The newest among all tourist spots, Hampi Rocks!!!

Priti DSilva

Posted Date: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 | Viewed:

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We took a trip to Hampi with Melo Tours which started in Goa on a Thursday morning. A group of 9 tourists and a tour assistant, we departed from Madgaon station at 8 pm and arrived into Hospet, Karnataka at 4 pm.

After checking into a very comfortable hotel, we grabbed lunch and quickly set out to explore the Hospet marketplace. The streets were crowded and it seemed that all public places like the theatre, open air arena, a variety of shops, main bus stop and temples existed within a few feet of each other. Chaotic, but so much to see all together!

The next morning, we all gathered at the lobby at 6 am for breakfast and thus began our half hour bus drive to Hampi.

Prakash, who would be our guide for the rest of the day, joined us on the way. Not only was he well-informed and knowledgeable but also had a great knack for story telling and jokes. When he was not guiding tours, he closely worked with the Archaeological Survey of India to restore the splendour of the Hampi architecture. The trip without him would have been lame!

At Hampi, I was simply not prepared for what I saw!!

No words or pictures will be able to capture the grandeur and stupendous beauty of the Hampi ruins. You need to be there, be still and let it engulf you.

Hampi, as it is popularly known today was the medieval capital of the Hindu empire Vijayanagara (the City of Victory) and is listed as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Vast stretches of boulder-strewn hills make the backdrop of Hampi village. Dotted around the hills and valleys are 500 plus monuments. Among them are beautiful temples, basement of palaces, remains of aquatic structures, ancient market streets, royal pavilions, bastions, royal platforms, treasury buildings and more. The Hampi attractions would not only satiate a backpacker’s sense of adventure but also a pilgrim’s religious fervour.

We visited the sacred centre (The Virupaksha temple, Hampi Bazar, the giant monolithic ganesha statues), the royal centre (Hazara Rama temple, lotus mahal, elephant stables, Zenana enclosure {queen’s quarters}), the Narasimha temple, the Vittala temple, took a refreshing boat ride in a coracle (circular floating basket) in the Tungabadra river and drove up the Malyavanta Hill to enjoy a breath taking sunset.

Most of the structures go back to the 6th century and are built in an unusual Indo-islamic fashion with exquisite carvings.

Also, amazingly, many structures gave us the impressions of international monuments. To cite a few, the Sphinx in Egypt, the Acropolis in Greece, Chichen Itza in Mexico, Stonehenge in UK! Now, we don’t really have to travel abroad to enjoy international architecture, when we can find it at such close quarters in our own home country, India!!

We came back with an impression that the Emperor Krishna Deva Raya was an intelligent and remarkable king. We learnt that he had 14 wives, spoke 18 languages and carried out foreign trade with finesse. Hampi thrived under his reign.

We ended the day with a sumptuous sit-down candle-light dinner at Mango Tree, a quaint restaurant overlooking the river, near the Hampi bazar.

The memories of the Hampi sights remain etched in my mind and the history that the ruins speak of in stunning silence echo in my heart.

With a heart full of pride and a sense of learning, we left for Goa the next morning.

To plan a similar visit, you may contact Melo Tours on 91-832-6452920 or write to andrea@lestermelo.com.

Article Tags: travel, hampi, india

Based in Pune, freelance as a business development consultant, a lover of travel and adventure

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The newest among all tourist spots, Hampi Rocks!!!

Priti DSilva

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