Hampi Trip

 

Our first outing after almost 2 years of home stay – Hampi it was, unanimously chosen because of its intriguing history, long golden era and short name?!

The Innova which took us to Hampi from the Bangalore airport was very comfortable – one, due to the vaahan chaalak and two, due to the bucket seats which veered our conversation towards bucket lists and that was fun.

“Our” resort was built on the lines of the nearby Kamalapura Palace (now no more) and exuded grandeur and grace. The suite boasted of a jacuzzi, a king+queen sized bed, a large balcony and myriad seating areas. The sitout cum balcony overlooked the other more expansive accommodation on one side, the library, spa and a cute corner store on the other side and the absolutely dense trees in front. The expansive sky glowed in its beauty at sunrise and sunset. The resort was home to a lush variety of trees and an astounding variety of birds – 200 and more species we were told. On our morning walks around the resort, we would hear owls, egrets, bulbuls, parakeets, peacocks and many more avians hidden in the luxuriant foliage but found (ferreted) out by the two bird lovers in the family and their camera.

The evening we reached, we decided to spend some time at a (his)tory telling session – a daily ritual here. A local knowledgeable speaker would enlighten his audience (resorteers) about the Vijaynagar empire and also feel bold enough to elicit questions and doubts. He was doing a good job but hadn’t bargained for Kuppu who himself was a trove of historical facts and who suddenly had everyone’s ear for a while with his articulate narration. Of course, he didn’t steal the speaker’s thunder – he created some thunder of his own.

Hampi’s connection with Ramayana is well known. This region is believed to be Kishkinda, the forest domain of monkeys (they are seen in large groups even today). Specific locations also lend credence to this belief.

The 1^st Rama temple - Malyavanta Raghunatha temple we went to was unique in more ways than one. This temple is a tribute to Lord Rama and Ramayana. The sanctuary of the main temple abuts a rock carved with a scene showing Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman.

The rock protrudes above the roof of the temple where it is topped by a partly reconstructed tower. We were pleasantly surprised that we could drive right up to the entrance of the temple atop the Malyavanta hill. Unlike most temples in India, this temple is open day and night. We entered to the meditative chants of 2 priests reciting the Ram Charith Manas and learnt that this akhanda parayanam has been going on 24 / 7, 365 days for a decade now. When one priest gets up, another one immediately takes his place – we saw this happen when we were there. The pujari explained in chaste Hindi that about 500 pilgrims going from Ayodhya to Sri Lanka (on a yearly pilgrimage) would pass through Hampi and seeing the temple in a state of disrepair, some of them decided to stay back and sanctify it with their devotion. This soulful, uplifting recitation is in Gujarati and Hindi. 

The sculptures of Sita, Rama, Lakshmana and Hanuman are carved out of a single boulder and are depicted in a sitting position without any weapons. Rama is in a meditative pose and Hanuman instead of folded hands is seen with outstretched hands as if showing something to Rama. Rama is supposed to have stayed here for 4 months in the rainy season, waiting for the rains to subside to continue his search for Sita. This is a functioning temple. We learn that this temple is mostly overlooked by travelers. My mouth forms a big WHY?

From a small doorway in the wall behind the temple, we went up the Malyavanta hill. This hill has round shaped boulders and many natural caves and rock shelters. It is believed that while Rama, in exile, was wandering in this region, he performed obsequies to his father Dasaratha and Lakshmana was able to get the required water for the rituals by splitting the stone with his arrow. 

Another breathtaking temple of Rama we visited was the Hazara Rama temple. Hazara is the only temple situated in the core zone of the royal enclosure. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu in his aspect as Rama. The temple has some of the most exquisite carvings ever seen anywhere. It is outstanding for both the subject and the quality of its craftsmanship. The outer face of the compound walls depict day-to-day lives, processions of elephants, horses, soldiers, dancing girls and men and women going about their work. The outer walls of the temple depict on their panels, we are told, 108 scenes from the Ramayana, carved in 3 tiers, that should seen from left to right and bottom to top.

The pictorial narration begins with Valmiki telling the story and ends with the triumphant coronation of Rama at Ayodhya. The carvings are in excellence condition. We could say we saw cultural profusion at its finest here. Our guide stated that anybody who perambulates thrice around the temple, taking in the paneled narration, will understand the entire Ramayana.

The sanctuary, however, is empty except for a pedestal as the sculpted figures of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana have disappeared. In a nearby hall, on one of the black granite pillars, the sculptor’s imagined image of the deities is engraved.

Outside this temple, as in some others, one can see remnants of a colonnade of mandapas on either side of the pathway. These point to the ancient bustling market that once existed.

