Hampi — A dramatic city filled with memories of Royalty, Repression and Recovery
If you are a 80’s kid, chances are that you were a die-hard fan of Malgudi days and Tenali Raman, one that a Chotta Bheem or a Doraemon lover of today cannot match. They had ceremonial followers, I was one too. Days passed and both Swami and Tenali slid away from the memories just like all other childhood fantasies, until a day while I was living in Bangalore and was hunting for my next solo destination and thought of Hampi! It was one of those ahaa moments of life, when you realize that now you will end up doing something that you always wanted to do as a kid!
Spread across 41 sq kms, Hampi is a UNESCO world heritage site and has close to about 1600 monuments. Hampi is where you can witness the evidence of an erstwhile richest city of medieval India — the famous Vijayanagar empire. Spoiler alert! If you aren’t a history lover or you don’t enjoy the curiosity while unfolding the mystery at these places, you may get annoyed. There isn’t much other than just broken (actually shattered is the real word) pieces of what was once a magnificent kingdom of one of the greatest rulers of ancient India, or so they say.
Well, in my case I am a bit of a history worm, hence I enjoy such places. I had similar experience when I visited Egypt or when we went to Kanheri Caves in Mumbai. Sort of those, who get thrilled at converting the current day ruins to the imaginary world of their pasts. You kind of travel back in time with them. There’s thrill in unraveling this mystery. What’s the fun when you have it all sorted out?... Aren’t our current lives kind of calculated master pieces where we have it all figured out anyways?.
I went to Hampi travelling overnight on a Friday evening to return on a Monday morning. Like most of places of South India, Hampi is very well connected from across places in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Goa, the closest town being Hospete. There are way too many things that you can do in Hampi. It is said that it was one of the richest, prosperous city and world’s second largest trading city after Beijing in the medieval era. It was the trading capital attracting Persian, European, Portuguese and Mughal travelers of 14th century.
Do you remember the Bedrock city from the prehistoric Flintstones?? Well, put on your glasses of imagination and witness the land of massive boulders and swaying palm trees all around. The city has ruins and monuments and there’s apparently a history behind every sculpture. Most of these are said to be built around 13th century under the rule of Vijayanagar kingdom. It’s picturesque landscape full of rocks and ruins attract many visitors all around the year. It’s one of the favorite destinations of people travelling from Israel and Europe. While history and culture are the top items of a tourists’ menu, there is also the conniving hippie color that adds flavor to the Hampi landscape. Across the Tungabhadra river lies the intriguing land of laid-back, distant travelers in quest of their non-judgmental emotionless surroundings.
Virupaksha temple, Krishna temple, Narasimha, Vittala temple and the Chariot, Lotus mahal, the tungabhadara river, the elephant stable, the round coracle boats and the hippie end of Anegundi are some of the must see places in Hampi. A minimum of 2N/3D will be ideal for a first timer at Hampi. There are two wheelers available on rentals and you can ride along the lush green paddy fields with clear fresh air. Hampi is also easy on your pocket as compared to the other touristy places around in India. It is advisable to hire a local guide who can plan your visits across these ruins and temples on the day one. Mostly you will begin your day with the Virupaksha temple followed by the elephant stables, Lotus mahal to the Vittala temple and others.
All of these you can cover on a single day by foot. Beware, there is lot of walking around. But there are also electric or regular rickshaws available for touring. Try to close your day with a hike up on the Matanga hill to watch the sunset. It is a beautiful view of the landscape. Virupaksha temple has some amazing intricate stone carvings and you will end up with beautiful clicks. There is also a huge Hanuman temple with lots of monkeys all around the place. The Vittala temple has musical stone pillars with carvings all around and also the temple complex has a stone chariot which is a must see. All other monuments you will see are equally stunning with impeccable architecture. You will get quite blown away with the engineering marvel of the stepped tank. Also the gorgeous statue of Narasimha. It is a monolithic statue standing tall to validate the outstanding skilled workmanship almost 700 years ago. Don’t visit to pass by the Hemkuta hill nearby as your move around as it gives the best view of the place.
July to December is the best time to visit Hampi. When you visit do not miss the Coracle boat ride to the hippie side of he city. They are small eco-friendly boats which are unique to Hampi and will cut short your travel by hours. On the other end of Hampi lies the mini-Goan paradise. With some amazing home stays and cottages, this will make your visit worth the effort! This place also provides you with amazing western cuisines right from exotic pastas to conventional meaty sandwiches. There are beers, shacks and karaoke. Everything that you would expect from a hippie place. I loved sneaking around this place all by myself.
Hope you enjoyed my story as much as I did. Lots and lots of more stories to share…
Well, till next time.. just travel!
Cheers!
Sandy
