waiting to cross over to the other side. Phew! The density of foreigners visiting Hampi, I believe, would be more than in Goa.


As we got off the ferry, the rickshaw drivers and guides started irritating us but we ignored them and moved towards the majestic ruins. We were hungry as we only had tea at the guest house. So we decided to fill our stomachs before we start exploring the ruins. The hotels and guest houses at Hampi cater more to the foreigners rather than Indians and that is the reason you will find more inter-continental dishes than the menu from our nation. We decided to try some intercontinental dishes with a fruit beverage. Though it was a healthy breakfast as compared to the Indian breakfast, we were not impressed.


After finishing our breakfast, we moved towards our first ruin and the most majestic, most revered shrine in Hampi - The Virupaksha Temple. It is still operational after 5 centuries. We saw a lot of school children in the complex and realized that most of the schools in and around Hampi come for their annual trips to this place. So much to learn and so much to adore. Oh! The exquisiteness of these ruins. Inexplicable, incomprehensible, unfathomable. We took out our cameras to shoot the monuments. Stunned by the beauty is all I can say.


Virupaksha Temple was magnificent. The temple must be around 7-8 stories high. The architecture was similar to the temples seen in the South of India which follows the Dravidian architecture. The carvings and the engravings were impeccable, intricate, perfect, and without a doubt eye-popper. It leaves you spellbound and it is unbelievable how these people must have cut the stones with minimal tools. According to historians, the temple was built in the 7th century and existed before the Vijaynagara period. It was a small shrine and there are inscriptions on the temple mentioning Shiva which dates back to the 9th and 10th centuries. The Chalukyas and the Hoysalas also made additions and changes to this glorious temple before Krishna Devraya of the Vijaynagara dynasty made it a temple to behold.


Virupaksha Temple Complex

The complex was crowded and there were a lot of hurdles in clicking good photographs. So we moved to the higher ground to get a panoramic view of the temple complex. We were bewildered by the location, full of rocks and boulders and the monuments brought alive by the sculptors and masons. We were on Hemakuta hills and there it was the grand Virupaksha temple complex. We captured the most sought-after structure in Hampi from the hills and moved on to view other exquisitely carved structures.


Hemakuta Hills: According to the legend, Lord Shiva performed penance on the hills before marrying a local girl Pampa or Parvati. He was pleased with the dedication and so he consented to marry her. It rained gold on the hill due to this decision and hence the name Hemakuta. Hema in Sanskrit means ‘Gold’. Most of the temples on the hill are dedicated to Shiva and the hill is deeply associated with Lord Shiva. The shrines on Hemakuta hills are supposed to be the oldest shrines in Hampi, much before the Vijaynagara empire came into existence. There is a misconception that these shrines are Jain temples but it’s not true though there are a lot of Jain temples around.


After spending a couple of hours admiring the structures on Hemakuta hills we reached the sunset point on Hemakuta hills. It was almost 3 and we had not even taken our lunch. Honestly, we were not hungry. We were lost in the ruins. It was very hot. The sun was beating on our heads and more so on my head as I have no hair to protect myself from the scorching sun. Thankfully, I was carrying a cap that protected the remains on my head from charring. We rested ourselves in the shade where we met a boy aged 15. He was a local boy who befriended us with his lovely smile and his confidence. Gradually he became our guide and was showing us places around and making us aware of the history behind the monuments. It was not a detailed history but was enough to give us an insight into the ruins and the Vijaynagara period. He was also showing us various tricks of photography which I bet he must’ve learned from the visitors around the world. He helped us get around in Hampi.

Hemakuta Hills with numerous remnants of the temples.
Hemakuta Hill full of medieval structures

He took us to Kadalekalu Ganesha, a temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha. This idol of Ganesha was carved out of a single rock. It was carved out of a huge boulder and chiseled to perfection. The belly of the statue resembles Bengal gram (Kadalekalu in local language) and hence the name. The statue is 4.5 m tall and is one of the largest sculptures in Hampi. The boy also guided us to other imposing structures. There were a lot of structures in and around Kadalekalu Ganesha. For the time being, we were interested only in important buildings in Hampi. We had limited time to explore Hampi so we decided to see only the monuments which were of significance.

Kadalekalu Ganesha Temple

The boy took us to Krishna temple next which was being restored by The Archaeological Survey of India. It was closed for the visitors so we moved towards Pushkarni, a site just opposite the Krishna temple. Pushkaranis are sacred tanks attached to temples. Most of the large temples in Hampi have a tank attached to them. The tanks cater to the ritual and functional aspects of the temple and the life surrounding it. Symbolically too these tanks are significant and treated with great respect. In many cases, the sacred tanks were the venue for the annual boat festival, where the images of the gods and goddesses are taken on a coracle. There are a lot of tanks in Hampi which in itself is an architectural splendor and are worth visiting. Manmatha tank, Stepped tank, Pampa Sarovar, and the tank opposite Krishna temple are a tourist’s delight. We stayed there for quite a while shooting to our heart’s content. Sameer was sitting on the steps immersed in the structure and pondering how beautifully the tank was created while we both were busy clicking photographs. When the shutterbugs Hiren and myself were content with the photographs we moved towards the monument ‘Ugra Narsimha’ and ‘Badavalinga’.

Pushkarni

Ugra Narsimha: This is the largest statue in Hampi. Narasimha is sitting on the coil of a giant seven-headed snake called Sesha. The head of the snake acts as the hood above his head. The god sits in a cross-legged Yoga position with a belt supporting the knees. Sometimes this is referred to as Ugra Narasimha (i.e. Narasimha in its terrifying form). The protruding eyes and the facial expression are the basis for this name. Narasimha (means half-man half-lion in local languages) is one of the ten incarnations (avatar) of Lord Vishnu. The original statue contained the image of goddess Lakshmi, consort of the god, sitting on his lap. But this statue has been damaged seriously during the raid leading to the fall of Vijayanagara. Even the damaged portion of such a large statue of Lakshmi carved on his lap is missing. Probably it may be laying around in tiny pieces. But the goddess’s hand is visible resting on his back in an embracing posture. If you get a chance to go inside this enclosure, it is possible to see the hand of the goddess. Even the nails & the rings on her fingers are so perfectly executed. The lion face of Lakshmi Narasimha is also sometimes called Ungranarasimha (the ferocious Narasimha).


Ugra Narsimha

Badavalinga Temple: This is the largest Linga in Hampi. Located next to the Lakshmi Narasimha statue the Linga is housed inside a chamber with an opening in the front. A close look at this icon can reveal three eyes (depicting the three eyes of Shiva) carved on it. Legend has it that this was commissioned by a peasant woman and hence the name (Badva means poor in local tongue). The sanctum in which the Linga is installed is always filled with water as a water channel is made to flow through it. According to Hindu mythology, the River Ganga (Ganges) was brought from heaven to earth to quench the drought. But the river was so forceful that it could split the earth into two pieces if allowed to fall on earth. Lord Shiva consented to take the impact by allowing the torrent of Ganga to fall on his matted hair. Thus helping to release a smooth flowing river onto earth from his hair. As an iconic representation of this, in Shiva temples, you can spot a dripping pot hung over the Linga.

Badavalinga

By the time we finished with the monuments decided for the day it was 4.30 pm and we were famished. We could eat a horse. We were desperately searching for a place to eat. The boy suggested ‘Mango tree’ which according to him was the most popular eating joint in Hampi. We heeded his advice and walked hurriedly towards the restaurant. Footwear was not allowed in the joint. We washed our hands and entered the place. The place had a very nice ambience and it was filled with tourists from around the world. Apart from the tables and benches, there were mattresses on the floor like we have in dhabas on the highways in India. We preferred the mattresses whichever was available and were frantically looking for a waiter. All the waiters were busy catering to their guests so we held our horses. Finally, a guy arrived and we ordered like greedy tourists. We also asked the boy to join us for the lunch which was taken at 5.30 pm. We ordered buttermilk to replenish ourselves with fluids required for the body. The main course was Veg. Thali for Sameer and Hiren and Biryani for yours truly. The boy ordered for Parathas. We waited impatiently for our food. In the meantime, we initiated a conversation with the Americans sitting on the opposite side. We discussed various issues concerning both our countries but mostly we discussed the voyages which we had taken during our lifetime. Walter started his journey in 1973 when I was just 2 years old and Sameer and Hiren were not even a thought in their parents' mind. This was his 3rd Hampi visit. It’s truly a pleasing experience understanding the cultures of different countries and their way of living.


