Historic Hampi!!

On a lazy December morning..sleeping under a cozy blanket….popped up a thought….why not utilize this cold weather for exploring warmer (comparatively!) south of our very own Incredible India!

What could have been a better alternative for a backpacker then a journey to the forgotten empire of Hampi.

“Architecture is the biggest unwritten document of history” – Daniel Libeskind

Hemkuta hill ruins..

A bit of facts….

Hampi was centre of the Vijayanagara Empire capital during 14th century. By 1500 CE, Hampi-Vijayanagara was the world’s second-largest medieval-era city after Beijing, and probably India’s richest at that time, attracting traders from Persia and Portugal.

Hampi is situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra River in the eastern part of central Karnataka near the state border with Andhra Pradesh. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site .

For fellow curiouseekers…

Hampi being a preserved site with ruins does not have accommodation facilities (atleast for historic side of river) but no worries.. 🙂 . Hospet, a town approximately 13 km away from Hampi is usually the base for travelers and is very well connected to Hampi by road (including Bus, Taxi, Auto) is having ample accommodation facilities. Hospet is well connected via bus to various cities, namely Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad.

At Hampi , you can travel by foot, auto, bicycles to various different sites and feel the magnificence of the Vijayanagara empire. Bicycle would provide a appropriate balance between mobility and time to explore the structure at your own pace.

“I like the ruins because what remains is not the total design, but the clarity of thought, the naked structure, the spirit of the thing.”-Tadao Ando

Must visit sites….

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  Hemkuta Temples

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  Sunset point, Hemkuta hills

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  Interior Carvings

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  Krishna Temple

• 

  Temple compound

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  Sasivekalu Ganesha Temple

• 

  Lakshmi Narasimha Temple

• 

  Elephant Stables

• 

  Vitthala Temple

• 

  Pattabhirama Temple

• 

  Hazararama Temple

• 

  Virupaksha Temple

• 

  Royal Enclosure

Even though I have listed few of the sites here, but trust me you will be
witnessing large number of sites with varied significance and architectural marvel ranging from the Queen’s bath to the enormous ancient market places. Being part of evening prayers in Virupaksha temple where the entire town gathers is a riveting experience. Feeling the slowness of time while witnessing the sunset from Hemkuta hills is one of the too big to miss opportunity while in Hampi.
Although I have tried to pen down the historical and architectural importance of Hampi but encapsulating the essence of this aesthetically stunning site in words (especially from a debutant! 😛 ) is a great ask.

Wait!!! 

This was pretty much (although very crisp!) about the historic hampi….but hold on!! There is another dimension of this fantastic place yet to be explored…..The Hippie Hampi in the next blog. 🙂

Hipster’s Heaven!!

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