A bus/train drops you off at Hospet and you are half an hour bus ride away from Hampi. Nothing prepares you for what lies ahead at the end of this bus ride. It is different. Colossal boulders, old column structures, stretch of ragged mountains! It all seems a part of someone’s precipitous intervention, inspiring a sense of spiritual mystery, awe and fascination. The architectural brilliance unfolding in front of you from the bygone days is a transcendental experience.
Boulders seemed to be the most prominent feature of Hampi. They had a sense of appeal, a sense of drama that would compel you to wonder how life would have been here once upon a time! The mysterious stone structures are the finest specimens of medieval Indian architecture spread across acres. Hampi, a medieval town that still retains its charm, makes you enjoy the present.
Hampi is for you. A historian, a traveler, a tourist, a resident, a student, a photographer, an archaeologist and so on. Yes for everyone. Civil, military and religious structures, bustling bazar, awestruck tourists and travelers alike, echo the life on one side of the Tungabhadra River. We were curious to see the other side!
A boat ride helps you reach the other side. I felt I was in foreign land. The scene completely transforms. You see travelers from all over the world going about their simple daily life. Backpackers whizzing around the country side, through small villages and along dirt tracks. Tie dye clothing articles, bongo drums, ginger-lemon honey tea, German bakery, neon green paddy fields, and ochre landscape echo Hampi’s laid back Indian style on this side of the river. It’s an elusive, enigmatic experience whose true potential you will be able to realize only after you visit the place.
A magnanimous city of boulders, an effortlessly beautiful landscape and simple happy people add an ethereal glow to Hampi. So go visit and allow yourself to sync in with the slow rhythm of life on the historic settlement.