The conversation was interrupted by the aroma of our food which was being served at our table. No sooner than the food was served we gorged on it like a beast and devoured it within no time. Ended the course with another glass of buttermilk, settled our dues, and left towards the jetty waving goodbye to our little friend from Hampi who showed us the places, entertained us, and impressed us with his knowledge and purity.


We reached the jetty. It was almost 7 and we had missed the last ferry which was at 5.30 pm. The only way to reach the other side was by a coracle. A coracle is a round boat made up of cane. The price charged was 5 times more than the ferry. This is how people in India take advantage of hapless tourists. Indians don’t believe in helping people in distress. Instead, they take it as an opportunity to make money. We paid him Rs.150 instead of Rs.30/- for 3 people for a 5-minute crossing distance. As our backs were to the wall, we had no option but to pay. After reaching our guesthouse we went straight to the restaurant for a glass of tea to refresh ourselves with some snacks.


After freshening up we went to our favorite place i.e. on the hammock outside our room, ordered our beers and starters. Don’t remember how long we sat there chatting over our drinks. We discussed a range of topics but the subject of the evening was Hampi and its ruins. It was a memorable second day of our trip. The ruins mesmerized us, stunned us. We were left speechless at the art, the engravings, the intricate carvings, the history of the place and not to mention the unbelievable creation and formation of the boulders over other rocks. A jaw-dropping experience.


After guzzling 2 beers each we decided to call it a day as we had another exciting day coming up with a lot of monuments lined up. It was a great day for us. So far so good. It has been a thrilling experience of this place so far. It wasn’t a bad decision of selecting this place for our trip. Guten Nacht from Mowgli guest house on the second day of this memorable trip. The day was good. The day was fun. Tomorrow would be another memorable one.

Some more monuments on Hemakuta Hills


Awestruck!

Our guide
 

Day 3


Yet another stirring morning. Such invigorating green field. If only I could open my eyes every day to such a fascinating morning and stimulating scenery it would have refreshed my soul and energized my body for the struggles of the day. The four days we were in Mowgli guest house, we use to sit on the hammock and admire the endless fields for a long time if not hours. We use to have our tea with discussions on varied topics but our favorite thing was to gaze at the fields in tranquility. It was a treasured experience.


Lazily we had to move our bums every day from the hammock to get ready for exploration. It was the same thing for day 3 as well. We somehow pushed ourselves to get going. We purified ourselves, got ready, and left for another thrilling day in the ruins. It was breakfast time and we decided to have dosas at a small joint near the river. We ordered for sada dosa followed by mouthwatering omelet dosa. It was out of this world. I have always believed that the best food is served at a small joint rather than those plush, highly decorated hotels visited by the elite and it was proved yet again. There were a lot of foreigners at the joint relishing various types of dosas.


With our stomachs full and ensuring that we won’t require food for another 3-4 hours, we moved towards the ferry to cross the river Tungabhadra. Lots of important monuments were lined up for today and we were electrified to reach the spots as early as possible. We had booked a rick to take us to the desired spots. It was the same person who dropped us from Hospet to Hampi on the day of arrival to Hampi. So we set the ball rolling for the day.


Our first stop for the day was the underground Shiva temple. The entrance was grand, inspired by Roman architecture, carved out of stone, and magnificence in abundance. It is a wonder how these structures have not been damaged by the forces of nature over the centuries. It is even more shocking that present-day structures with advanced construction techniques last only for a couple of decades while the ancient buildings are still intact for more than 5 centuries. Anyways, this is not a blog to discuss corruption and malpractices of present-day scenarios. This is about exploring the ruins of the Vijayanagar empire.

Devouring Omlette Dosa

Underground Shiva Temple: We entered the Shiva temple and fell in love with prima facie. We were awestruck as to how these people with minimum techniques have created such grand temples 5 centuries ago. It was difficult to fathom how they must have lifted those huge stones and placed them according to the design and how they must have sculpted the same with bare minimum tools. All the tourists' eyes were on stalks as they watched the architecture of the temple.


This temple is known as the Underground Shiva temple because it is below the ground level and no one knows the reason as to why it was built underground. Since it is underground there is water in the sanctum sanctorum and hence it’s difficult to enter as well as see the linga. There are water canals in the temple probably to feed the water to the main temple. We moved around the temple clicking snaps. I climbed up the temple to take a bird’s eye view of the surroundings. There was no one to tell us about the history of the temple. After spending around 45 mins in and around the temple, taking as many photographs as we can, we moved towards the next monument.

Underground Shiva Temple
Stone Pillars of Underground Shiva Temple

Hazara Rama Temple: This was a royal temple meant for the royal people and in a royal enclosure. The temple was built in the 15th century A.D. It is dedicated to Lord Rama and the entire Ramayana has been carved on the walls of the temple. Hazara Rama means ‘Thousand Ramas’. There are relics on the outer walls of the temple which portray processions of horses, elephants, attendants, soldiers, and dancing women. The relics are the most extensive ones to be found anywhere in India.


Beautifully constructed of stones the temple was enclosed in a huge wall. Since it was meant for the royal family it had exquisite carvings. Intricately carved and sculpted out of stone, the temple was mesmerizing. We were confused as to how to click photographs of such a magnificent piece of art. It was impossible to capture the monument as our eye was seeing it. Still, out of passion we took some snaps which couldn’t do justice to the structure itself. By the time we finished exploring the temple, it was mid-afternoon and the sun was beating hard on us. It was December and there was no sign of pleasant climate leave aside winter. Nevertheless, we made our move towards the next memorial.

Intricate Carvings Of Hazara Rama Temple
Hazara Rama Temple Complex
Hazara Rama Temple Entrance
Hazara Rama Temple
A Masterpiece

Zenana Enclosure, Watch Tower: Zenana enclosure as the name suggests (Zenana = female) was a restricted area reserved only for the royal women. It was a private enclosure for the royal women folks. It is said that the enclosures were guarded by the eunuchs. This has been the largest palace base excavated in the Hampi ruins so far. A rectangular deep tank at the east was used as a water source to the palace.


The enclosure is surrounded by broad walls made out of stones arranged in an interesting pattern. This has been designed strategically so that the women folks can watch the royal ceremonial functions. However, there is another school of archeologists who believe this was never used as the women’s area. The archeologists assigned the names (Zenana Enclosure, Lotus Mahal, etc.) arbitrarily than based on some assumptions. The closeness of the nearby structures (the elephant stables, the guard’s quarters, etc.) suggests this was not a harem. They believe the Lotus Mahal as a eunuch guard; and the palace belonged to the king; council room for the chief commanders rather than the women’s pavilion; the rectangular enclosed building at the northwest corner as the armory or mint or treasury rather than the quarters for the eunuch guards.


There was a museum of artifacts in one of the buildings which housed ancient relics, statues, coins, and potteries. The relics and statues were beautifully carved. It showed the dedication and the skill of the mason during those times. At times we were rendered speechless seeing those beautiful pieces of art. Since photography wasn’t allowed in the museum we moved towards the best building in the complex, The Lotus temple. It was one hell of a work and one has to see it to believe the architectural work. There are no words to describe the beauty of this building. An unfathomable achievement to build such a magnificent temple.

