An escape to the ruins

Weekend getaway

Hampi had been on my bucket list for a very long time. The promise of being transported to the golden age during the rule of Krishna Devaraya and to witness the glory of this kingdom was an enticing proposition.

How to get there

Setting aside three days for Hampi to explore the place, we set out early in the morning towards Hampi via NH4. Getting till Chitradurga was a quick and no-nonsense affair. The six-lane highway ensured that we got there quickly.

After that we had to take a diversion towards Hampi. The road was being constructed and not in great condition. The bad roads meant it took a while to reach Hampi.

Hampi is situated on the banks of river Tungabhadra. Amidst the rocky and dry arid terrain, this part of the land, dotted with lush green paddy fields, looks like an oasis in the middle of the desert. As we neared Hampi, the tell-tale signs of the great kingdom were evident in the form of broken bridges and a few temples that were on the way. We stayed in Virupapura Gadde, a small settlement across the river on the other side of the temple complex.

What did we do?

Our first day’s visit was to the main temple shrine, the beautiful Virupaksha Temple. After crossing the river by foot, we entered the main road that led to the temple.

It was great to see the local authorities clearing up the shops and other establishments that were on the main road. This was being done to maintain the sanctity of the temple complex.

The temple complex sits on the foothills of a rocky mountain and on the banks of the river. There is huge complex around the temple, with beautiful carvings that decorate the compound walls.

The main attractions of the temple are the three ‘gopuras’, which are monolith structures with beautiful carvings that depict the glorious history of the place. The temple itself has many paintings on the ceilings. There are a large number of langurs and monkeys inside the temple
complex.

Upon questioning, our guide informed us that Hampi was the location of the Kishkinda Kingdom, ruled by great Vanara kings – Angad and Bali, and home to Hanuman.

Places to see

Hampi Bazaar, once a well-planned market area where precious stones and gold and diamonds were sold in kilos, is located just outside the Virupaksha Temple complex. The local authorities are restoring it.

After an eventful outing, we called it a day and returned back to Virupapura gadde. The next day, we got out to check the Vittala Temple complex and the famous stone chariot.

We crossed the Virupaksha Temple complex, hired an auto and set out to the Vittala complex. Enroute, we saw the Sasivekalu Ganesha, Lakshmi Narasimha statue and Badavalinga, a submerged structure.

The stone chariot at Vittala complex is a beautiful stone structure with intricate carvings. The Vittala Temple itself is known for the musical pillars.

After the day’s excursion, we got back to Virupapura Gadde and trekked up to a small hillock close by.

The locals told us that the sunset from the hill is absolutely beautiful. A small arduous trek later, we reached the top. We had the entire view of the Virupaksha Temple complex, Tungabhadra River and the lush green paddy fields surrounding it.

As the sun set behind the distant rocky mountains, and the sun lit up with different hues of orange, we sat there, reminiscing our trip to a glorious part of our history.