Traveling during monsoon has its' own perks! On one hand, there is less crowd which allow us to see the place more leisurely than counting heads of people. On the other hand, it gives a fresher and greener look to the whole landscape. One such trip was to Aurangabad last year, another being to Hampi.
Getting to Hampi from Hyderabad is easy as one can easily drive or take the overnight train to Hospet which is just 12kms away from Hampi. One thing that impressed us immediately after being in Hampi was the cleanliness of the place even after having a huge tourist influx to this heritage site in recent times!
My sole purpose of this second visit to the place was to recollect the memories of my first visit to this this tiny town with my friends almost 15 years ago. Cycling through the muddy roads, we had visited each and every site filling the place with our laughter and chatter.
Located in the banks of Tungabhadra river with bright green paddy fields all around and boulder strewn landscape, Hampi was the main centre of Hindu Vijayanagara Empire in the 14th century. It was a buzzing and grand city that thrived due to its' trade of precious gems and jewelry. Sadly, all this came to an end in the 16th century when the Muslim sultanates rummaged and destroyed the city and its' magnificent monuments.
There are references about Hampi in Hindu Puranas and in Ramayana. Read the story that connects the name Hampi with Ramayana here.
If you are a serious history buff then it is definitely recommended to spend at least three days exploring this glorious place as the monuments here to visit are numerous and spread over 40 kms area. The towering piles of boulders of the place is a favourite not just among backpackers but also with regular tourists. It takes you back in time as if it is telling you to slow down, relax and observe this vast piece of land leisurely without any hurry.This blog post is a small attempt to show tiny bits of the many monuments that surround this glorious land.
The Virupaksha temple is the oldest and the principal shrine among all the monuments in Hampi. Spread across a huge complex, the temple attracts many people not just for religious purposes but for temple elephant Laksmi that one can spot right next to the entrance. She is a very friendly elephant and can bless the ones who are generous enough to spare Rs.10 to her. One can even see her getting a bath in the river next to the temple every morning.
Inside Virupaksha temple...
Rows of pillars inside Virupaksha temple...
View of temple from Hemakuta hills...
The Hemakuta hill adjacent to the temple attracts many photographers for the sunset scenes it offers in the evening. The place also serves as a favourite meditation spot for peace lovers. When we were on the hills exploring all the monuments, it was so quiet and peaceful as if the hills were inviting us to sit and meditate there. But my daughter was so excited to hike through the area that she preferred to be photographed in the 'meditation pose'.
Hemakuta hill
The two important monolithic idols such as the Saasivekalu (mustard seed- shaped belly) Ganesha and Kadalekalu (Gram-shaped belly) Gansesha can be reached by a short hike through the Hemakuta hills. While Sasivekalu monolith is 7.9 feet tall, the Kadalekalu monolith is 15 feet tall. These monoliths are erected on pillared open mantapas.
Sasivekalu Ganesha idol..
Pillars of Kadalekalu Ganesha temple against the backdrop of Virupaksha temple...
Adjacent to the hills located are the Krishnadevaraya temple and market complex. The market complexes or the 'bazaars' as they are popularly called, with rows of pillars on both sides of the roads are a sight to behold. The temple was built by Krishnadevaraya to commemorate a victory of his war with the king Gajapathi. For this he brought a Little Krishna idol and installed it by building this temple. There are carvings from Sri Krishna's life on the pillars of the temple. There lies a 'Pushkareeni'/ a stepped tank that served for various utility purposes of the citizens. A few steps away from the temple, we can see the monolith Narasimha and Badavalinga statues.
Krishnadevaraya temple
Carvings on the 'gopuram' of Krishnadevaraya temple...
It was almost the end of monsoon season yet the Sun played hide and seek when we visited these places making the sky look more dramatic. The paddy fields added an extra shade of green to the surrounding patch of fields. The Thungabhadra river had given lot of opportunities for the visitors to enjoy the coracle rides which is very popular among the tourists. Walking along the river bank one can reach the Achyutarya temple complex. Though ruined, the elaborate road that lead to the temple and stone pillars of the bazaar suggest that the complex must have been major market place during its' happier times. The temple was built by Krishnadevaraya's brother Achyutharaya. This is believed to be replica of the Vittala temple.