Zenana Enclosure
Watch Tower

Lotus Mahal: Lotus Mahal also known as Kamal Mahal or Chitrangini Mahal is situated in the Zenana Enclosure of the monuments. It’s a two-storied temple and displaying fine Indo-Islamic architecture. The Hampi ruins projects unify architecture from different cultures and the Lotus temple is one of the examples. Not much is known about the history of the temple but the architecture was most advanced for that time. It had a system of cooling the insides of the temple during the summers naturally. The proof of it can be seen in the pipeline work above and between the arches. The impressive carvings on the pillar and the arches are exemplary and it tells the story of hard work put behind the carvings.

Lotus Mahal
Lotus Mahal Complex

We took refuge under a tree opposite the temple gorging on cookies that we had bought from the German bakery, to satisfy our craving. I don’t remember how long we sat there admiring the structure but it was worth a watch. It was a spellbinder. We felt at home under the tree appreciating the foreign beauties and adoring school children who came there for their annual trips. It was almost 4 and we had some more structures to cover before embarking on the trek to Mathanga hill for the sunset. So we moved to another monument in the same enclosure.


Elephant Stable: Every tourist has to pay to see this stunning monument. This monument is intact and one can imagine the riches of this great empire. It’s a long structure with dome-shaped chambers for the elephants. The center one is specially decorated and quite big as compared to other domes. Probably it must be sheltering the king’s elephant and hence the royal treatment. The architecture, again, has an Islamic influence especially the domes which are of alternating patterns. The elephants were tied to the metal hooks which can be seen at the top of the dome. There is a manhole for the mahouts to enter the elephant compartments. They reached here from the Zenana enclosure.


This was the last monument in the Zenana enclosure. The monuments in this area are still being excavated and the Archaeological Survey of India is busy digging for the new structures. We went beyond the elephant stables to explore more of this area but could only see the ruined temples, half excavated structures, and stones spread all around. Probably, 5 years down the line we would be able to see the new structures. Since there was nothing more to discover we decided to move to greener pastures.

Elephant Stable
Elephant Stable Complex

Royal Enclosure: Without a doubt, this is the seat of power of the fallen empire. Spread over a huge area it is full of interesting relics. The most imposing structure of all is the Mahanavami Dibba or the Dassera platform or the House of Victory. Once again you can see the influence of foreign architecture, probably inspired by Egyptian pyramids. Though not as humongous as the pyramid but still a structure to behold. One can reach the top of the platform through steps from all directions. You can catch a bird eyes view of the entire enclosure from here. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder they say but in this case, the beholder will be mystified, bedazzled, and stupefied by the size of the enclosure. This platform is incredibilmente bella. There was a Russian group on the platform and they were hypnotized by the site of the ruins. The Russian guide, a female, had very good knowledge about the place. I could not understand the language but certainly, the confidence with which she was explaining the tourists convinced me that she must be thorough with the place. The attraction of gorgeous females was enough to distract our one-point agenda of exploring the ruins and for some time we were dazed and lost in caras hermosas. Somehow we regained our composure, got ourselves together, and renewed our exploration again.

Royal Enclosure
Mahanavami Dibba

Stepped Tank: One more eye-popping structure in the enclosure is the Stepped tank. This entire tank is made of graphite and it was used to store water. It was to my knowledge used for bathing, religious ceremonies, and washing by the royals. The structure is beyond doubt the most glorious building and it shows how adept the mason workers were in their art. The aqueducts connected to the tank were also entirely made of stone structures and it was incredibly advanced by their standards. The water was brought to the tank from the Kamalapura tank that was probably used to fill the well in the enclosure. This is evident from the remains.

Stepped Tank

Queen's bath and the Octagonal bath were the other important bathing pavilions in the enclosure. Who isn’t excited to see the lifestyle of the Royals? Even we were eager to see the Queen’s bath but seeing the crowd we decided to skip the structure. I suppose the entire traveler fraternity was at Queen’s Bath. Probably, everyone was keen to see the lifestyle of the royals.

Queen's Bath

One more interesting structure we stumbled upon was the carving of utensils on the rock. These were used for dining during ceremonies and it was the most unique thing that I have come across. Plates and other utensils are carved on a huge slab of rock. It was an out of box thinking and whoever has thought about this idea must be given the credit due to him. Another example of using the natural resources available for your needs instead of processing chemicals and other hazardous elements for our daily requirements. Nevertheless, it is an ongoing tussle between nature lovers and nature destroyers.


After making sure that we had covered almost all the ruins for the day as planned, we moved towards the Mathanga hill for the sunset. It was just a 10 mins ride from the last monument but we were racing against the time. The sun was going down in a hurry and we had to climb the entire hill to reach the summit. We somehow managed to reach the base of the hill in time and hoped to reach the top before sunset. The steps were huge in those times and it was very tiring to climb those steps. They were carved out of stones and were made to accommodate the strides of horses rather than humans. After about 5 mins of ascent, we decided to take a rest as we were exhausted. Lethargy is the biggest foe of your body. Realization dawned on us and we made a vow that we would do something about our fitness.


Nevertheless, we had to conquer the summit. So, after recovering we started our climb to reach the pinnacle. Before reaching the top we took one more break to catch our breath. One has to grind to reach the pinnacle of success. Similarly, we too strained each nerve to reach the summit. We were dead on our feet but one look at the panorama and we were refreshed. We were lost in the beauty of the place. The silence was broken when some more people arrived at the top. We regained our consciousness and started setting up our cameras to capture the lost ruins from the top.


There was a foreigner who was sitting peacefully, meditating. He was calmness personified. Anybody who would reach there would be cool, calm, and collected without any stress or pain. Mathanga Hill is known for its temple at the top. We realized that we did not climb to the top to reach the temple. We were too tired after our day’s exploits so we decided against visiting the temple. Instead, it was decided to sit at the spot and watch this beautiful form of nature called sunset. No other time of the day is as beautiful as dusk and no other light is as beautiful as twilight and aurora borealis. Since Auroras are exclusive to the poles we were satisfied to view the twilight.


The shutter-bugs always find this time of the day along with dawn to exploit their skills. And the best time to shoot architecture is also during this time. So we got our ducks in a row and started shooting the birds-eye view of the ruins. It was difficult to shoot in low light but thankfully we were carrying our tripod and we managed to get some good clicks. These clicks would not satisfy the professionals but for amateurs like us it came out to be pretty decent.

Bird's eye view of Virupaksha Temple

Virupaksha Temple at Dusk
Sunset from Mathanga Hill

It was the extraordinary assemblage of the dramatic beauty of nature and the impressive structures created by men. We were in a dilemma about what to admire, the nature, or the ruins. It was the result of the juxtaposition of the creations….one heavenly and the other man-made. Our time came to a standstill. We broke out in a cold sweat when we realized that we were the only ones left on the hill. We started our descent as the darkness started enveloping the hills. After a slow descent, we moved towards the jetty which was a good distance away.


We were tired and at one point in time even decided to hire a vehicle to reach the jetty but I somehow persuaded the members to walk. It was difficult but the members miraculously relented and after 15 minutes of walk, we reached the jetty. It was again the same story of fleecing by the ferry operators since we had reached quite late to take the last ferry. Hiren being a gujju managed to convince and persuade the coracle rider to give us a good deal though it was expensive than the previous day. We reached the other side and started our back-breaking walk to reach the hotel.


As soon as we reached the hotel we ordered our beers and got ourselves freshened up. We stretched ourselves and got ready for the refreshing, stimulating, and re-energizing session of drinks, banter, leg-pulling, histrionics, and making memories. Another satisfying and memorable day passed. The day started with a delectable breakfast and ended with mouth-watering spinach and mushroom momos. The day was full of excitement, adventure, and wonderful remembrance.


We hit the sack at around 2 am thinking about all the memories we have created in the last 4 days. Bonne Nuit from the Mowgli Guest House, Hampi. See you on the other side of the day for our 4th-day exploits in Hampi.

