By Trinetta
Fernandes
Five Female Travel Enthusiasts. One Weekend. That’s all we needed
to set out exploring yet another place. We were clear about discovering a piece
of ancient India and we zeroed in on Hampi.
Hampi is located in North Karnatak on the banks of the river
Tungabhadra, approximately 709 kms. from Mumbai. It was once the capital of the
Hindu Vijaynagar Empire which ruled South India between 14th to 16th
century AD. The ruined temple city is famously known as the ‘Boulder city of
India’. It is a labyrinth of temples, busy market places, narrow streets,
ancient monuments surrounded by boulder strew mountains. It also features among
UNESCO’s World Heritage sites.
First sightings of boulders |
The friendly rickshaw guys who picked us up from the Hospet Bus Stand
offered to take us around after we quickly checked into our guest house. Finding
an economical place to live is no mammoth task. Tiny lanes lined with rows of
houses with extra rooms attached are a common sight. Tourism has helped
generate a source of revenue for the locals.
Our rickshaw drivers doubled up as our guides and thus we began
our exploration. Our first stop was the magnificent Virupaksha Temple, which is
believed to be one of the oldest active temples in India. It dates back to the
7th century AD. The temple complex
was filled with people performing prayer rituals along with the tourists queued
up to admire the carvings on stone at the entrance of the temple. The intricate
designs on stone along with the precision would have been quite a task in the
times the temple was built.
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A view of the Virupaksha Temple entrance |
Filled with admiration after visiting the temple complex, we
headed onwards. While there are local tourists, Hampi is also a common
destination with international tourists. Our next stop was the royal enclosures
and the elephant stables.
The stables served as a home to the royal elephants. It is a long
structure spread across a garden. Every stable is big enough to accommodate a
minimum of two elephants. Within the same premises is situated the Lotus
Temple. It is an ornate structure with a mixture of Hindu and Muslim
architecture. Our guides informed us it was used by the queens during their
leisure time.
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The Elephant Enclosures |
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The Lotus Temple |
The Lakshmi Narsimha |
Famished by now, we headed to have a meal at a rather quaint
restaurant ‘Mango Tree’ after which we went to see the Lakshmi Narsimha. The
statue of a ‘half man and half lion’ carved out of a single rock is 6.7 m high.
It is said to be one of the ten incarnations of Vishnu with detailed carving.
The complex houses the Badavi Linga Temple, which is largest monolithic Linga
in Hampi. It is filled with water throughout the year and the temple priest
spends his entire day in waist deep water- such is his devotion!
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The Vittala Temple Complex |
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The Stone Chariot |
The complex offers a spot for every tired traveller to rest. One
can find their quiet place and sit back to admire the vast temple complex or
indulge in a coracle ride across the river, just behind the temple. (A coracle
is a small round traditional boat)
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A quiet spot in the Vittala Temple Complex |
The weekend had ended and so had our trip. We headed back home
with sore feet, happy hearts and content smiles. We cannot wait to go explore
another place soon!
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Happy Us! |
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AUTHOR BIO - Trinetta works in the Development Sector as a Social
Worker. An animal lover, she loves heading out of the out at every given
opportunity. She enjoys solo traveling as well as exploring places with her
girl group.
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Have you visited an ancient city on your travels recently?
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Beautifully written Trinetta... Makes me want to visit this place in person. Very well done.
ReplyDeletegreat post - I've great things about Hampi. You're photos are great too!
ReplyDelete