When Ma first told me that this 15 August weekend we would be going to Hampi, I mistook it as Humpty ( remember Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall?) and was unable to understand how we could visit someone who exists only in the page of rhyme books- then Ma showed me pictures of Hampi on her laptop and I understood- we are going to Hampi and not Humpty! Idiotic me!
On 12 th morning we drove out of Hyderabad. The weather was cool and pleasent and ( thankfully!) it was not raining. We stopped for a break at a nice shady temple in NeerManvi, where Ma gave me a bath after which I took a little nap on top of Biga.
We reached Hampi by early afternoon. The scene on both sides was very striking- big boulders stoutly sprouting up amidst the greenery as if the place belonged to them and them only.
In Hampi we stayed in a hut surrounded by the boulders- which were almost everywhere- behind the hut where we stayed , on the roadsides, and even in the Tungabhadra river which flows by the place. Biga told me that this place was once ruled by monkey kings Bali and Sugrib. I think it still is. That explains why the place is bursting with banana plantations , probably to cater to the hordes of those descendents of the monkey kings, always on the move and always monkeying about.
Driving into Hampi.
With Kakai on the banks of the Tungabhadra river.
On 12 th morning we drove out of Hyderabad. The weather was cool and pleasent and ( thankfully!) it was not raining. We stopped for a break at a nice shady temple in NeerManvi, where Ma gave me a bath after which I took a little nap on top of Biga.
We reached Hampi by early afternoon. The scene on both sides was very striking- big boulders stoutly sprouting up amidst the greenery as if the place belonged to them and them only.
In Hampi we stayed in a hut surrounded by the boulders- which were almost everywhere- behind the hut where we stayed , on the roadsides, and even in the Tungabhadra river which flows by the place. Biga told me that this place was once ruled by monkey kings Bali and Sugrib. I think it still is. That explains why the place is bursting with banana plantations , probably to cater to the hordes of those descendents of the monkey kings, always on the move and always monkeying about.
Driving into Hampi.
With Kakai on the banks of the Tungabhadra river.
Hampi was earlier known as Vijaynagar, and ruled by two brothers. Hampi's monuments - hundreds of them - are popular among tourists,both firangs and Indians and the area is one of the exotic locations for the Bollywood and local film shootings. Biga told me that Jackie Chan's film “Myth” was shot in the Hampi.
At the stepped bath in the palace complex.
At the Elephant Stables in Hampi.
If one wants to witness the competition between a human architect ( like my mother) and Vishwakarma (the Architect God of Hindus), then Vithala temple is probably the right place on earth. Any number of words would fail to do justice to this wonderful monument dedicated to Lord Vitthala or Lord Vishnu. Legend has it that Lord Vishnu found it too grand to live in this temple, popularly known as the car temple because of the huge wheels on its sides.
If this is the car temple, then is there also a bus temple, truck temple? I wondered.
This is the resort where we stayed in Hampi- a lovely one by the side of the Tungabhadra river, surrounded by boulders and fields of banana trees. The bathroom had a rock face as a wall.
Below are my Hampi friends. I had a lovely time with them - they swinging me on the hammock and I enjoying it in Maharaja style.
Encouraged by the antics of my monkey friends, I even climbed the ladder to reach the roof.
After Hampi, we went to Badami. Ma told me that once a bad demon named Vatapi lived in the caves high up the hills and in the evening, after the place is out of bounds for people like you and me, its spirits still roams there.
See I am climbing up the steps in Badami along with Biga and Kakai. And below, you are seeing me inside of the caves in Badami, feeling the stone carvings.
At the stepped bath in the palace complex.
At the Elephant Stables in Hampi.If one wants to witness the competition between a human architect ( like my mother) and Vishwakarma (the Architect God of Hindus), then Vithala temple is probably the right place on earth. Any number of words would fail to do justice to this wonderful monument dedicated to Lord Vitthala or Lord Vishnu. Legend has it that Lord Vishnu found it too grand to live in this temple, popularly known as the car temple because of the huge wheels on its sides.
If this is the car temple, then is there also a bus temple, truck temple? I wondered.
This is the resort where we stayed in Hampi- a lovely one by the side of the Tungabhadra river, surrounded by boulders and fields of banana trees. The bathroom had a rock face as a wall.
Below are my Hampi friends. I had a lovely time with them - they swinging me on the hammock and I enjoying it in Maharaja style.
Encouraged by the antics of my monkey friends, I even climbed the ladder to reach the roof.
After Hampi, we went to Badami. Ma told me that once a bad demon named Vatapi lived in the caves high up the hills and in the evening, after the place is out of bounds for people like you and me, its spirits still roams there.
See I am climbing up the steps in Badami along with Biga and Kakai. And below, you are seeing me inside of the caves in Badami, feeling the stone carvings.