 

Day 4


Guten morgen from Mowgli guest house. Day 4 of our exploration of Hampi. Today, we were going to explore the ruins on the outskirts of Hampi. But, before that, let us enjoy the captivating green fields and stimulating morning. A morning without any smog, any pollution, and devoid of haze, devoid of dust and chemicals. Morning, which lets you breathe the purest of oxygen refurbishing your moribund lungs. Air, free of toxins, free of stink. The chirping of the birds in the background was like an orchestra playing a piece of music. Trees swaying to the light breeze as if they were dancing to that music. The sun rays were romancing with us by gently caressing our skins. Ah! What a rejuvenating morning. I believe that if you lose an hour in the morning, you will spend all day looking for it. This perfect morning made us good and ready for the rigors of the day.


After spending almost an hour admiring the god’s creation it was time to appreciate man’s creativity. We got our itinerary ready for the day and left for the day’s escapade. The rickshaw which we took from Hospet Junction to Hampi was our day’s transport. The driver was our guide and travel agent in Hampi. He was waiting for us across the river. We had our brunch and got going. Our first stop was Talarigatta gate, an imposing structure covering the modern road.


Talarigatta Gate: It’s also known as ‘Aresankara Devara Bagilu’ as per the inscription. This gateway is strategically located to the North, North-East of Vijayanagara city leading to the river. Talarigatta means Toll collection point. The narrow gateway is built into the fortification wall which encloses the capital city. This is a two-storied structure with a provision for a guard pavilion on the first story, the latter having beautifully cut-pilaster decoration. On the southern and northern sides of this gateway is a shrine and there is a sculpture of Veeranjaneya on the northern side. There was no further scope of exploring this site so we moved towards our next monument, an important structure in Hampi, Vitthala Temple.

Talarigatta (The Toll plaza)
Talarigatta from the other side

Vitthala Temple: Vitthala temple is one of the most revered sites in Hampi along with Virupaksha temple. Upon reaching the site we saw hordes of tourists and students on their annual trip. The place was crowded and there was no sight of the ruins. I enquired about the same with the rickshaw driver and he told us that the vehicles are not allowed in the complex and that only the government buses and authorized rickshaw drivers can ply their vehicles in the area. Only they can take the tourists and people to the temple for a nominal charge. It was excellent thinking by the Archaeological Survey of India to preserve the sites as the pollution by the plethora of vehicles would have ruined the beauty of the structure.


We got into one of the tum-tums and reached the site in no time and, lo and behold, there it was, the staggering Vithala Temple. It knocked our socks off. It was indescribable. This is the moment we realized why so many tourists flock to this place. It is an astounding complex completely made of stones. The carvings are intense, depicting various epics of Hinduism.


In a nutshell, the Vitthala temple represented the highest watermark of the Vijayanagara style of art and architecture. Vitthala is the Krishna aspect of Lord Vishnu. It is one of the largest temples of that period built under the patronage of Devaraya (1422-46 AD.). Substantial portions of the present structure were added during Krishnadevaraya’s (1509-1529 AD.) reign. The hundred pillared Mantapa (pavilion) to the southwest of the main temple and the eastern and northern gateways carved with depictions of Vishnu and his other forms are attributed to Krishnadevaraya and his queens. The temple is built on a sculptured ornate plinth, the composite pillars of the sabha mandapa (congregation hall) are massive, chopped out of single granite blocks, which are designed as clusters of slender pillars. Some of these, when tapped gently, produced musical notes. To the northern bay of the Sabha Mantapa is the Narasimha Mantapa, where a pillar has the sculpture of a Yogavarada Narsimha and various other forms.


The stone chariot at the entrance is a reproduction of a processional wooden chariot. It is perhaps the most stunning achievement, typical of the Vijayanagara period. It houses an image of Garuda, the vehicle of Lord Vishnu. The ornate Kalyana Mantapa (marriage hall), Utsava Mantapa (Festival Hall), and Devi shrines complete the temple complex. Outside the temple to the east is a huge bazaar measuring 945 meters in length and 40 meters in width leading to a sacred tank known as Lokapavani. The complex was huge and it took us almost 2 hours to explore the premises. The weather was extremely hot and humid. To make matters worse, we forgot to carry water. But the architecture made us forget the thirst. We saw every monument in the complex until the cows came home. Our parched throats could not discourage us from checking out the finest art of medieval India. Finally, after checking everything but the kitchen sink, we moved towards the next monument.

Vitthala Temple Entrance
Vitthala Temple Complex I
Vitthala Temple Complex II
Vitthala Temple Complex III
Beautiful Vitthala Temple
Mindboggling masonry
The Stone Chariot

Varaha Temple: Popularly known as Varaha Temple because of the Varaha Royal Emblem at the eastern entrance. This is a unique Saiva Temple built inside a well-laid rectangular prakara, majorly influenced by Roman architecture. The entire temple is constructed over a jagati with a sanctum, vestibule, and an open Mukhamantapa. The wall portion of the sanctum and vestibule are treated with Devakoshtas. The entrance of the vestibule is treated with Gajalakshmi at Lintel and four-armed Saiva-Dwarpalas at the door frame. Inside the vestibule is placed a couch-ant bull. The pillars of this temple are treated with sculptures of Kartikeya, Yashodha, Krishna, Ganesha, Makara, Hamsamithuna, Peacock, Sivalinga, Nandi, and various geometrical designs like Padma, Sarpabandha, Creeper, etc. The raised jagati also acts as a pradakshinapatha around the sanctum and vestibule.

Varaha Temple

Kings Balance: This 5-meter or so tall ‘balance’ is located near the Vittala temple. Also called Tula Bhara or Tula Purushadana, the king used to weigh himself with gold, gems, silver, and precious stones, and distributed them to the priests. It’s believed that this had been done during the special ceremony seasons like solar or lunar eclipses. You can spot three loops on top of the balance, into which the balance hung. Also in one of the pillars, you can spot the king’s image carved along with his concerts. This structure almost appears like an archway at the end of the Kampa Bhupa’s Path just behind Vittala temple. The path passes through this arch-like structure. This was it. The humidity had taken our toll. We no longer could stay without water and we started searching for water frantically. Fortunately, we came across a sugar cane juice vendor. We drank like fish before ordering our juices. While the juices were being extracted, I decided to venture out for some more exploration around as by now, I knew that the entire place is full of monuments. I didn’t need to go far. I came across an impressive structure on the banks of the Tungabhadra river, The Purandaradasa Mantapa.

King's Balance

Purandaradasa Mantapa: This is a small open pillared pavilion with a whitewashed top dedicated to the legendary poet Purandaradasa who lived in Hampi. The pavilion is located at the river shore near Vittala Temple. This is one of the areas at Hampi where people perform religious rituals. The pavilion is almost at the edge of the river that during monsoon the river water touches the platform or even submerges it. Probably it is here the poet would have sat and composed the devotional songs. Even today the songs composed by him are sung at the Carnatic music (the south Indian classical music) concerts. It is believed that he has composed more than 75,000 classical compositions. They were carried over generations by the oral tradition. But today only about a thousand or so are known to exist. A small sculpture of Purandaradasa with tambura (an ancient stringed musical instrument) can be seen at the pavilion. Every year a classical music concert is held in this area to celebrate the birth anniversary of this poet. Usually, they are held for 2-3 days during January or February. Musicians of national and international repute participate. By the time I was back, my alter egos had gulped their sugarcane juices. Moreover, Hiren found a place to lay his back to rest. I am sure he must have taken his much famous ‘Power Nap’. We rested in peace for a while before venturing to our next artifact.

Purandaradasa Mantapa

It was a long and arduous walk to Achyutaraya temple. We must have passed numerous ruins along the way. Some half excavated and some neglected for centuries. In all likelihood, they must all be water under the bridge. After walking for about 15 minutes we reached the ancient bazaar in the Achyutaraya temple complex. Here, we relieved our rickshaw driver since the return journey to the jetty was just 20 minutes from Achyutaraya temple. In short, the driver fleeced us by taking us around the ancient city when we could have covered the ruins on foot. Smartly, he advised us to walk down the rocky pathway to reach Monolithic Bull at the foothills of Matanga on the other side from where we started our trek to the top on the previous day. Hiren was ready to drop, hence was not ready to let go of him. This was the test of our pursuing skills. We somehow convinced him that the time taken to reach the jetty would be less than the time that would take to reach the place where the rickshaw was parked. Hearing this he was caught between two stools. Eventually, he agreed to walk to the jetty. We settled the rickshaw dues and moved towards the monument.


