12th January 2019
I had read somewhere that watching a sunset in Hampi is a magical experience. The sun gradually sinks behind the boulders in the distance, painting them in a hue of golden orange as the sky goes from red to a violet and then a dark blue hue and slowly the night sky casts its shadow on the landscape of ruins. But alas, I had managed to miss it! I was completely heartbroken as I watched the drama unfold at the horizon, from the foothills of the Anjaneya hill. “Happy Hampi!” they say, however I was anything but happy as I left for Bangalore the next morning. I promised myself I would come back soon and I did…
A year later.
As the motorcycle rumbled on, something took me by surprise. The rays of glittering sunlight emanating from a large body of water bounced off my helmet, almost blinding me for a moment. “Tungabhadra”, I whispered to myself with a smile. Well, not the river but the reservoir which welcomes you to Hospet, around 12km from Hampi. Soon enough the landscape underwent a transformation. The lifeless concrete structures from the city were replaced by the coconut trees and banana leaves, all swaying to the tune of the cool morning breeze. The rocky terrain and the scenery of boulders soon followed and my mind went: “How the hell aren’t those things falling off?!” as I crossed the Sister Stones. I remember something similar crossing my mind the last time I visited. Seriously, it’s marvellous how the boulders have been precariously balancing on each other for ages and it takes a million efforts for us humans to get it right just once on Janmashtami.
I headed for the guest house first where I had booked my accommodation in advance. A refreshing shower and a fulfilling breakfast later, I was back on the road. Hampi is an open museum, a photographer’s delight; reason enough for me to make my third visit then. But aside this picturesque landscape largely made up of boulders, that seem to extend beyond your field of view, with towering coconut trees dispersed amongst them and the ancient mythical ruins that remind you of the once existence of the royal kingdom of Vijaynagara that sure attracts the photographer in me, Hampi seems to have an aura surrounding it that has managed to cast a spell on my mind. It’s not even surprising that while writing this article, I had already marked Hampi as the first destination I would visit once the Covid induced lockdown was over.
The Hampi Bazaar street was surprisingly crowded for a Friday afternoon. Navigating my way through the herds of devotees and auto rickshaw drivers hounding every tourist for a tour, I reached the entrance of the Virupaksha temple.
The temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is one of the oldest temples and structures in India. Dating back to the 7th century, the temple was originally only a shrine before the subsequent rulers of Vijaynagara expanded it to the vast temple as it stands today. The Virupaksha temple is definitely a prominent landmark of Hampi, with its monumental Gopura (entrance tower) watching over the entire town. It’s impossible to miss it as it warmly welcomes you. The temple is carved entirely in stone with its walls and columns, all decorated in beautiful sculptures from mythology, the meaning of which is still beyond my understanding, nevertheless fascinating.
At the entrance of the temple, I was informed that the temple was closed and would only reopen in a couple hours (post 3 pm), however I could still enter the complex. This was definitely a bummer as during my last visit, I hadn’t had a chance to take a complete tour of the temple due to time restrictions. However, I went in hoping to see something that I might I have missed before. Surprisingly, the temple in spite of being closed was still crowded with devotees. The devotion of human beings to god mesmerizes me at times, I thought to myself “These people would rather wait here than rest inside their guest houses or hotels.”
I indulged in some photography, before heading out towards the Hemakuta hill.
Hemakuta hill is next to the Virupaksha temple and provides a gorgeous view of the temple. Although I have never been to Hampi during monsoon, I could imagine how dramatic the view would be. The majestic temple with the hills and boulders forming the backdrop, the clouds forming a grey carpet in the sky with the sun trying its best to find a way through and deliver at least one of its beautiful golden rays of hope… If only I could paint.
But back in real time, it was sunny. The sun had assumed its position in the upper echelon of the sky and was spitting fire in all directions. I climbed up, exploring its rocky expanse as there are a couple of ruins scattered across the hill. The place was completely isolated except a couple of squirrels scampering across in search of food. I wondered if that fireball in the sky was responsible for this. Completely drained in no time, I headed towards the bus stop for some refreshment.
I spent more time exploring the area near the bus stop. There are a couple of temples including the Saasivekaalu Ganesha temple, Badavilinga temple, Laskhmi Narsimha temple and Krishna temple & bazaar. The Krishna bazaar, on the opposite side of the temple includes a climb down into an open pasture. The market had a long narrow corridor with pillars on both sides. These markets used to trade in precious stones, gold, silver etc. and bustling with life, but now are a shadow of their glorious selves, with the barren corridors having been taken over by the weed and grass.