The much talked about monolithic sculpture of Lord Lakshmi Narasimha lives up to the awe it has created. It is an outstanding work of sculptured art, about 6.5 meters tall and hewn out of a massive boulder. Seated on the coils of the Sesha with the hood above the head of the deity, Narasimha is seated in padmasana with a yogapattika. The image of Lakshmi seated over his left lap is mutilated. Only the left arm can be seen. The sculpture seems to reiterate the fact of our “smallness” in the presence of God and Nature.

A few meters away, a large monolithic Sivalinga captures our attention. The lower part remains in water throughout the year, the source being a small canal drawn from Tungabhadra river. The superstructure though, is all but dilapidated. The Badavalinga temple, as it is called, has a 3 meter high large Sivalinga carved out of 1 rock. The pedestal remains in a bed of water with a small damaged shrine. Legend has it that it was commissioned by a poor woman, hence the name.

The Vittala temple, which also takes pride of place in temple visits here, is dedicated to Vishnu, Vittala being his other name. In front of the temple is the famous ratha or stone chariot with the Garuda shrine. 

The chariot originally had stone horses drawing it but at present elephants cover up for the destruction of the horses. Only the horses’ tails survive to tell the tale. The tail and part of legs still remain mute spectators of the damage caused by the Bahmani rulers.  The two other stone chariots are in Puri and Mahabalipuram. The Ratha in Hampi was inspired by the one in the Konark sun temple. This famous Ratha can also be seen on the 50/- note. The large Ranga Mandapa, a dance hall, close by is well known for its 56 musical pillars known as SaReGaMa pillars attributed to the musical notes emerging out of them when gently tapped. Our guide did not want to deny us the melodic experience, so tap he did. It really must have been music to the ears in an earlier era.

The Hemakunta hill will be etched in my memory for a long time. The large Virupakhsa temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is located at the bottom of the hill on the other side, is motorable and can be reached easily. But our guide pooh-poohed the idle idea and tempted us by saying that the view from the hill that slopes down to the temple is worth the effort. That it was.

Climbing and descending the sloping shelf of granite with uneven, sometimes steep steps and broken slabs required not only a herculean effort on my part but also the support of 6 pairs of hands (by turns, please), not forgetting the hand of God. Now it all seems slightly distant but it was strenuous exercise then, to be sure. The view from the hill was remarkable. Distant rock formations, about 30 temples on a nearby hill and the Tungabhadra river in the distance.

The imposing tower of the gopura of the Virupaksha temple rises more than 50 meters above the street. We could see it beckoning us as we struggled and slithered down the hill. The deity in the temple is represented as a Mukha Linga, with an embossed brass face mask. Pujas and rituals take place here regularly. It is a functioning temple as is the 1^st Rama temple we visited. There is a small shrine of Pampa Devi (Parvathi) too. Shiva is sometimes called Pampapathi. The open mandapa of the main temple is astounding. 

The interior of the mandapa is a spacious open hall with a ceiling that is entirely covered with splendid paintings. Divided into panels portraying scenes from Ramayana, Shiva’s life and touching slightly upon Mahabharatha, the colours of the paintings are still quite intense and bright.

We couldn’t have left the temple without being blessed by Lakshmi, the temple elephant. As we were climbing the steps, we heard another guide advise, tongue in cheek “if you don’t have money (to get the blessings) give your UPI ID with the password”. Helpful, indeed. 

We saw 2 Ganesha monuments that had unusual names. A plain pillared mandapa houses a huge monolithic (a word that describes almost all monuments here – shows the skill and brilliance of the sculptors of those days) sculpture of Ganesha sitting on a pedestal. The 4 armed, 2.5 meter tall Ganesha is also known as the mustard seed Ganesha (Sasive Kalu, we were told, in the Kannada language). If the image is seen from the back and if you use a bit of your imagination, you’ll visualize Ganesha seated on the lap of his mother, an almost inconspicuous Parvathi. The image, it is said, was made by merchants who had profited immensely from the sale of mustard seeds. Hence the name. The Kadale Kalu monolithic Ganesha is 4.5 meters tall and carved out of a huge boulder. The deity has a sanctum built around it with an elegant, pillared mandapa.

In the Royal Enclosure (structures associated with the royal family), there are damaged structures that as elsewhere speak f the vandalism that occurred and also vestiges that still echo stories of a remarkable bygone era. The Queen’s palace is now a mere terraced platform which, they say, formed the basement. It’s an excavated palace structure of which only the basement, floor and lower portions survive. 3 watchtowers with balconies (only one in a mildly good condition) must have provided security to the royal ladies. The huge compound also houses a two storeyed Lotus Mahal, so called because of the gopuras which appear like inverted lotuses. One of the best- preserved structures, this domed pavilion with its arched openings and balconies must have served as a pleasure/entertainment area. It is now closed to the public. The Queens’ bath is a large, square structure with an ornate interior. Around the bath are beautifully decorative balconies projecting into the well and still in good condition. An arcaded corridor roofed with ornate vaults of different designs runs around the square pool – one can imagine how it must have been in its heyday.