Achyutaraya Temple: Located at the foothills of the Matanga to the west, this large temple complex is known as the Tiruvengalanatha temple from the inscriptions. The temple facing north with the Bazar described as Achyutarayapete was constructed by Hiriya Tirumalaraja the Mahamandaleshwara under the Vijaynagara King Achyutaraya (1542-1599 AD) in the year 1534 AD. The main temple consists of a Garbhagriha, Sukanasi, an Antarala a Rangamantapa, and a spacious pillared Mahamantapa within the complex to the southwest of the main temple is the Devi shrine. Particularly noteworthy is the temples complex which is enclosed with two Prakaras and the temple is in the central area of the inner Prakara having their Mahadwaras. The outer Prakara has only one Mahadwara, most imposing on the north. The inner sides of the Prakaras are a series of Mantapas with Pillars in the facade. From the front of the northern Mahadwara runs Achyutrayapete with a series of pillared Mantapas on both sides. The brilliance of this temple will take your breath away. Every detail on the temple wall is worth a mention. The carvings are a sight to behold and the stone pillars are a treat to the eye. The aura surrounding the temple is heavenly and the location of the temple at the foothill of Matanga would stop a clock. It's a must in your Hampi itinerary.

Achyutraya Temple Entrance
Achyutraya Temple Complex I
Achyutraya Temple

We left the temple and moved towards the jetty. 5 minutes walk and we were lost. Fortunately, some devotees were trekking the Matanga hill to reach the temple on the top. We asked for directions to reach the other side of the hill and took the path as guided. The path was isolated and we were the only ones on the beaten track. We thoroughly enjoyed the walk, the climb down to the Monolithic bull, clicking snaps of the boulders on the way which to our astonishment were placed precariously over each other. It is a marvel how these boulders and rocks can stay at such a position for centuries without sliding or collapsing. We climbed down to reach another eye-popping monument, ‘the Monolithic Bull’.


Monolithic Bull: Locally known as Yeduru Basavanna or Nandi, this monolithic bull marks the east end of the Virupaksha Bazaar. The statue is housed in a twin storied pavilion built on an elevated platform. A heap of gigantic boulders behind the pavilion offers an interesting backdrop. Though partially mutilated and carved in a coarse style, this Nandi attracts visitors owing to its giant size. Monolithic Bull pavilion Nandi is the mount of Lord Shiva and it's symbolic that this one faces the Shiva shrine (Virupaksha Temple) located at the opposite end of the street, about a kilometer from it. At a little distance in front of the Nandi, you can also spot a tall stone lamp post with metal spikes over it. A flight of steps along the left side of the Nandi pavilion leads you to the Achyuta Raya's Temple located across the hill. Monolithic means formed of a single large block of stone. Various structures in Hampi were monolithic. Sasivekalu Ganesha, Badavalinga, Ugra Narsimha, Monolithic bull, etc all are carved out of one huge rock. To make a long story short, all the monolithic structures in Hampi are spell-bindingly beautiful.

Monolithic Bull

As expected today’s itinerary was covered in toto. The major monuments on this side of the Tungabhadra river were covered – whole nine yards. Though we were exhausted we had a whale of a time. It was 5.15 pm and we didn’t want to miss the last ferry again and pay an exorbitant amount to cross the river. We hurried each other on our way so that we could take the last ferry. Luckily, we reached the jetty in nick of time and managed to save some money 😅😅😅.


Since we had time on our hands, we decided to sit by the river to watch the Sun god paint the sky. Hiren placed his GoPro camera on the rock to capture the sunset. He wanted to create a time-lapse of the setting sun, the changes in the sky, reflections of an array of pink, orange, and yellow on the flowing river, and the people on the banks of the river. I took out my DSLR ad interim and started shooting the beguiling river under the twilight. Sameer sat calmly on the rock, admiring the beauty of the dusk which was unfolding gradually.


We were mesmerized by the event unfolding and didn’t know how long we sat there absorbing the beauty of it. We were there till the orange light in the sky turned black and stars started showing up on the globe. The Virupaksha temple was looking fascinating in the dark with lights on. The darkness swallowed the ruins. The movement of people on the river stopped for the day. We too packed our shooting gears and moved towards our guest house.


The street to our guesthouse was buzzing with activity as always. Every hotel, guest house were occupied mainly by foreigners. They were enjoying their music and brew and were probably discussing their exploits in Hampi. And why not? The place is worth discussing and admiring a thousand times.


We reached our guest house. As usual, ordered our beer to soothe our minds before freshening up. We were so in love with the Spinach and Mushroom momos that we ordered 2 plates to satisfy our palate. A calming shower took away all the tiredness. We got ready for the most important event of the day, boozing. Got comfortable on our hammocks and with all the necessary stuff on the table we got going. Had a couple of beers with some hot momos which were finger-licking good. With no one to disturb us, we were at peace in each other’s company. If you thought that I was talking about the people for the company then you are mistaken. I was talking about the brew which I was having. Yeah, the company was awesome, no two ways about it but beer is the spirit that will always keep you in good spirits 😆😆😆.


We planned our next day’s event, to explore this side of the river. The most important monument on this site was the Hanuman temple on the Anjaneya hill. We made our program viz. to reach the top of the hill before sunrise, to capture it, come back to the guest house, have breakfast, and move to other significant monuments.


We wound up the session so that we can rise early to carry out our planning smoothly for the next day which would be our last day in Hampi. We set the alarm, arranged our beds, and hit the hay to rejuvenate our tired bodies.


Guten nacht from Mowgli guest house. The adventure continues.......

On The Way To Monolithic Bull
Virupaksha Bazaar
View of Virupaksha Temple From Monolithic Bull
 

Day 5


Good morninggggggggggggggg Hampi. It was 9 am and we were still lying in. The plan of visiting the Anjaneya hill early in the morning to capture the sunrise didn’t materialize because we could not get off our tails. We had set the alarm last night for 5 am. The cellphones buzzed at the right time but we, being lazybones, snoozed it and went off to sleep only to wake up at 9 am. We as usual started passing the buck for missing the opportunity to visit the Anjaneya hill. I am sure everyone in his or her life would have heard the statement “Main utha tha yaar aur tum logon ko uthaya bhi but tum log nahin uthe toh main bhi sogaya”. The fact was that we were too tired and lazy to climb thousands of stairs to reach the pinnacle. Most people do not consider dawn as an attractive experience unless they are still up and we fall in the majority.


Anyways, there was no point in crying over spilled milk. It was our last day and we wanted to make the most of it. We carried on with our plan minus the all-important Anjaneya hill. We got ready as quickly as possible after having our morning tea and left for the day. It was a very hectic day as we had to cover almost 450 km in the entire day. We had planned to visit Badami and Koppal.


To visit the above places we had to arrange/hire a vehicle. Since motorbikes were our first love we decided to hire the two-wheelers. Another reason for hiring a motorbike was that the four-wheelers would cost us an arm and a leg and that would be out of our budget. So, we went to the tours and travels shop which was a dime, a dozen in Virupapur gaddi, the area on this side of Tungabhadra river where we stayed. We enquired about the vehicle and the charges and whether we could take them out of Hampi. The owners were not comfortable with the idea that we will be taking their vehicles out of the city. They were not ready to give us the papers and also, the vehicles had no number plates. According to them, it is alright to ply the vehicles without number plates in Hampi and that we won’t be facing any problems if we flout the rule. We didn’t want to take risks of plying the vehicles without number plates and papers and taking them at such a long distance. So we decided to skip the two places this time. With Badami and Koppal out of the itinerary, we decided to visit Anegundi.