Tungabhadra river
The 'bazaars' infront of Achyutaraya Temple...
The second day was totally dedicated to visiting the Vittala temple complex, other major monuments such as Lotus Mahal , Elephant stable and Anjanadri hill. We hired an auto rickshaw for this as Vittala temple complex is located beyond Kamalapur, a small village 3-4 kms away from Hampi. If you are a cycling enthusiast then it is recommended to hire bicycles as they are readily available for rent at each guest house. Vittala complex is one of the most artistic among all the other temple complexes in Hampi. The taxis and autos are allowed to enter only upto a certain point from where we need to take a shared bus or electric vehicle for two kilometers. As we reached the temple complex, the main entrance, though ruined, stood ceremoniously welcoming us. It is in this complex that the famous Stone Chariot is located. There was a rush among many visitors to click a photograph of the chariot with a new 50 rupee in hand as the same chariot has been imprinted on it.
In front of the stone chariot is the 'sabha mantapa' or the community hall that houses 56 stone carved beams that is believed to be musical. It is the variation in the diameter, shape, size and surface finish in the beams that produces musical sounds similar to mridangam, jalatharang, thalam, damaru etc. Visitors are not allowed inside this mantapa now.
Vijaya Vittala temple complex...
The Gajashaale or the Elephant stables consists of 11 square chambers and a staircase to reach the upper floor. The sun shone brightly that day by making the sky look more blue than usual. The green meadows infront of the Elephant stable played a colour riot to give the place a perfect look. The same complex houses the Lotus Mahal. A two storeyed pavilion, it was built in the form of a Hindu mandala design. Made from a paste of lime and sand, it was also called the Chitrangini Mahal/ Kamala Mahal, the exact purpose of which is not yet known.
The Elephant stable
Lotus Mahal
The Hazara Rama temple is another nearby temple that is worth the visit. The temple was dedicated to Rama, an avatar of Vishnu and served as the ceremonial temple for the royal family. The main four pillars made of black stone depict carvings of Rama, Lakshamana, Sita that attract a lot of attention. The outer walls portray carvings from Hindu Dasara and Holi festival.
The exterior of Hazara Rama Temple
Interior of Hazara rama temple
Carving on the temple walls...
All through the visits to these monuments there was very less crowd but we saw a sudden surge of visitors as soon as we had entered the enclosure that was called the 'Queen's Bath'. There were people everywhere. This striking enclosed space, with Indo-Islamic style of architecture, is rectangular in shape. A large sunken bath is constructed in the middle of the building, it had connections with canals for water inlet and outlets for discarding used water. Though called the Queen's Bath, it was most probably used as a private bathing chamber by kings and their wives.
This brings into another interesting fact about the kingdom of the bygone era- the water infrastructure. Hampi rulers built an ostentatious network of aqueducts and canals to provide water to various buildings, tanks and temples. The various water tanks built near all the important temple complexes are an evidence to this. These tanks in turn were connected to various canals. Archaeological excavations conducted in the 1900s has revealed a whopping 23 wells within Hampi.
The Manmata tank near Virupaksha temple and the square stepped water tank near Mahanavami Dibba are living examples of the water infrastructure.
Manmata tank...
Stepped tank near Mahanavami Dibba
A little away from the stepped tank is an elevated square stage called as the Mahanavami Dibba/ Dasara Dibba. It has three ascending square platforms that lead to a large, open square platform. It was built by Krishnadevaraya to commemorate his victory over Udayagiri (now in Odissa). The festival of Dasara was celebrated here. It was also used as a stage to watch various performances, war games, wrestling and bow and arrow competitions. The top part of the stage can be reached through a flight of stairs made of stone. The stairs are high and steep and takes quite an effort to reach the top. The lower level of the platform has reliefs carved on theme of various activities- dances, elephant and horse marching and people playing Holi. The Chinese, Arabic and Portuguese connections with the kingdom are visible through the carvings on the these platforms. The open platform on the top gives a 360 degree view of the surrounding relics and monuments.