A walk along the ruins of the bazaar leads to the Krishna temple tank or step well or Pushkarani. Most of the bigger temples in Hampi have a tank attached to them, but most of them are also in a ruined state. These tanks used to cater to rituals associated with the temples and were considered sacred. The Krishna temple tank courtesy its location remained isolated from the tourists. It also provided me with a much deserved relief from the sun, as I sat there under the shade trying to recover my lost stamina before marching on with the rest of the tour.
Fortunately my guest house was close to the bus stop. I couldn’t imagine walking all the way back to the Hampi bazaar in those conditions. I remember on my last trip, the weather was so hot I was roaming around with my helmet on, just to protect my face from the heat! Upon reaching the guest house, I hopped onto my motorcycle and headed towards the site of the excavation of the kingdom of Vijaynagara. This is where the famous Lotus Mahal, Queen’s bath and the stepped tank are located.
The sight of the ruins just transport you back to those hidden pages from history. Even though barely anything remains today, it was one of the most glorious and prosperous empires in Indian history during its existence.
The story of Vijaynagara begins with two brothers, Harihara and Bukka Raya, popularly known as Hakka Bukka. Under the guidance of their guru Vidyaranya, they established their kingdom with Vijaynagara as its capital. However, things were different before the brothers arrived on the scene. Southern India was never united and had constant conflicts among themselves. With a view to take advantage of this and expand their reach, the Mughals started invading the southern region. Braveheart’s script may have been inspired by the story of Hakka Bukka, as they united and gathered all the kings to fight the Mughals and prevailed. The kingdom was however at its zenith during the reign of Krishna Dev Raya. The bazaars used to be bustling with the trade of precious stones and gold as Vijaynagara had established itself as an important centre of trading. But post his death in 1529, things started going downhill. It was eventually seized by Mughals as they ransacked the city and buried it into damnation until it was discovered in 1800.
I was transported back to the modern day during the golden hours. Confused which way I should be heading next, I decided upon the Matanga hill.
My last visit was an impulsive decision. I decided I would ride to Hampi on a Friday evening and whoosh, there I was on Saturday. No planning went into it and I had no itinerary. This meant a constant hustle from one place to another, often reaching after time. However, I was now more certain on the places I wanted to cover and when. I rode towards the Matanga hill and parked my motorcycle at its foothills. Matanga hill is a popular location for watching both sunrise and sunset and rightfully so considering it’s the highest viewpoint in Hampi and offers a spectacular view of the town.
The climb up is a tricky trail through a cluster of boulders and rocks. It took me around 20min to reach the Veerabhadra Temple atop the hill, which is also the ‘sunset’ point. On the way close to the top is a shrine which offers a great view of the sunset, something I found out first hand. Considering just how popular this spot, it wasn’t surprising there were a couple of tourists already when I reached. We all waited in anticipation as the sun was slowly dipping, almost teasing us. Meanwhile as we all wait for that beautiful moment, let me interest you in some mythology.
Matanga hill has an importance in Hindu mythology. As mentioned in Ramayana, the hill was a heritage of Rishi Matanga, after whom the hill is now named. The Vanar king Vali of Kiskinda, the son of Indra, killed a demon called Dundhuvi and threw its corps on to the hill. This angered the rishi and he cursed Vali that he could never take a step on this sacred hill. Few years later, Mayavi, the son of Dundhuvi wanted to avenge his father’s death and challenged Vali. As the battle lead on, Vali chased Mayavi into a cave and asked his brother Sugreeva to guard the cave’s entrance. Assuming Vali was killed while inside the cave, Sugreeva closed the entrance. However, Vali later emerged from the cave and tried to kill Sugreeva for his betrayal and drove him out of the kingdom. Hanuman had kept him company all along. Later Sugreeva returned and challenged Vali to a fight. Vali dominated him and was about to kill him when Lord Rama stepped in and killed Vali with an arrow. Sugreeva was then crowned as the king.
Post sunset, I climbed back down which was a lot more difficult than I had imagined, with the darkness of the dusk not helping. Having spent some time in the Hampi bazaar, I had my dinner at the Mango Tree restaurant which is pretty well known among tourists. Later, I returned to my guest house as I retired for the day.