We hired a Honda Activa and Bajaj Pleasure for our exploration. Our happiness knew no bounds. We were always roadies at heart and it was always fun to ride a two-wheeler to explore the places. The incredible feeling of bike ride beggars description. It is an amazing experience. To feel the wind on our faces, to watch the world around us without any hindrances, to experience the flora and fauna without confinements is what every rider craves. No other means of transport gives us that rush of feeling, the release of endorphins effect than two-wheelers. We were ecstatic to ride the vehicles. It reminded us of the days when we rode days together to explore places. Those memories are still running like blood in our veins and we were keen to make more of them.


It was almost 11 am and our stomach had started making noises. I heard that familiar phrase from the other vehicle, “Bhai, bhook laga hain”. It was Hiren with that pitiful face as always. Sameer too grabbed the opportunity to join him. We started searching for a joint. We didn’t have to go far. As soon as we reached the highway which connects Hampi to Gangavathi, we found a place to eat. We got comfortable on one of the benches and ordered our south Indian breakfast which comprised of Masala Dosa and Idlis served with delicious hot Sambar and mouth-watering coconut chutney. It was the best breakfast of the trip. We relished it so much that the order was repeatedly placed. No wonder that so many foreigners visited the place to appease their growling stomachs.


After ensuring the required calories are enough for the next 4-5 hours we moved on for excursion. Our first stop was the revered site of Durga, ‘The Durga Temple’. It was situated on a small hill and was quite an ascent even for the vehicles. We reached the temple premises. A lot of people had congregated as usual and we didn’t find it an attractive structure to devote our precious time exploring. Instead of visiting the temple, we decided to climb a rock and shoot the panorama. The view from the rock was a treat to the eye. We did not waste our time much at this monument. After clicking some photographs we moved towards one of the most important monuments on this side of the river, ‘Pampa Sarovar’.


Here, it is very important to mention that all the signboards and milestones in Hampi are in Kannada, the local language. We could not make the head or tail of the writing because of which it was difficult to find the direction and thereby the monuments. We took the help of the locals and passer-by to reach the monuments. Weirdly, the government is putting up milestones in the local language when so many tourists from other countries and different states from India are visiting this place for whom the writing is indecipherable. Hope better sense prevails and government relents its rigidity. Anyways, we reached Pampa Sarovar with the help of the locals and were stunned by the beauty of it. It is a beautiful tank made entirely of stones surrounded by hills.


Pampa Sarovar: Pampa Sarovar is a sacred pond for the Hindus. This is believed as one among a few Sarovar (sacred ponds) mentioned in Hindu epics and scriptures. The pond and the shrine are located in a secluded valley hidden by boulder hills at the three sides. The pond, rectangular in shape, is usually filled edge-to-edge by floating lotus. The whitewashed shrine is located right next to the pond. This is a functioning temple and the idols worshiped are of Lord Shiva & his consort Parvathi (Pampa). This shrine is much ancient than many of the temples in Hampi. A vividly painted musical instrument placed in the temple courtyard is interesting. The instrument at a time plays the drum, metal plates, and a couple of bells attached to it. The whole thing is driven by a motor attached to the mechanisms. These were the temple musical instruments originally played by the temple musicians. Now this machine plays it all together during prayer time (typically early morning & in the evening). A bit north in the line is the temple kitchen. Just opposite to it under a mango tree is a circular platform built around a tall Vinayaka (the elephant-headed god) statue painted in florescent vermilion.


There were hundreds of tourists and locals visiting the place, especially the temple adjacent to the pond. Since we were not on a religious tour, we skipped the temple and concentrated on the magnificence of the pond. We had decided to do profile photography on the last day of our trip. Thus, we started experimenting with my 50mm lens. The photographs came out nice and we were beside ourselves with joy. Who wouldn’t be happy to get his profile done? After all, we all are narcissists to some extent. It was time to bid adieu to the pond and move to our next destination, Anegundi. Anegundi is a small village at a distance of approximately 5 km from Hampi in the Gangavathi district. This small village is also significant as far as the Vijaynagara empire goes. There are a lot of monuments in and around Anegundi too.


Anegundi: Anegundi, believed to be the monkey kingdom of Kishkindha (Kishkinta means in local language a forest where the monkeys lived) in the epic of Ramayana, is at a distance of 5 km from the historical site of Hampi. Anjanadri hill, the birthplace of monkey-god Hanuman, and the mountain Rishimuka are the other places near Anegundi associated with Ramayana. It is said to have one of the oldest plateaus on the planet, estimated to be 3,000 million years old. So, only local storytellers refer to Anegundi as the maternal home of Bhoodevi (Mother Earth). The picturesque village, located on the northern side bank of River Tungabhadra, was said to be the legendary Kishkindha, a kingdom of the monkey Prince Sugriva and the cradle place of the historic Krishnadevaraya dynasty of the glorious Vijayanagar empire and falls in the core zone of Hampi.


History: Neolithic history is represented in this region by Mourya Mane, a several-thousand-year-old Stone Age Colony. Several Neolithic dwellings still bear paintings that are clear and intact even to this day. This is the rare human settlement where we will find traces of the Microlithic, Megalithic, and Neolithic ages of human life at one same spot. Anegundi area is much more than the Vijayanagar empire and is as old as the planet. As per geologists, the Anegundi area is about four billion years old. To date, this village is a living heritage site in its true sense. The nearest Pre-historic sites are HireBenekal, Chikkarampur, Mallapur, Venkatapur and Anjanahalli. Pre-historic rock shelters and paintings are found in the Tungabhadra river valley.


Since we were short on time we did not visit most of the monuments, especially the Neolithic dwellings. But then it is impossible to cover the entire Hampi in 5 days. According to our Rickshaw driver cum guide who took us around Hampi for 2 days, even a month is not enough to tour Hampi. We were not at all dejected. After all, we had covered most of the important structures. We did the same in Anegundi. We concentrated on the important monuments. Ranganatha Temple was the first monument that we visited in the Anegundi village.


Ranganatha Temple: We tried to find the history of the temple but failed. This temple is dedicated to the Sri Rama of the Ramayana epic. That’s the only information we got about the temple. We skipped this temple too like other temples and moved on after clicking some photographs.64 Pillars Temple, Chintamani temple, Gagan Mahal, and a Jain temple were other attractions at Anegundi. That’s all we could cover. We didn’t even enter these places and only explored them from outside.


We just clicked the photographs of the monument and moved on to other locations. These places had gone rack to ruin especially the 64 pillars temple and not preserved as they should be. People were drinking and gambling in the 64 pillars temple and it seemed it had become a hub for anti-social elements. The periphery of the Chintamani temple had become a squatting place for the villagers. The entire area was stinking to high heaven and it’s a shame that we cannot maintain our heritage structures which are thronged by millions annually. No wonder that the tourists from foreign lands don’t have a very good image of our country.


The government’s failure to educate people about sanitation, the parents' failure to educate their children about cleanliness and the importance of cleanliness in their life, and the teachers' failure to impart a good sense about cleanliness are maligning the reputation of this country. I came to this conclusion when I saw the children of a school who were on their annual trip to Chintamani temple raffishly littering the temple. A Belgian resident, a 70-year-old woman was collecting the same in her bag to keep the temple, our monument for which we are responsible, clean. The children, to tease her, shamelessly kept throwing the papers and wrappers while she kept picking up without dismay. We were appalled at this behavior of our future generation and worried about the future of our motherland. We, the citizens of India will always keep our homes clean but not our homeland.


The woman was dejected and dismayed by the behavior of the children but she had the best of smiles on her face when they waved her goodbye albeit sarcastically. She sat near the entrance of the temple just opposite us. She narrated the entire story and was disappointed about the whole episode. We could only bury our head in sand after the disgraceful incident. She was however impressed with the ruins of Hampi but at the same time, she had nothing good to say about modern India. We tried to give her an insight into how the country works, enlightened her with the good and the bad things about the country, and tried to convince her that things are looking north and that people will change. We apprised her of modern India and how the country is progressing and growing economically. She nodded her head in affirmation but her expressions said it all.