The steps leading to the square platform...
The most interesting part of the days trip came when we took the the 20 kms auto ride to Anegundi (also referred to as Kishkinda in Hindu Mythology). Passing through lush green paddy fields, we had reached what was supposed to be the birth place of Lord Hanuman, Anjanadri Hills. The entrance of the temple that led to a small pathway which eventually led to a flight of 550 steps is a favourite among devotees to show their devotion towards the monkey- God. Apprehensions had lurked in my head as I had stood in front of the labyrinth of stone pathways whether to venture it out or not considering the kind of back problem I had. The energy and enthusiasm of my girl and hubby did encourage me to take the steps and reach the top! The view and windy calmness as we had reached the top of the hill was totally worth the task we had undertaken. There are plenty of monkey- 'kings' near the temple. The beauty of banana plantation and paddy fields laid midst the boulders of Hampi town seemed to be more scenic from that point. It is a perfect place to sit and gaze at the never-ending rock formation that are synonymous with Hampi.
Hanuman temple on Anjanadri hill...
Virupaksha temple seen from Anjanadri Hill
Paddy fields, banana plantation and river Tungabhadra on the side
By the time we had come back from the hill, my face was completely sunburned. The sun was quite generous that day to shower all that love on my skin. With a burning sensation all over my face I had come back to the room to rest. The weather and the landscape on the following morning was a complete transformation again. From our rooftop restaurant we could see the river flowing in full force. We did not believe it at first. But later the news hit us all that the crest gates of Hospet Dam had been opened and all water was entering Hampi in full force. By that evening many places had to be evacuated fearing a flood situation. It was the first time we had witnessed something like that and we were aw-stuck. The Kodandarama temple that we had seen the previous day was half- submerged, the Tungabhadra river shore where we had missed to go for a coracle ride was flowing in full force sweeping away everything on its' way. It was an exhilarating as well as very tense situation. Luckily, we were to leave the place that afternoon which also gave us a chance to visit the Dam at Hospet.
View of Tungabhadra Dam...
Soon after this visit we had reached the railway station only to learn that our train had been delayed for 5 hours due to heavy rains in the surrounding areas. What a perfect end for a delightful holiday!
Getting to Hampi from Hyderabad is easy as one can easily drive or take the overnight train to Hospet which is just 12kms away from Hampi. One thing that impressed us immediately after being in Hampi was the cleanliness of the place even after having a huge tourist influx to this heritage site in recent times!
My sole purpose of this second visit to the place was to recollect the memories of my first visit to this this tiny town with my friends almost 15 years ago. Cycling through the muddy roads, we had visited each and every site filling the place with our laughter and chatter.
Located in the banks of Tungabhadra river with bright green paddy fields all around and boulder strewn landscape, Hampi was the main centre of Hindu Vijayanagara Empire in the 14th century. It was a buzzing and grand city that thrived due to its' trade of precious gems and jewelry. Sadly, all this came to an end in the 16th century when the Muslim sultanates rummaged and destroyed the city and its' magnificent monuments.
There are references about Hampi in Hindu Puranas and in Ramayana. Read the story that connects the name Hampi with Ramayana here.
If you are a serious history buff then it is definitely recommended to spend at least three days exploring this glorious place as the monuments here to visit are numerous and spread over 40 kms area. The towering piles of boulders of the place is a favourite not just among backpackers but also with regular tourists. It takes you back in time as if it is telling you to slow down, relax and observe this vast piece of land leisurely without any hurry.This blog post is a small attempt to show tiny bits of the many monuments that surround this glorious land.
The Virupaksha temple is the oldest and the principal shrine among all the monuments in Hampi. Spread across a huge complex, the temple attracts many people not just for religious purposes but for temple elephant Laksmi that one can spot right next to the entrance. She is a very friendly elephant and can bless the ones who are generous enough to spare Rs.10 to her. One can even see her getting a bath in the river next to the temple every morning.
Inside Virupaksha temple...
Rows of pillars inside Virupaksha temple...
View of temple from Hemakuta hills...