Next morning, I went back to the Matanga hill to explore the area north of it. This is where the Achyutaraya temple is located. The temple’s location was off the tourist radar which meant there was no one aside me. I relished the tour of the complex in isolation. The temple in itself, its market street, the cloister and the two towers that formed the entrance to the temple were all in a ruined state. Unlike most other temples in Hampi that still housed a deity, this was completely devoid of one. I am aware of the history of Hampi but it seemed odd that this particular temple was in such a sorry state when the others were still functional.
After having my breakfast at the guest house, I left this heritage side of Hampi towards the other side across Tungabhadra river, Anegundi. The road route from Hampi to Anegundi is a long one, around 22 km and takes 45 minutes to cover. The other route is a boat ride across the river which barely takes 10 minutes. Obviously, I had no choice but to hit the road and I was glad I had to take it.
The boulder strewn landscape of Hampi now had company from the lush green paddy fields and quaint villages. As soon as I reached the Hippie island as it’s famously known, I saw the contrast between the two sides of Hampi. The heritage side of Hampi is more religious and has a spiritual aura around it courtesy the countless temples and devotees from all parts of the country who visit them. Moreover this also adds a chaos to it as there are barely any places where you wouldn’t find a herd of tourists. Hippie island on the other hand was deserted and extremely laidback. Life rolled forward at a snail’s pace if at all. At times it was so quite that the only sounds I could hear were the roar of my motorcycle’s exhaust and the breeze whistling past the rice fields.
I had trouble finding the homestay where I had booked myself, but fortunately found a group of locals who had heard of it and guided me there. Most of the accommodation options here are simple with little to offer in terms of amenities but are equally cheap as well. A lot of them are run by foreigners who come to Hampi, fall in love with it and make it their home. However, some of them are run by the locals in the form of homestays. The one where I stayed was run by a single mother who had two kids and two dogs. The dogs seemed afraid of humans until I lured them with biscuits and won their trust. The woman looked in her mid 30s and my admiration for her sky rocketed when she told me she had been running the homestay all by herself for a couple of years, alongside taking care of her farm and kids. She rented two rooms to tourists and provided an option for tent accommodation as well. There were couple of foreigners in there who had occupied the tents and were playing a game of cards in the courtyard when I arrived, while having discussions over everything under the sky.
Hippie island has little to offer in terms of the typical tourist attractions. Some of the hotspots include the Hanuman temple perched atop the Anjaneya hill overlooking the Tungabhadra river, which also is a popular sunset point and Sanapur lake where one can experience a coracle ride. There is a bazaar next to the river which has a plenty of cafes, shacks and stores lined up. There are a couple of activities on offer for the adventure junkies like bouldering and cliff jumping at Sanapur lake. As for the literal junkies, ‘if you have to ask, you will never know. If you know, you need only ask.’
I dumped the luggage, had my brunch and headed towards Sanapur Lake. The road to the lake is an uphill climb and takes you over a canal. Enroute, there is a huge a field of rice plantations on one side, which was glistening under the harsh sunlight. The lake is completely hidden as it’s guarded by a hill of boulders on all sides. The moment it catches your attention, you are taken by surprise at its beauty which I thought laid in its simplicity. Unlike most other lakes you encounter in a tourist destination, Sanapur lake had no signs of commercialization around it. Just a body of water, mirroring the emotions of the sky above it, with a barrage of boulders overlooking it and a couple of coracles lying face down on its shore eagerly awaiting the next ride;
The sun hadn’t been kind at all for two days in a row and the blue waters of the lake really tempted me to take a dive in. I saw a couple of guys swimming and having a time of their lives which definitely added fuel to the fire. I needed no invitation as I parked my motorcycle near the lake and dived straight in. The water was cold and that exactly was the need of the hour. The guys turned out to be a part of a trekking group from Pune who were on a tour themselves. Being from Mumbai myself, it felt good meeting some fellow Maharashtrians away from home. Later I headed out with them on a coracle ride. When I climbed out of the water, I was wondering how I was going to manage with the wet clothes on, but the heat took care of it as I was almost completely dried out by the time the ride ended. Post the coracle ride, I bid them goodbye as they were heading towards the other side of Hampi while I wasn’t in a mood to go anywhere. I found a boulder on the lakeshore that offered protection against the fiery weather and decided to lay down. For the first time on the trip, my mind was blank. I wasn’t sure it was because I was tired or Hippie island had cast its spell on me, but I didn’t really mind it. Although there were a couple of tourists around, I had managed to create a bubble of solitude around myself in which I laid comfortably.