We must have spoken to her in length about the economies and advances made by our countries. After spending some time with her we took her leave and left for the Tungabhadra dam. While we were taking our vehicles out, we saw her taking her bicycle out of the parking. We were again put to shame. She was using environment-friendly transport to explore the places while we were polluting the place by burning fossil fuel. That is the reason why she was so fit and exploring the world at the age of 70 while we were up the blind alley.


Nevertheless, we being typical Indians, not worried about the environment and our fitness left it behind and moved ahead. On our way, we clicked some photographs of the Jain temple and moved in the direction of Tungabhadra Dam. Hiren was a pillion and he took full advantage of it. He shot many videos using his GoPro mounted on the Monopod from different angles creating fantastic memories. The green fields surrounded by the boulders were looking picture perfect. There were different shades of colors all around. The light green fields, the dark green trees, brown boulders, blue skies, black roads with white mappings, and tiny, colorful hamlets on either side of the road. It was a photographer's delight. One can spend an entire day shooting them and still feel unsatisfied.


After riding for 20 to 25 mins we still were searching for the Tungabhadra dam. The milestones were of no use as the language was all Greek to us. The sun was setting fast and we were racing against the time. We kept asking for directions every 2 km so that we don’t wander senselessly and miss the destination and the sunset. Fortunately, we took the correct right turn towards the Tungabhadra Dam while the Sun was still up. The right turn started with a small village and gradually unfolded into Siebte Himmel. A small ascent and it was a sight to behold. On one side there was a valley full of green fields overlooking the mountains. The magnificent dam brimming with water was on the other side. We were in two minds on the narrow stretch of road as to which beauty of nature to appreciate, the green fields dominated by the mountains or the stunning dam with the reflection of the golden sun. The ride was turning out to be very dangerous as the rider was constantly distracted by the beauty that was transpiring around him. The pillion was transfixed to the aura of the surrounding. Honestly, we were expecting a normal dam, dams which we have seen during our rides but they were nothing compared to this marvel. The reflection of the setting sun and the boulders on the water were breathtaking. A visit to Hampi is not complete without Tungabhadra Dam.


We found ourselves a place to sit near the lake, shooting the setting sun and the endless vista. There were tourists who all were sitting around the dam and admiring the beauty of it. Somehow everyone was transpired into a decent and cultured being. It was the charm of the place. So calm, beautiful, and majestic that people were magically hypnotized. We were engrossed in paradise when the simians woke us up from the deep meditation. We were surrounded by the monkeys as if they were going to launch an attack. Sometimes I wonder who is more violent, humans or primates or probably the humans who got this violent streak from the apes, our ancestors. However, this was not the time to ponder over the evolution of man. We decided to vacate the place as the monkeys were moving closer and were looking dangerous. We reached the place where our vehicles were parked, started the engines, and moved towards the guest house. We called it a day after seeing, admiring, and gloating over most of the monuments and structures on this side of the river. It was a field day and we made the most of it.


The vehicles which were hired were returned to the rightful owners, the dues were settled and we checked into our rooms. We changed into something comfortable after a relaxing shower and got set for the evening session. It was the last day of our trip and the last drinking session together as Hiren would be flying to Canada after returning to Mumbai. We won’t be together for don’t know how many years. So we decided to enjoy the evening to the fullest. We ordered our poison and some mouth-watering appetizers and were drinking in peace when that peace was shattered by a familiar voice. Our togetherness and enjoyment was a nine-day wonder. We were shocked to find out that the familiar voice was of the Belgian resident who met us at the Chintamani temple. We wanted to spend these last moments at Hampi together but fate played a cruel joke on us. We were on the fence. We didn’t know whether to welcome her or to say no. She was like a bull in a china shop. However, she didn’t allow us to decide as she took the chair next to the hammock. She barged into the party as an uninvited guest. We had no choice but to accept her in the fold. Firstly, because of “Atithi Devo bhava” and secondly, we didn’t want to be rude to a 70-year-old female. So, we accommodated her thinking she would leave us after a while. But to our dismay, she was with us for more than 3 hours and we had to end the party before time. We had decided to enjoy till the wee hours of the morning but because of the uninvited guest, we ended it prematurely. We kept her giving the signs but she did not budge. She kept complaining of leg cramps and also requested one of us to carry her to her room but none of us was willing to take up the challenge. We ordered salt water for her to relieve her of the cramps. But strangely, the cramps kept troubling her. We made sure that she was entertained and carried a good image of our country and its people. But inside we knew that she was not wanted, at least on this day when we wanted the time for ourselves. Any other day would have been fine but not this day. But destiny is cruel to you most of the time and we had to make peace with fate.


Somehow, we got rid of her. As soon as she left we rushed into our room and locked it. We feared that she might come back and bore us. We sacrificed our favorite place and went inside our room. We started dozing while discussing the day. Honestly, we were tired physically and mentally. Physically because of the exploits of the day and mentally because of the Belgian woman. We made our beds and decided to hit the sack. We had to get up early as we had a train to catch from Hospet. Before leaving the guest house we had to pack our bags which was the most painful job as our room was like dog’s breakfast. After all, what can you expect of a boys' room? Every passing day our room was turning from the sublime to ridiculous. But at that time our priority was to sleep. With all the unforgettable memories of the past 5 days, we slept like babies.


Photographic Memories

Pampa Sarovar
Green Fields opposite Tungabhadra Dam
Tungabhadra Dam
Bridge Over Troubled Waters
Framing the beauty
Jain Temple @ Anegundi
Ruin @ Anegundi now a den of gambling.
Sunset over Tungabhadra Dam
 

Day 6 – The return


We are not known to be early risers. We rise from our beds only when the situation demands and also how important the situation is. The day of our return journey was one of those rare days. We were to take the 10.15 train from Hospet, which is 13 km from Hampi to reach Hubli. From Hubli, we were to take the train to Mumbai. We had to change trains because only 1 train runs between Mumbai and Hospet and we were unable to get tickets on that train. The most painful task was to pack our bags because our stuff was in a hell of a mess. It was going to consume most of our time and going to be a herculean task to organize things. But it had come to our head. We somehow managed to organize the things in our bags and finally, were good and ready. We checked out of the guest house leaving handsome tips for our attendants.


With a heavy heart, we left the guest house which was our abode for 5 days. It was so small that it had no room to swing a cat but it proved to be a memorable stay. The hospitality, the ambience of the restaurant, the location, and the surroundings were the reasons I would come back to this property. It was like a home for us, a home where we yearn to come back after a tiring day's work. It never felt like a hotel or a guest house to us. The people at the hotel gave us a very homely treatment and that is the reason we never felt that we were away from our home. It was truly a home away from home.


With our luggage on our backs, we reached the river for crossing. The rickshaw was waiting for us at the other side of the river. The driver who had ferried us for 2 days had sent another rickshaw which dropped us at the Hospet station. Our train was scheduled to depart at 10.15 am. We were at the station quite early as always. Since we left the guest house empty stomach, we needed to have breakfast, and being in the south of India one needn’t opt for anything but the south Indian delicacies. We ordered for Idlis and dosas. It looked hot and yummy but didn’t taste as good as it looked. We were disappointed by the taste and the quality of the food. We had to push it down the throat and pay for it as it was not possible to unwring a bell once the food was ordered. After paying we moved towards the station and waited patiently for our trains. None of us were talking. It was obvious that we wanted more days together. We had a face like a wet weekend but couldn’t do much about it. Our leaves were getting over and we had to get back to our daily grind. Hiren was to fly back to Canada. We all were down in the dumps partly because an amazing vacation got over and partly because Hiren was going back to Canada and we had no idea when he would be back with us.