The Hemakuta hill adjacent to the temple attracts many photographers for the sunset scenes it offers in the evening. The place also serves as a favourite meditation spot for peace lovers. When we were on the hills exploring all the monuments, it was so quiet and peaceful as if the hills were inviting us to sit and meditate there. But my daughter was so excited to hike through the area that she preferred to be photographed in the 'meditation pose'.
Hemakuta hill
The two important monolithic idols such as the Saasivekalu (mustard seed- shaped belly) Ganesha and Kadalekalu (Gram-shaped belly) Gansesha can be reached by a short hike through the Hemakuta hills. While Sasivekalu monolith is 7.9 feet tall, the Kadalekalu monolith is 15 feet tall. These monoliths are erected on pillared open mantapas.
Sasivekalu Ganesha idol..
Pillars of Kadalekalu Ganesha temple against the backdrop of Virupaksha temple...
Adjacent to the hills located are the Krishnadevaraya temple and market complex. The market complexes or the 'bazaars' as they are popularly called, with rows of pillars on both sides of the roads are a sight to behold. The temple was built by Krishnadevaraya to commemorate a victory of his war with the king Gajapathi. For this he brought a Little Krishna idol and installed it by building this temple. There are carvings from Sri Krishna's life on the pillars of the temple. There lies a 'Pushkareeni'/ a stepped tank that served for various utility purposes of the citizens. A few steps away from the temple, we can see the monolith Narasimha and Badavalinga statues.
Krishnadevaraya temple
Carvings on the 'gopuram' of Krishnadevaraya temple...
It was almost the end of monsoon season yet the Sun played hide and seek when we visited these places making the sky look more dramatic. The paddy fields added an extra shade of green to the surrounding patch of fields. The Thungabhadra river had given lot of opportunities for the visitors to enjoy the coracle rides which is very popular among the tourists. Walking along the river bank one can reach the Achyutarya temple complex. Though ruined, the elaborate road that lead to the temple and stone pillars of the bazaar suggest that the complex must have been major market place during its' happier times. The temple was built by Krishnadevaraya's brother Achyutharaya. This is believed to be replica of the Vittala temple.
Tungabhadra river
The 'bazaars' infront of Achyutaraya Temple...
The second day was totally dedicated to visiting the Vittala temple complex, other major monuments such as Lotus Mahal , Elephant stable and Anjanadri hill. We hired an auto rickshaw for this as Vittala temple complex is located beyond Kamalapur, a small village 3-4 kms away from Hampi. If you are a cycling enthusiast then it is recommended to hire bicycles as they are readily available for rent at each guest house. Vittala complex is one of the most artistic among all the other temple complexes in Hampi. The taxis and autos are allowed to enter only upto a certain point from where we need to take a shared bus or electric vehicle for two kilometers. As we reached the temple complex, the main entrance, though ruined, stood ceremoniously welcoming us. It is in this complex that the famous Stone Chariot is located. There was a rush among many visitors to click a photograph of the chariot with a new 50 rupee in hand as the same chariot has been imprinted on it.
In front of the stone chariot is the 'sabha mantapa' or the community hall that houses 56 stone carved beams that is believed to be musical. It is the variation in the diameter, shape, size and surface finish in the beams that produces musical sounds similar to mridangam, jalatharang, thalam, damaru etc. Visitors are not allowed inside this mantapa now.
Vijaya Vittala temple complex...
The Gajashaale or the Elephant stables consists of 11 square chambers and a staircase to reach the upper floor. The sun shone brightly that day by making the sky look more blue than usual. The green meadows infront of the Elephant stable played a colour riot to give the place a perfect look. The same complex houses the Lotus Mahal. A two storeyed pavilion, it was built in the form of a Hindu mandala design. Made from a paste of lime and sand, it was also called the Chitrangini Mahal/ Kamala Mahal, the exact purpose of which is not yet known.
The Elephant stable
Lotus Mahal
The Hazara Rama temple is another nearby temple that is worth the visit. The temple was dedicated to Rama, an avatar of Vishnu and served as the ceremonial temple for the royal family. The main four pillars made of black stone depict carvings of Rama, Lakshamana, Sita that attract a lot of attention. The outer walls portray carvings from Hindu Dasara and Holi festival.