…
The sky was streaked with a dispersed hue of orange as the clouds had arranged themselves in a close formation. The sun had been playing hide and seek for over an hour until it got tired of it and disappeared completely without a hint. I had sensed the disappointment of people around me who were expecting a more dramatic sunset but I didn’t reciprocate it.
The climb up the Anjaneya hill involved approximately 600 steps. I was counting each one of them as I made my way up but lost track once I hit a huge crowd of students, who looked like belonged to a local school, all of them chanting ‘Jay Hanuman’ in unison while climbing up. Anjaneya hill is regarded as the birthplace of Lord Hanuman and it felt quite ironic that all the way through the climb, swarms of monkeys kept the tourists company. It took around 20min to reach the top and I was already pretty content. Almost a year ago, I had managed to reach the bottom of the hill but had been a tad bit late for sunset. This time though, I had plenty of time at hand as the sunset was another hour away. I spent some time outside the temple watching the devotees make their offerings. The temple complex had been completely invaded by the monkeys as they were feasting on anything edible they could find. I peeped inside the temple and noticed a priest offering ‘aarti’ to an idol of Lord Hanuman and another one offering ‘prasad’. I was tempted but decided against it considering it would be gluttony to accept it without any participation.
The view from the top was simply breathtaking; the boulders that seemed to expand without a boundary, Tungabhadra river meandering through the rocky terrain, the lush paddy fields decorated with coconut trees and the Virupaksha temple in the distance, a man made wonder carved out of the same rocks that formed the majority of the landscape. However the sky that had been clear for most part of the day had suddenly gathered a kitty party with the clouds. As someone who loves watching sunrise and sunsets, who doesn’t mind going the extra distance if it meant capturing the stunning palette the sky dresses itself in as the sun kisses the horizon, knew that a blanket of grey clouds are the worst enemy of this nature’s beautiful phenomenon. And yet, I didn’t seem to mind it. It was as if it had dawned on me that things may not always go as per one’s expectations and there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s what keeps the hope alive of a better tomorrow and encourages you into moving on. I doubt I would have visited Hampi again, at least not within such a short time had it not been for the burning hope that my next trip would be better. And it was, it truly was.
A visit to Hampi is incomplete without a tour of the Vitthala temple. I had left the best for the last as I arrived at around 9am at the temple parking. I was taken aback at the line of tourists waiting for the E-kart which is the only mode of transport available between the parking and temple entrance. You can obviously walk but it may not always be the best choice considering Hampi stays hot for most part of the day. However, considering it was still early morning, I chose the latter option fully knowing the frequency of the karts isn’t the best coupled with the size of the crowd, meant I would be wasting time waiting in the line.
Vitthala temple is easily the most exquisite amongst all structures in Hampi. As you enter the temple complex, you are welcomed by the magnificent Stone Chariot. I had assumed like most other structures, this one would too be monolithic but some research threw light on the fact that is built out of couple of giant granite blocks. There elephants sit in front of the chariot facing the temple. It may look like they are pulling the chariot, but closer inspection shows they are a separate structure in itself. Even the chariot with its four wheels is actually supported on a rectangular granite slab with the wheels only mimicking their actual function.
Facing the chariot is the main hall of the temple also called the Maha Mantapa. The hall is supported on beautifully carved monolithic pillars. These pillars are described as Musical Pillars and I overheard a guide mention that they emit the ‘Saat Suras’ when tapped. However, it is now prohibited to touch the pillars to ensure their preservation. The complex has a couple other halls, however their significance is alien to me. It’s imperative to hire a guide if you are truly interested, as there no written descriptions provided. The temple also has its own bazaar outside the complex, similar to the ones outside Virupaksha and Krishna temples.
My brief tour of Hampi had come to an end but I was desperate to stay longer. I hadn’t yet explored Hampi in its entirety and there were hidden gems and easter eggs I knew had missed. The ruins have so much to tell that it isn’t possible to attend to each one of them in such a short time. The coconut trees continued to sway in the morning breeze the way they did on my arrival, a horse was grazing in the pastures as I gazed upon him from my saddle, a herd of goats had invaded the broken road oblivious to the incoming traffic and the Sister Stones bid me goodbye as I rumbled past them, promising I would return soon enough. Hampi sure has a captivating aura around it that keeps calling you back to it over and over again.