We were lost in our thoughts when the train arrived. We boarded the train, settled in our seats, and thus began our final phase of the trip. We reached Hubli station in no time. We had a good 2 hours wait before we board another train from Hubli. It was already lunchtime so we decided to have lunch before boarding the train. The restaurant which we entered on the station was in apple-pie order. We were highly impressed with the cleanliness of the Hubli station. It was sparkling, although the toilets told a different story. Nevertheless, we ordered our food which comprised of veg thali for everyone and beverages. The food was not up to par as far as I am concerned. Sameer and Hiren have cast-iron stomachs so they will never complain about the food. Now that we had satisfied our hunger we waited for the last journey of the trip.


Surprisingly the train was on time. We got comfortable in our seats. It was a 2 tier AC compartment. One of our passengers was sitting with his friends at some other bay leaving us three together. We pulled the curtains, adjusted our pillows, and played a couple of movies on Hiren’s laptop. It was like a private theatre with no one to disturb us. We had ordered the food as soon as we started the journey and it was to arrive at Miraj Junction. Two Non. vegetarian and one vegetarian dish. But to our dismay only Non. Vegetarian food was delivered. Unfortunately, Hiren’s vegetarian food was not delivered. We asked Hiren to join us but since it was a non-vegetarian dish he calmly rejected it. He said he is not keeping well and does not feel like eating. His excuse was hard to swallow. We felt bad for him because we knew how he loves his food. We prodded him a lot but he did not yield. We even asked him to eat only the gravy part but he was firm. After a while, we gave up and disappointingly accepted his decision.


We had our dinner which was of the first water. The travails of the day had taken their toll and we began to feel its effect. We were physically and mentally exhausted and were feeling sleepy. It is normal for people to feel sleepy after a heavy meal. On the other hand, you also feel sleepy when you don’t have enough energy. Hiren was experiencing the latter. So we thought it would be wise to hit the sack. We made our beds and as soon as we touched our pillow, we were out like a light.


We slept like a log and when we got up we realized we were in the Mumbai suburbs. Shortly, we will be in Dadar, our destination. I woke up the other two, asked them to get ready and freshen up while I got ready with our luggage. The train docked at the station. As soon as we alighted from the train, we heard that dreaded sentence from Hiren ‘Bhai, bhook laga hai. We were expecting this because he had skipped his dinner. His food did not arrive to put it aptly. So, before the wheels fall off we decided to head towards a restaurant and have breakfast. After all, he had weathered the storm the entire night.


It was 6 am. The moment we came out of the station all hell broke loose. Cab drivers started following us like an Eagle following his prey. They were driving us up the wall. Despite telling them that we don’t want a cab they kept harassing us. The restaurant was our savior. It is a harrowing experience dealing with these morons. When one wants to hire a cab they would flatly refuse to go and when you don’t want to hire them they will keep following you. I hate them. They are for the birds.


Anyways, we entered the restaurant and ordered our breakfast. We can make out from Hiren’s face that he could eat a horse and as expected he finished breakfast in no time. The look on his face said it all. He was over the moon. The innocent face was all smiles and it indicated his return to normalcy. We also had tea. Meanwhile, I booked a cab from OLA online cab service to take us to our final destination. It arrived and waited for us near Swami Narayan temple. We settled the dues of the restaurant, boarded the cab, and left for our home with gloomy faces as the vacation had ended and we would be leaving this fantastic company in some time.


The silence engulfed the cab. Except for the driver who was asking for directions no one was talking. We kept a stiff upper lip till the time we reached home. We dropped Sameer first and then Hiren dropped me before leaving for his dwelling. He was to board a flight to Toronto the next day. This was the last time we will be seeing him before he leaves for Toronto. We were eager to drop him at the airport but he had categorically asked us not to come to see him off as it becomes a very emotional affair. So, we waved him goodbye and wished him luck at the end of our trip. It was not a tear-jerker but it left a lump in our throats. The sun rises and sets on him. We hope that he comes back soon so that we can plan more unforgettable outings, which, I am sure, will continue till we breathe our last.

 

The Memoirs


Like all other trips, this too was a trip to remember. All the trips with my friends are memorable but this trip stands out. It stands out because we had Hiren for our company who was coming after 4 years. It stands out because we were only 3 people and we bonded well rather than a big group which always splits into smaller groups. It stands out because of the journeys we undertook, the food we ate, the people we met, the monuments we saw, the sceneries which we experienced, the riverfront, the roads we traversed, and the picturesque hamlets. It was one of those trips where everything went according to the plans. Though the tickets weren’t confirmed for the return journey we were never in a stew. We were sure that things will fall into place and indeed they did.


No two trips can be compared. Every trip has its pros and cons, its attractions and repulsions, its positives and negatives, its allurement and memories. Even this trip had its moments. When you plan a trip you decide the location and the reason why a particular location is chosen. Hampi was selected for its ruins and its history. We made it a point that we cover most of the monuments. Of course, the ruins were the main attraction but the things that stood out on this trip were the misty mornings, the relaxant hammock, the green fields, and the soothing effect it had on our stressed mind and soul. It was par excellence. It will always remain entwined in our brain cells.


How to describe the ruins and the monuments? Seldom do you see the beauty of God’s creation and the man’s creation coalesce at one place? Hampi is one such place. Every Indian should visit this place in his/her lifetime to understand the culture, the tradition and to treasure the mind-boggling structures. This is the place where man’s creation parallels God’s creation. This is the place where a person is flabbergasted with the monuments and their enormity. This is the place where a modern man fails to understand the abilities of the ancient/medieval man. This is the place where different cultures and religions co-exist. This is the place where God resides. This is the place where divinity and faith rule the heart of a man. This is the place you fall in love at first sight.

Its impossible to explore this place alpha and omega in such a short time but we took a fancy for this place. Every monument I crossed, a thought lingered in my mind, how did these people accomplish such a feat? How did they carve such beautiful buildings and temples out of boulders and rocks? How did the monuments look when they were newly built? Even the best of archaeologists and scientists are at a loss of words to the magnificence of these structures. There is a lot of theory regarding the construction of these monuments but no one has the answer to it. You will be mesmerized, hypnotized, and stupefied. You can praise, laud or glorify it but believe me, no words are enough to describe its brilliance.


People in our country are in awe of the monuments outside India but they are often not aware of or are not interested in the ancient ruins here in India. India is as ancient as man is. Numerous old structures are standing tall in various parts of India which are either lost to time or the apathy of man but they are the indicators of the richness and the magnificence of our heritage. Hampi is a part of medieval India. If Hampi can be so glorious one can imagine the glory of ancient India when ancient empires covered the length and breadth of the Indian subcontinent.


I can go on and on about the splendor of the Hampi remnants but one has to see it to believe the grandeur of these artifacts. Hampi is not only about the ruins and the Vijaynagara dynasty but also about the way the available resources were put to use to develop the city. It is a pity that people from all over the world throng to visit this place but we are ignorant or are unaware of this glorious location.


The magic of this place will always hypnotize us. The fun, the frolic, the company, the finger-licking food, the rollicking journey, the friendly banters, no hold barred leg-pulling, the exquisite calmness, the aura of the place, the ambience of the guest house, the enchanting music, the magical intoxication, friendly people, the majestic surroundings, the magnetizing nature all added to the charm and the success of our adventure. My camera captured every moment and saved it to the memory card just like my eyes captured every minute detail and saved it to my heart. These memories will be relished, cherished, and remembered after we are long gone through the medium of photographs and written material. The photographs and the literature may perish but the moments entrenched in our hearts, mind, and souls will always survive the test of time.


I hope my travelogue enlightens the people of our country to visit this place and experience it in its whole grandeur. Till the time you don’t visit Hampi, set sail with me through this literature and experience the charm of this place.


Ruins, for me, are the beginning. With the debris, you can create new ideas. They are the symbols of a beginning

Anselm Kiefer


Defaced ruins of architecture and statuary, like the wrinkles of the decrepitude of a once beautiful woman, only make one regret that one did not see them when they were enchantingHorace Walpole


All the information and the material related to the ruins, monuments, structures, and buildings in this travelogue has been taken from different websites.



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