The most imposing courtly structure here are the elephants’ stables. The stables comprise a long line of eleven chambers each of which, it is said, could accommodate an elephant. The arched doorways make for an interesting façade. The central chamber housed the King’s elephant and the raised structure above it must have been used by musicians. Another structure overlooking this parade ground is almost as impressive as these stables. An elevated gallery could have served as a grandstand from which to enjoy the activities on the ground below (mainly martial sports) and not as guard’s quarters as has been suggested by some, including our guide.

A quadrangular enclosure, close to the Hazara Rama temple, is by far the largest in the royal center. Dominating this area stands a square, multistage granite platform. On the shallow reliefs, royal activities are depicted. The platform is popularly believed to have been the place from where the King addressed people and also participated in the celebrations of the Dasara festival. Hence the name Mahanavami dibba .We were also privy to a secret chamber – a few steps which led to an underground room where confidential matters must have been discussed. A spacious plaza near the Zenana enclosure was probably used as a parade ground for troops and animals. 

A large step-well, still in fairly decent condition, makes us slow down and admire it.

We were almost nearing the end of our holiday. We visited Anegondi, a quaint village, the 1^st capital of the Vijaynagar Empire on the banks of the Tungabhadra. The river is amazingly clear here. I recall what a tourist had said “Snan karna hai tho Ganga mein snan karo, pani peena hai tho Tungabhadra ka piyo”. It was a beautiful, refreshing sight. After a brief tussle with rocks and steps we came to a cave formed by 2 mammoth boulders. Aruna entered the cool cave where, we were told, Rama meditated and also vanquished Vali on the other side of the river. 

We drove around this well-preserved village which also serves as a residence of a local line of Rajas who claim descent from the Vijayanagar emperors. Many traditional houses with wooden pillars and mud-clad walls and flat, plastered roofs have been preserved. Motoring down the narrow lanes of the village was a rugged but delightful experience.

A rocky climb and a little walk later, we could see Pampa Sarovar and Durga temple at a distance. But we were deterred by a huge family of monkeys on trees, cars and ground. Though a Hanuman devotee, harmless simians also scare me. 

We reserved the last day for the Tungabhadra dam. The car was not allowed in, so we decided to walk the 2 miles or so to the dam. The slight incline on the deserted road was welcome. We didn’t huff and puff at all. Only a few gates of the dam were open but the gushing of white waters was a spectacular sight, though it was a long distance view. The bus that was standing there refused us because only those who went up in it could go down. The downward walk was easier and exhilarating with the trees breezing us on. We must have saved a few rupees (bus fare) but what gave us more joy was that we had burnt a few calories (which didn’t stay burnt in me for long).

We were also treated to a special car drive before we left. Our lady chauffer (doubles up as the resort’s concierge) took us for a spin in the resort premises. The refurbished ambassador car stands in the porch of the resort and any of the resorteers can have a ride. Just before we left the resort, we were encouraged by the resort lady to enjoy the topless experience. We had fun and giggled like children all the way till our Innova picked us up near the gate. 

I cannot say I’ve written the last world till I have spoken about the spectacular landscape. We cannot but notice the remarkable scenery in this part. Granite boulders dominate the landscape as hills, long ridges or piles of rocks haphazardly strewn about. Rounded boulders, detached boulders, some perched precariously as if about to roll over – have provided for centuries an inexhaustible supply of building materials, although our guide said the stones are protected over a 10 kilometer radius.

Strikingly beautiful and rugged boulders form continuous hills on both sides of the road – they are packed closely together or are seen one above the other. The massive and unique rocky appearance of the terrain hemmed in by granite peaks should be seen to be believed. These, interspersed with paddy fields, sugarcane and banana fields in some places, create a contrasting harsh and cool pattern.

As we traveled, at one place on the side of the road, we could see 2 huge boulders clinging to each other, called Akka Thangiyara gundu or sisters’ stone. It is a popular landmark of Hampi. Our guide had his personal take on this – he said that the 2 sisters were talking ill of the place and of the ruins and the spirit of Hampi heard them, and angered, turned them into stones. Turning back as we drove he told us, tongue in cheek, not to say negative things about Hampi. 

The wonderful confluence of religion, mythology, history and landscape in Hampi made our visit an awe-inspiring one. Notwithstanding the damage and destruction wrought on the once glorious monuments, we were able to appreciate the legacy surviving in the ruins and in untouched structures which retained their erstwhile grandeur.