Hampi is a tourist attraction in Karnataka, India. It was the centre of Vijayangara dynasty. The word Hampi is derived from Pampa (Parvathy) - Hampe - Hampi. It was the most luxurious city in Asia after Beijing centuries ago. People here lived a life of grandeur and leisure. It was very popular amongst traders of Persia, Portuguese and so on. The city has somehow managed to retain its lush existence under a dusty cover of history, just use your imagination to see it, that was what I did anyway. Note - It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site too. Your interest is piqued, right?
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| Hampi - Chariot Street & Virupaksha Temple |
On our 1st day, in the evening I was roaming about the Virupaksha temple, looking at those pillars, and could almost see a woman in her full glorious attire and hear the onomatopoeic sound of her anklet, playing hide 'n seek with me. I felt if I went behind that pillar I would see her, and she was going to scold me for my baggy khaki trousers and black cropped tee, "Come to my boudoir, I'm gonna teach you how to dress and how to be seductive!" As my mother constantly reminds me not to forget to be a girl!
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| Inside Virupaksha temple after Sunset |
On 2nd day in the morning we went straight to chariot street. It is in front of the Virupaksha temple. While walking through that street with my beau (so much wanted to use that word, at least once in my life, but honestly hate that word!) on my side could imagine the bargaining of the buyers and shopkeepers, as bargaining is in our Indian DNA, "Give me these brass bangles for 5 mudras, Yashaharini would be waiting for me at the king's balance", "No, no, I can't give them for less than 8 mudras", "Okay, 7", and a lover bought the spring time gift for his beloved, even before Archie's gallery and commercially crazy Valentines' day.
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| Ruins outside Vittala Temple complex |
This was the road, once upon a time was busy with the ragged sounds of chariots, bull carts. We took a left and start walking by the mountains, with Tungabhadra river on our left and rough, brown mountains on our right. These mountains could be merciless during summer. But fortunately we went to Hampi in winter, in January, according to me the ideal time. But even if it was winter I did not forget to slather myself with ample amount of sunscreen (to his absolute wide eyed horror)! While on this practical topic, I should mention, you need a really good pairs of sturdy shoes, and ultimate comfortable cloths, preferably linens, cottons. And most important- water. But at night during winter Hampi gets really chilly, be prepared for that too.
The Tungabhadra was beautiful like a landscape painting. There was patches of land-form in the river bed, rocks, emerald green shrubs. It was like some other kind of ecosystem. Also there one could see ruins of a bridge in the river-bed, the most unusual thing I've ever seen in my life.
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| Trek along the banks of Tungabhadra |
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| Trek trails captured from South bank with visible ruins on North bank |
From the time we started our little hike with Tungabhadra on our left and the rocky mountain on our right till Vittala temple we came across few more residues of the old Hampi that still managed to hold their ground against the tide of time.
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| Carvings along the trek trail |
There has to be a Courtesan street in every city irrespective of different era, empire, epoch or empathy! The oldest profession of the world always needs its own street. Hampi is no different. Again my imagination ran wild. I saw Uppamala standing there waiting for the next one, wondering whether he was going to ask for the girlfriend experience and in exchange she was to have a boyfriend experience, fake but worthy.
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| Achyutaraya Temple & Courtesan's Street |
Then we came to King's Balance. The balance was used to weigh the kings against the gems and golds on auspicious occasion, and here I was thinking it symbolizes justice, silly me!
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| The King's Balance |
After that we came across a ruined gate. The ornamentation on them reminded me of the border of a sari, the ultimate Indian attire!
We came to Vittala temple and its Gopuram. The work of bricks on the upper half of the stone structure Gopuram looked like a later added structure. Still did not get any opportunity to check it with any historian.
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| One of the gates of Vittala Temple |
In the courtyard of the Vittala temple was the stone Chariot. And there were high stages with 4 open sides standing erect with the help of the highly ornamented columns, the craftsmanship is breathtaking! I tried to give some dancing poses, but though my poses were great, my protruding paunch just ruined my otherwise gracious photographs!
The stone chariot in the courtyard of Vitthala Temple is synonymous with Hampi. It is an iconic symbol for everything Hampi stands for. The stone chariot is now on new ₹50 note.
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| The world Famous Stone Chariot |
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| Inside Vittala Complex. Go see for yourself and tell me what you find. |
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| The Musical Pillars at Vittala Temple - Try it to believe it |
One of the greatest subject of awe and mystery is musical pillars in the Ranga Mandapa. They produce "saragam" when struck by hands. These narrow and hollow pillars are parts of a bigger column. What amazed me is the marriage of imagination and engineering and what one could achieve from that - stone made structure that produces music.