The exterior of Hazara Rama Temple
Interior of Hazara rama temple
Carving on the temple walls...
All through the visits to these monuments there was very less crowd but we saw a sudden surge of visitors as soon as we had entered the enclosure that was called the 'Queen's Bath'. There were people everywhere. This striking enclosed space, with Indo-Islamic style of architecture, is rectangular in shape. A large sunken bath is constructed in the middle of the building, it had connections with canals for water inlet and outlets for discarding used water. Though called the Queen's Bath, it was most probably used as a private bathing chamber by kings and their wives.
This brings into another interesting fact about the kingdom of the bygone era- the water infrastructure. Hampi rulers built an ostentatious network of aqueducts and canals to provide water to various buildings, tanks and temples. The various water tanks built near all the important temple complexes are an evidence to this. These tanks in turn were connected to various canals. Archaeological excavations conducted in the 1900s has revealed a whopping 23 wells within Hampi.
The Manmata tank near Virupaksha temple and the square stepped water tank near Mahanavami Dibba are living examples of the water infrastructure.
Manmata tank...
Stepped tank near Mahanavami Dibba
A little away from the stepped tank is an elevated square stage called as the Mahanavami Dibba/ Dasara Dibba. It has three ascending square platforms that lead to a large, open square platform. It was built by Krishnadevaraya to commemorate his victory over Udayagiri (now in Odissa). The festival of Dasara was celebrated here. It was also used as a stage to watch various performances, war games, wrestling and bow and arrow competitions. The top part of the stage can be reached through a flight of stairs made of stone. The stairs are high and steep and takes quite an effort to reach the top. The lower level of the platform has reliefs carved on theme of various activities- dances, elephant and horse marching and people playing Holi. The Chinese, Arabic and Portuguese connections with the kingdom are visible through the carvings on the these platforms. The open platform on the top gives a 360 degree view of the surrounding relics and monuments.
The steps leading to the square platform...
The most interesting part of the days trip came when we took the the 20 kms auto ride to Anegundi (also referred to as Kishkinda in Hindu Mythology). Passing through lush green paddy fields, we had reached what was supposed to be the birth place of Lord Hanuman, Anjanadri Hills. The entrance of the temple that led to a small pathway which eventually led to a flight of 550 steps is a favourite among devotees to show their devotion towards the monkey- God. Apprehensions had lurked in my head as I had stood in front of the labyrinth of stone pathways whether to venture it out or not considering the kind of back problem I had. The energy and enthusiasm of my girl and hubby did encourage me to take the steps and reach the top! The view and windy calmness as we had reached the top of the hill was totally worth the task we had undertaken. There are plenty of monkey- 'kings' near the temple. The beauty of banana plantation and paddy fields laid midst the boulders of Hampi town seemed to be more scenic from that point. It is a perfect place to sit and gaze at the never-ending rock formation that are synonymous with Hampi.
Hanuman temple on Anjanadri hill...
Virupaksha temple seen from Anjanadri Hill
Paddy fields, banana plantation and river Tungabhadra on the side
By the time we had come back from the hill, my face was completely sunburned. The sun was quite generous that day to shower all that love on my skin. With a burning sensation all over my face I had come back to the room to rest. The weather and the landscape on the following morning was a complete transformation again. From our rooftop restaurant we could see the river flowing in full force. We did not believe it at first. But later the news hit us all that the crest gates of Hospet Dam had been opened and all water was entering Hampi in full force. By that evening many places had to be evacuated fearing a flood situation. It was the first time we had witnessed something like that and we were aw-stuck. The Kodandarama temple that we had seen the previous day was half- submerged, the Tungabhadra river shore where we had missed to go for a coracle ride was flowing in full force sweeping away everything on its' way. It was an exhilarating as well as very tense situation. Luckily, we were to leave the place that afternoon which also gave us a chance to visit the Dam at Hospet.
View of Tungabhadra Dam...
Soon after this visit we had reached the railway station only to learn that our train had been delayed for 5 hours due to heavy rains in the surrounding areas. What a perfect end for a delightful holiday!
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