My Experience
Where do I even start? Three days was not enough for me to explore Hampi. How can I just note down my experience in a single page blog? Anyway, I'll try. Hampi is the capital city of the great Vijayanagara empire, which flourished between 14th and 16th century AD. Sri Krishna Devaraya is one of the well-known rulers of the empire.
In the 16th century, the king at that time was killed by neighboring Islamic rulers in a horrific war. Soldiers were killed, people were robbed, houses were looted, temples were destroyed. The idea was not just to overthrow the king and loot the capital but to destroy the spirit by offending the Gods the people worshipped. Once the glorious capital city of Vijayanagara empire was turned into a place of ruins.
Day 1
The river Tungabadhra horizontally splits the town into two parts, and you'll find most of the ruins in the southern part. Most notable ones are Virupaksha temple and Vijaya Vittala temple. You can plan your whole day just to explore the ruins here. Since it was a last minute plan, we couldn't get rented bikes from Royal Brothers, so decided to commute on autos atleast for one day. The infamous Stone Chariot, which you see on a ₹50 note, is at Vijaya Vittala temple. It is said that the wheels of the chariot were made in a way that they can rotate around the axis just like normal wheels. Imagine our ancestors were able to do that 500 years ago without any heavy machines, and now look at us, we need AI to draft emails!
Day 2
The next day, we headed to the northern side of the river, on our rented bikes (we got them the previous night). Anjanadri temple is a popular place to visit here, which is located on a hill. One has to climb around 550 steps to reach the temple, and be cautious, monkeys are everywhere! It was more like a trekking experience rather than visiting a temple. We spent some time roaming around, then we did a coracle ride at Sanapur Lake. It was already 5:30 PM, so we headed back to our place. Riding on those calm roads during sunset was much needed for me.
Day 3
Morning
Our plan was to spend the last day in relax mode, but where's the fun in that? We woke up at 5:30 AM and got ready, headed to the nearest hill for the sunrise (Matanga Hill if I remember correctly). All I could see was hills in the horizon, some temple ruins just 100 meters from us, and sunrays hitting the huge rocks on the hill behind us. We found a spot where there were no people, sat there, talked, shared laughs during the sunrise.
Lunch
We checked out from our room, had breakfast, visited the ruins again to click some pictures. It was lunchtime, so we went to the best place to eat in all of Hampi, Mango Tree Restaurant, and the food was amazing! Honestly, all places where I ate are average except Mango Tree, and I felt betrayed by the so-called travelers and influencers.
Evening
With bellies full of food, we rested for a while and headed to the museum, which we must have visited on Day 1. They built a miniature version of Hampi, which clearly explains how the city was divided and fortified. You'll actually understand how the city was planned. If you're naturally a curious person like me, you'll enjoy this place. Our plan was to spend 30 minutes, and we ended up spending more than an hour and a half. The history of the city, the rise and fall of one of the greatest empires, trade, culture were clearly explained on boards.
During Hampi's prime, not only goods but ideas were exchanged too. Islamic influence can be noticed in places like Elephant Staples. That explains how the people were open to new ideas and merged them with our own art. Ceramic plates were also found during excavation, which helps us understand the trade relations they had with China. How come a place that doesn't have access to sea attract cultures from different parts of the world, that too 500 years ago?
A lot of travelers, traders have written about Hampi in their books. One author in his writing explains that jewelers used to sell pearls, diamonds, emeralds, and rubies in the bazaar. There were markets for so many other things. Horse market near Vijaya Vittala temple was another popular one.
Final Thoughts
Hampi is a place that will always hold a special place in my heart. It is a reminder that even in the ruins, there is a beauty to be found. I'm also reminded that it is the small moments like talking with your siblings during the sunrise at hilltop that leave the deepest impressions. I hope that you too will have the opportunity to visit Hampi and experience its beauty and history for yourself.