Where there is ruin, there is hope for treasure”– Rumi

Hello everyone. I am a wanderlust and for me travelling is both a catharsis as well as enriching for my professional growth as a Sociologist. Today I am going to share my travel diary of Hampi, located in North Karnataka and identified as UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It was Pongal weekend in Hyderabad and I and my gang of girls were determined for an exclusive girl’s getaway. Actually we wanted to visit Pondicherry for the beautiful French settlements, palatable French bakery, breathtaking beaches and weaving our own beachside stories. However, because of our delay in reserving tickets the Pondicherry trip got cancelled. Hence, we were left with two alternatives-Hampi and Coorg (Both in Karnataka). We eliminated Coorg as an option because it would have been quite a time-consuming journey from Hyderabad and secondly, Coorg (also known as the Scotland of the East) is ideal for a huge friends’ trip to enjoy it to the fullest. So, it was Hampi all the way.

For all those who doesn’t know much about Hampi I would say that it is a ‘must-visit’ especially if you are passionately into decadent temple ruins, marvellous architecture and a topography that boasts of a harmonious fusion of boulders, hills and lakes. Hampi is a village that is situated within the city of Vijaynagar which was formerly the capital City of Vijaynagar Empire. We kicked off our journey on 14^th January 2016 via Diwakar Travels semi-sleeper bus from Hyderabad around 10 pm. The next day we reached Hospet at 4am. We booked ‘White Elephant restaurant and guest house’ for accommodation after going through the reviews on Tripadvisor. On the morning we reached Hospet, the guesthouse administration arranged transport for us so that we could reach the guesthouse without any hassle.

Hampi takes around 2 hours from Hospet. The White Elephant restaurant and guesthouse was located on the other side of the Tungabhadra River. The guesthouse where we stayed offered multi-cuisine food and boasted of Wi-fi facility. However, mobile network disruption is quite a common problem. The area was buzzing with hippies which created a mini-Goa like experience!

DAY 1: We had to cross the Tungabhadra River via boat to another side. Since it was a tourist season, the place was full of exuberant fellow travellers largely foreigners. As my Hampi journey unfolded, it felt like I am time-travelling into the illustrated pages of my History book! On the first day we headed to Krishna Temple, the Krishna Bazaar, Virukpaksha Temple, Vijaya Vittala Temple, Watch tower, Pushkarani, Ugra-Narasimha Temple, Underground temple, Ganesh Temple among others. The weather was sweltering hot and since we had to walk in the blazing Sun for sightseeing, it proved to be a tedious challenge. Nonetheless our indomitable spirit to explore, engage and enjoy became the key to beat the insane heat. Thankfully freshly cut fruit slices like watermelon and pineapple, lemonade peppered with cinnamon, slurpy fruit juices and soft drinks was our solace. Our lunch consisted of authentic food of Hampi that is characterized by a unique burnt effect. Our final destination for the day was Virukpaksha Temple which was bustling with fervent worshippers and visitors alike. It was followed by a short tour through the local bazaar enmeshed with the scent of lip-smacking sweets, powdered colours, trinkets and accessories, and toys.

DAY 2: Since we almost covered all the important destinations, the second day was dedicated to visiting Anjani Parvat that housed the famous Hanuman Temple. We climbed up 580 steps to reach the temple. Once we reached the top we were feeling on top of the world both literally and metaphorically! We spent some considerable time in the temple vicinity because the view from top was breathtaking and secondly we were exhausted! We also visited Durga Temple and Ranganadaswami temple. We wrapped up or day by cooling off to the refreshing ginger-mint-lemon juice in our guesthouse. We returned on the same day (16^th January 2016) via Diwakar Travels leaving our indelible memories in the nooks and corner of Hampi!

Places to Visit :

1. Sanapur Lake

2. Virupaksha Temple

3. Vijaya Vitthala Temple

4. Krishna Temple

5. Anjani Parvat

Things to buy :

• A set of post-cards near Ugra-Narasingha Temple

• Showpieces of different sizes that were sold on the road leading to Urga-Narasingha Temple

• Embroidered leather bag sold in the Hampi hamlets

• Dainty handcuffs and finger rings that can be bargained

• Junk jewellery made with coins and locally handcrafted bags

• Hand-made notebooks

• Dream-catchers both as a home decor as well as a jewellery

Hampi Checklist :

• Map of all the important sites to cover

• Hat or caps

• Suncreen

• Powerbank to charge your mobile on the go

• Medicine box for health emergency

Fashion Guide :

Keeping the backdrop in mind, I packed ethnic wear as it would synchronize beautifully with the decadent ruins. I carried my Promod shades for a classy and comfortable appeal. I carried my navy-blue printed bagpack all throughout my Hampi adventure as it stored all my essentials and completed my travel addict look. My idea of fashion with function! The topography of Hampi demands a lot of climbing and treading through the boulders and rocks, so I would suggest going for sneakers, oxford shoes, bellies or loafers. I went for bellies.

So my travelbugs next vacation you know where to go! It is Hampiiiiiiii!

Soul Tip: It is cognizant to do a bit of research about Hampi before you visit the places so that you truly understand the significance of each of the sites and needless to mention you will feel proud of our rich heritage!

Hope this was helpful. Please do share this and let us know and comment below if you have been or planning to visit Hampi.

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