Hampi - An Experience of a Lifetime!

I had a fascination for travel since childhood. To explore the unknown, to indulge in different cultures, to embrace a variety of beliefs and notions was always something I found my serotonin with. Accordingly, I was blessed with a bunch of trips quite early. I had the chance to visit the much-revered Taj Mahal twice by the time I turned 13. I got the chance to visit the "God's Own Country" and realise the reason behind that coinage. Each trip had an adventure and significance of its own. 

While I never really had a preference for a type of destination, offbeat locations tend to outweigh my choices. Just like that and very instinctively, I planned my trip for Hampi. Hampi is an ancient city which served as a capital to the Vijayanagara Empire. The empire was one of the richest of its time. But lost all the glory after the infamous battle of Talikota. After which, Hampi was reduced to city of monumental ruins. 

I still cannot fathom the fact that I planned and booked everything for the trip in under 90 minutes. A flight to Hubli, then a train to Hospet Jn. which was about 10 kms adrift of my hotel in Kamalapur, a village adjacent to Hampi. Very unlike me, I think. 

So here I was, All set for my first solo trip. As the days went by, my nervousness followed a sinusoidal path. Solo trips are quite unique in that aspect. You are all alone. Neither do you have anyone validating the choices you make nor do you have someone judging you. It's you against you. I believe that's the scariest paradox. Anyways, the excitement always got the better of my nervousness. 

Eventually among the flurry of mixed emotions, the day arrived and I left home with the blessings of my sweet parents who were quite evidently, very proud. I boarded the flight after a bad airport coffee and the 1.5 hour flight proved to be worse than the coffee itself. A swarm of cab and auto drivers crowded as soon as I got out of the airport. I smirked at their fares and walked away when a guy eventually agreed to a fare about half of the original one. I was certainly proud about this. But when you bargain, you always feel like maybe you could have gone a bit lower. I'm sure I could call this a weightlifter's paradox. A weightlifter always feels like maybe he could have lifted a couple of kilos more after a successful attempt. 

I reached Hubli Station only to realize this was more majestic than the airport itself. I got into an empty train and had my doubts whether I'm in the correct one. There were only a couple of passengers who travelled along with me till Hospet. When I reached Hospet, there were a few autos lurking around but no swarming this time around. I did the calculations for a suitable fare for 10-12 kms and enquired with a auto guy. This time, the fare was significantly lower than what I expected. But to my surprise, I got him to charge even lesser. Again, the weightlifter's paradox took charge of my mind. 

I chit-chatted with him on the way about the weather and the spots around. He even gave me his number to call him for a tour around. I showed him false excitement and saved his contact knowing very well that I might not call him. I reached the hotel and unexpectedly, not tired. I had some food that I got from home and watched a documentary that I started on the flight. Slept for about 4 hours and woke up around 4am. That was the vacation-me. I made myself a coffee and had a bath. Left my room at 6am thinking better lurk around in the unknown than sulking alone in a room. 

I started my walk along the trail since there were no bicycle renting shops open by then. I reached a gate which was supposedly leading towards a couple of temples. I encountered a small pathway leading towards a gigantic wall. There was huge bushes on both the sides of the pathway. Gushes of winds blowing across, made the trees and bushes hustle. There was not even a single soul anywhere that I looked. The scene seemed out of an apocalyptic movie. Every now and then, I looked back if there's someone. Let alone be a leopard or a wolf, for that matter. I visited the Chandrasekhara Temple and the Saraswati Temple around this place while also encountering the Octagonal Bath. Just as it sounds, it's a gigantic bath shaped like an octagon. 

The Apocalyptic Pathway (as I call it)

My first glimpse of a Hampi ruin

By this time, I felt settled into my trip. I had made my peace with being alone. At that instant though, It seemed like I'm all alone in the world. I got out of the gate and moved ahead to reach the Queen's Bath place. Then, the Royal Enclosure. This was a theatre-kinda setting for the king to have his regular meetings with his subjects. It spanned across almost 59,000 square meters said to have housed about 45 buildings during the time of the empire. 

Battle of Talikota - History

Entry into the Royal Enclosure

The Royal Enclosure also housed a public bath along with a huge stepwell. The centre of the court had an enormous stage called the "Mahanavami Dibba" which was essentially a huge platform for the king to sit and watch the whole celebration taking place around the Royal Enclosure. 

My Ultrawide Camera was not sufficient to capture the whole place from the Mahanavami Dibba. I tried my best. 

This view felt out of a Game of Thrones shoot. Truly breathtaking. 

Stepwell (Popularly known as the "Pushkarini")

I walked further to reach the Hazara Raama Temple and the Pan Supari Bazaar. This temple peculiarly hosted narrative sculptures depicting stories of Ramayana on its pillars. There was a pretty garden around the temple which was quite well-maintained. 

Hazara Raama Temple

By this time, the sun was peeking out. My watch buzzed to let me know that I had already walked about 7000 steps and it's not even 8AM yet. But I was excited for some monuments ahead. It was here that I entered the Zenana Enclosure. Zenana, meaning "women" in Persian. This was my first introduction to hints of Persian and Iranian influence on Vijayanagara architecture. The Zenana Enclosure was primarily built to serve the needs of royal women. It consisted of the Lotus Mahal, a palace with arches shaped like a Lotus. Behind the Lotus Mahal were the Elephant Stables. 

Lotus Mahal

  

Elephant Stables, which also housed a cottage for the caretakers. 

It was about 4 hours since I was awake with not even an gram of food in my belly. So, I decided to get back to my hotel for a nice breakfast. Much to my delight, they were serving some nice mirchi bhajiyas and aloo parathas. All I wanted for a hefty start to my adventure. I left my hotel with my backpack knowing it's gonna be a long afternoon ahead. I got an auto to reach the main Hampi Bazaar. This is where the most famous Temple of Hampi is located. The Virupaksha Temple, dedicated to Lord Virupaksha, a form of Shiva. This temple is on the banks of the River Tungabhadra. I walked to the river to discover how much the water levels had risen due to the recent floods. 

The majestic entrance to the temple

I found such pillars all across the monuments. Realized after a while that these were pathways built for people to move across Temples/monuments. Nevertheless, I called them Indian Stonehenge.