Experience it:
Musical pillars at Vittala Temple complex
Next we headed for Elephant stable. Obviously elephants were like Lamborghini's BMW's for the ancient kings. The echoing massive structure surely made me feel like a Lilliput.
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| At Elephants Stable |
The queens bath only raised one question in my mind, why was it so much away from queens residence? It has to be far, because I did not see any residing place nearby.
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| Queen's Bath - Kamalapur |
While coming back from Elephant stable, we saw the lotus temple. The structure's similarity with a lotus is unmistakable.
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| Lotus Temple - Kamalapur |
The Hajara Rama temple is a perfect example of how the sculptors used to tell stories through their chisel and hammer.
That evening we went to sunset point and while waited for the sun to set, vigorously indulge ourselves with right amount of vanity into selfie taking business. On our right side we had the pinnacle of the Virupaksha temple. Finally the sun decided to set with its full glory and mind boggling colors. In the background the "aarti" the evening worship of the god started. That melodious chanting, the setting sun wrapped us in a mystic trance.
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| Discover your very own sunset point. Backdrop of Virupaksha Temple |
Next day we again went back to Chariot street. It was calling to us! And do you know one thing, now in my mind I know I have to go back again again and again to Hampi, to the chariot street. On one end is Virupaksha temple, and on the other side at the end of chariot street is a gate, at the foot of the hill. There is also the monolithic bull or "Nandi". At that gate we sat for hours, forgetting our mundane woes. My advice - please do the same when you are in Hampi.
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| Group of pillars at Chariot Street |
The dancers, the women sculpted on the walls of the structures would give anyone serious complex. But it would also give some new goals and motivation. My advice would be to go for it, it is only January, you have the whole year to achieve everything.
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| Sculpted beauties |
We stayed at Kamalapur, at Hotel Mayura Bhuvaneshwari, Karnataka Tourism Dept. It is a good place to stay. The rooms are very comfortable and surrounded by a lush green garden.
The dining room is very cozy and at the same time had a very festive vibe to it.
So when we reached Hampi, we came to know that there was a strike going on. Apparently the small cafe and sack owners around the Virupaksha temple, in the centre of Hampi have been asked to relocate. The government has decided to make the site as it was before all the commercialization. So, the small business owners' properties are going to be encroached by the govt. A good thought to retain and maintain the ambiance of a historical place. But it posits a serious threat to the livelihood of those people. But what I heard is there is a negotiation going on, and I hope all those property and business owners would be suitably compensated and rehabilitated.
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| Hampi - Walking distance from Sun set point |
This situation created a problem for us. Once we were out of the hotel which was few kilometers away from Hampi, what were we supposed to eat for lunch and etc. We could have packed something, but on our 1st day there we didn't know about the strike. So when we were searching for food helplessly, we found Geeta. Her family ran a cafe, and secretly taking in few customers. We went in, sat behind a huge refrigerator, and ordered egg and vegetable sandwiches and also tea, as they didn't have coffee or milk. It was freaking scrumptious. There was a book self. It had books of all possible languages on earth. Found a french Agatha Christie there too. Unthinkable! Geeta took really good care of us. Next 2 days we had lunch there. In a word she saved us.
The day we were coming back, our train was at 9:05 pm. So we decided to go to see another sunset, but this time over Tungabhadra dam. No need to say anything, see the photo.
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| Sunset at Hospet - Tungabhadra Dam |
How to go:
Trains are available to Hospet Jn (HPT). Buses are available from morning to late evening from Hospet to Hampi.
Where to Stay: Hampi, Hospet or you can stay across the river too. (ferry services available till 5 pm)
Best time to visit: November - February
Recommendations: You should plan a minimum of 3 nights and 4 days stay.
Day 1 - Kamalapura (major attractions: Lotus Mahal, Elephant Stable, Guards Quarters, Ranga Temple, Hajara Rama Temple, Pan supari Bazar, Queens Bath, Prasanna Virupaksha (Underground Shiva Temple), Stepped Tank
Day 2 - follow trek trails along the banks of the Tungabhadra from Hampi to Vittala Temple (2.5 kms) through King's Balance, Courtesan's Bazar, Varaha Temple and return to Hampi to enjoy the sunset at Sunset point. A visit to Virupaksha Temple complex after sunset is recommended.
Day 3 - Cross the river and enjoy the greenery and scenic beauty along with a few ruins.
Day 4 - Tungabhadra dam (locals refer it as TB Dam) & light house view point, T B Dam Zoo & Park with light and sound shows after sunset (Buses are available from Hospet to TB Dam)
*Bikes and cycles are available for rent in Hampi on both North and South banks of the river.
*Mobile network weak in Hampi
*No non-veg, no alcohol at Hampi
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