The avian wonders of Hampi

There’s much in Hampi to keep you interested even after you’ve had your fill of history and architecture. The avifauna and wildlife of the area are undiscovered gems that never cease to astound tourists, writes Nilanjan Coomar

It’s a place that’s probably done and dusted for many a traveller, but once in the boulder-strewn landscape of Hampi, it’s impossible not to keep asking oneself — how did all of this get here? Giant stones and rocks, monoliths of granite of all shapes and sizes are often perched at impossible angles, seemingly suspended from nothing but the sky. It’s easy to imagine Hampi as a playground of a long-lost giant; a Godzillaesque figure, who sat around with a celestial Lego set, and then left, his toys scattered behind him as a mark of sudden boredom.

Little else that one can hope to see if life can be as endlessly captivating as the fabled ruins of Hampi and it’s not surprising that tomes have been written about these ruins that form the centrepiece of the fabled remnants of the Vijayanagara Empire. There’s much in Hampi to keep you interested even after you’ve had your fill of history and architecture. The avifauna and wildlife of the area are undiscovered gems that never cease to astound tourists.

As we set out on our birding walks in the morning, the echoing call of the grey partridge booms familiarly. Holding our silences, we wait patiently and soon the cosy family of these birds emerge from the bush. At a watering hole in the camp, there is also a family of the exquisitely-striped jungle bush quails we are thrilled to be able to watch them as they come shuffling through the grass. Soon, a laughing dove also dips in for a drink, chuckling softly, true to its name. Up on the rock, a Silverbill pair is busy and the bulbuls and mynahs are frantic as usual. Everyone scatters the moment a few naughty squirrels arrive as they seem intent on stamping their ownership on the place!

And while we watch all these little dramas unfold, keeping an eye on us and on every one of these busybodies, is a common rock agama: Sphinx-like, as still and unmoving as the stone on which it is perched.

It gets even better on an early-morning long and leisurely drive along the Tungabhadra canal, which is carved out of the shallow gorge of the river, making a habitat emerge that is uniquely suited for the creatures who live here. White-browed wagtails forage along the water’s edge. Pied bush chats bask in the sun. Long-tailed shrikes and grey-bellied cuckoos wait diligently on the electric wires. An unseen peacock calls plaintively in the distance. Of course, our eyes are peeled for the rarest of them all — and we soon locate it, a majestic Indian Eagle-owl sitting perfectly against the backdrop of rock and cliff. Ashy-crowned Sparrow-larks blue-tailed bee-eaters, sandpipers, kingfishers and even a few hovering raptors wrap up a very eventful morning.

An exploration into the wilder side of Hampi calls for a visit to the Daroji Sloth Bear sanctuary; the sloth bear being perfectly suited for this habitat of stone, bush and boulder. There’s a viewing tower about 500 meters away from a rocky outcrop where the Forest Department leaves out honey every evening. It’s quite a sight to see a dozen of these shy and shaggy beasts soon emerge, lured out into the open by the promise of a feast. Though there’s enough to go around, bears will be bears, and quarrels erupt with individuals in that ursine society enforcing a pecking order. A few of these fights end in comedy as well — the bears losing their grip (and their dignity!) and slipping down the face of the smooth stone-like overgrown children on garden slides not meant for them!

There are other gems to discover — a striking painted Spurfowl that indeed is a riot of colour, a singing bush-lark camouflaged in the grass, almost invisible; a beautiful bronze back tree snake coiled up on a branch; a Monitor lizard basking in a strip of the sun at the edge of a pool and a barred Button-Quail dashing across the road even as the dusk was settling in. Hampi is also the last stronghold of the endangered and endemic Yellow-throated Bulbul. It’s a shy and elusive bird, and it takes effort before we finally see it. Prinias, red avadavat and white-browed Bulbul, scaly-breasted Munias were the other notable finds. With some luck, even rarer wildlife, like hyenas, star tortoises, foxes and chestnut-bellied sandgrouse can be seen in this region.

The wilderness of Hampi is also undeniably about chasing sunrises. We set out while it’s still dark, hiking to the top of the Malyavanta Raghunatha Temple. As we climb up the steps, the faint murmur of the chants from the priests in the temple below is a constant and soothing companion.

Once at the top, we sit in silence as the first taint of pink light spreads across the sky, and the stone and the rock gradually emerge into shape from the darkness. The sun rises, and a strip of mist from the Tungabhadra River drifts across the hills in the distance. Watching this magic of light, fog, shadow and sunbeam play out across this ancient and ethereal landscape is an experience far beyond what words can describe. Our cameras and thoughts are paused; our senses just drink all of this in.

In Hampi, there are stunning stories that we humans have told in stone, but sometimes it’s the stones themselves that have quite a few stories to tell. And if you happen to have an ear and an eye for the wild, it is often those stories that can be the more enchanting ones.

The best time to visit...

Apart from the extremely hot summers, Hampi is excellent as a year-round destination. Winter is the most comfortable and enchanting time with the Hampi festival in January/February as an added attraction. Monsoon is lush, refreshingly green, empty of tourists and represents the best of the still-idyllic life that is sometimes to be found in rural India.

What to do?
Hampi is a World Heritage Site and its star attractions remain the temples and the ruins of the Vijayanagara Empire that can keep one occupied for days on end, purely from the perspective of history. It is also a dreamland for landscape photographers chasing sunrises and sunsets with endless vistas and creative compositions to choose from. It is a hiker’s and rock climber’s paradise as well. The understated wildlife of Hampi is also an attraction for those who are so inclined.

Where to stay?
Homestays and other vacation rentals abound in Hampi while a lot of lodges, hotels and camps cater to different budgets and interests.