Hampi - Revitalizing Ruins

Well, a short introduction on how we decided on the place. We had initially thought of Coorg, and had only the Sunday to explore it. It was after someone said that more than two places were not doable in a single day in Coorg, we decided that the toss up was between Mangalore and Hampi. A few searches, and two hours of reading later, we had decided on our location. Hampi it was.

To start off, this was not a trip on a shoe-string budget. Air conditioned travel both ways, eating at joints where we were the only Indians without an American/European accent (the Indians with the accents were the waiters) and thinking of pleasure before pockets was the way we went forward with this trip.

We went via an overnight train, Hampi Express. This train provides a great example of taking the long route to touch your nose, as it snailed through towns in Andhra before coming back to Karnataka. Bookings need to be done at least 10 days in advance, else chance it with Tatkal like we we did! The train drops you to Hospet, from where you can take an auto or bus to Hampi. The former would cost approx INR 125-150 during the season, which is November to February. Alternatives are buses by KSRTC and private carriers, or taking your own vehicle on roads which are mainly well maintained national highways

First stop was a restuarent called the Mango Tree, a niche restaurant in the sense that all seats were facing towards the valley with the Tungabhadra snaking through. Thus, even when crowded, one is assured of a great view!



This view combined with a cool, gentle breeze and Mushroom Omlette, variations of Lassi and an Europeanised Samosa made me want to just doze off and enjoy there.

But, we had a long way to go! Exploring a city in one day is ambitious at best, and starting after a long sumptuous breakfast, it becomes even more daunting. We started off, walking towards Hampi Bazaar, enjoying the local sights and sounds



After visiting the Virapaksha temple, which has existed in some form or the other since the 7th century, it was time to conquer the Hemakuntha hill, which was an easy climb. The views we got from there were simply superb, and are the images I will remember Hampi by




After the initial burst, it was time to explore Hampi in detail. If you've discovered other travel blogs you may have read that Hampi can be covered in a day, but better to do it over 2-3 days. It's true, and not from the perspective of an archaeologist or an arts connoisseur. And I would advice you to rent a bike/ cycle based on the time you have at hand and the weather. (We had rented bikes) The whole idea, as I understand now is that to appreciate the city, a single day does not do, and hence, like our trip, this entry will skim over thousand places that could have been visited in detail, but skipped due to paucity of time and attention span of the reader(the Stepped Bath, Zenana Enclosures, the Elephant stables, Noblemen's quarters, the Band Tower - the list is endless)!.

One place which did stay with me was the Hazarrama temple. Depicting the Ramayana epic through sculptings on the outer walls, you can just imagine the storyteller chiselling each rock, the result which would inspire the metropolis about good triumphing over evil. The pillars in the temple have carvings on black stone, which give the temple a distinguished feel to it.








After the visits, it was time for lunch, and we picked out a place recommended on LonelyPlanet - Durga Roof Top. Though the food was bland, the style of preparation was good (you can ask the chef to spice it up), and the ambiance very relaxing - you could lie down and enjoy your meal - the setting is almost as comfortable as your bed! Oh, and the dessert (a must have), "Hello to the Queen" amalgamates hot chocolate sauce, bananas, cookie crumbles, nuts and ice-cream into a sinful extravaganza - but worth the calories one gained.

We had time for one last round before sunset, so we decided to view the sunset from the Hemakunta - the azure sky blending with the red sun, creating the picture perfect hues



And with that, we had to start our journey back to Bangalore. The limbs were exhausted, but the mind and heart yearned for more.

As our rickety auto trundled out of Hampi, I could not help but feel respect for the creators of this empire which showcased India to the world a few centuries back.

Photo Credits : Harsh Narsinghani, Abhishek Haritwal, Gaganjot Singh and Myself

Cautions : You might consider clubbing Tunghabhadra dam with this tour. If you are, make sure you go to the dam in the day. Also, Hampi closes down by 6 - so there is no nightlife in the city as such. The resorts are there, though, but you need to cross the river by 6 for that.

Special Attractions : The entire city will be lighted up in the evenings and curfew time would be extended. So if the blog inspired you to visit the place, 3rd - 5th January, 2012 is not a bad time.

Special Mention : The people of Hampi and Hospet were extremely friendly. The better parts in an exceedingly wonderful trip was the interaction with locals.

Cost from Bangalore : If you're not staying overnight, you can make the trip from Bangalore in Rs. 800-1800, and that includes lavish meals :)