Hampi in Karnataka state, India

Hampi was the capital of Vijayanagar(14th century empire). The ruins of the empire is spread over the area of 26 sq km. "A Forgotten Empire" (ISBN 1419101250) by Robert Sewell is an interesting book which describes the rise and fall of Vijayanagar empire. Before the fall of Vijayanagar empire, diamonds were sold on the streets. The main street selling diamonds and other precious stones, was surprisingly called Pan Supaari Street (translated in English it means betel-leaf betel-nut street). A visitor can still see the exact location of Pan Supaari Street in Hampi, which has been marked with a board by Archaeological Survey of India.

Hampi is well worth the visit. The area is simply stunning and you will be in awe of the millions of boulders surrounding the area. However, within this arid landscape lies a little oasis with lush palm, banana, and mango trees nestled near the river. Hampi is a great place to spend a few days wandering around and discovering the rich, vibrant history while also having a bit of 'your' time.

Hampi hosts 'Hampi Utsav' every year during first week of November. It is a visual delight as all the monuments/ruins are lighted in the night and it is a cultural extravaganza of dance and music. For 2009, Govt is planning to postpone 'Hampi Utsav' to Jan 2010 as it marks 500 years of Vijayanagar king Sri Krishnadevaraya ascending the throne.

Places to Travel

Hampi Panorama

Hampi is a visual delight, especially due to its stark contrast from most other places. Rocks are all you see whichever direction you look at. Vegetation is visible in the wet months; but again it never dominates the landscape. It is an ideal spot for people who are interested in history and/or nature.

There are many sites of interest in and around Hampi. The must-visits are Virupaksha Temple, Hampi Bazaar, Monolith Bull, Lakshmi Narasimha temple, Hemakuta Hill temples, Big Shivlinga, Vithala Temple (the famous Stone Chariot is located here), Hazara Rama Temple, Royal Enclosures, Queen's Bath, Zanana Enclosure (which also houses the Lotus Mahal), Elephant Stables, Achyut Raya temple, Statue of Lakshmi Narasimha (often mistaken for Ugra Narasimha - fiery form of Vishnu) owing to the damage suffered by this monolithic statue, Virupaksha Temple, Mahanavmi Dibba, the Stepped Bath and the Matanga Hill (from where one can see the most beautiful sun set ever). All these places are towards Hampi Bus Stand area and you dont need to cross river.

You can buy a local map costing Rs 15, and cover all the places on your own taking a bike/scooty on rent. Otherwise, you can hire and auto to do local sight seeing. It would cost you around Rs 400-Rs 500.

Tungbhadra dam is another 16 km from Hampi and it is towards Hospet. Hence, if you have plans to catch your train/bus back from Hospet, you could see Tungbhadra dam and return from Hospet. It takes around 45 min to 1 hr to see Tungbhadra dam. You need to park your vehicles at the entrance and take Govt bus to the top and return. It takes Rs 20/- for to and fro.

There are also several "Shivalings" along the river which the boatman will guide you to. The old capital called Anegundi, across the river from Hampi also has many sites. You can also go to Anegundi from Virupapur gadde by road. There is a road alongside old broken bridge (Bukka's Aqueduct).The Hanuman Temple on Anjenaya Hill (involves climbing up 572 steps, is believed to be the birth place of Hanuman) and the Pampa Sarovar are worth a visit. Both of these places are around 7-8 kms from Old broken bridge.

There is Daroji bear sanctuary around 16 kms from Hampi, opposite side of Kamalapura/Hospet. It opens between 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Not a must see but you can go there for a nice drive/ride if you have some time to kill.

To do justice to all the sites, one needs a minimum of 3 full days of sight seeing. To discover all the ruins, it may take much more than 3 days. May be months.

Things to do While Travelling

• Outdoor Activities

          A good amount of walking is a must, as the ruins are scattered over a huge area. Moped/bicycle hire is a good option to move around.

Cross the river by one of those coracle ferry. If you do not know swimming, ensure that the coracle is not overcrowded. Your life is at stake. As of March 2013, the cost is Rs 10 per person and Rs 5 for each piece of luggage. The other side of the river (Anegondi) spots a number of pre Vijayanagara relics.

If coming in April to September time (off season) do check with the hotel for bookings especially if you plan to stay on Anegondi side of the river. Except a few prominent ones (e.g. Shanthi Guest House, Mowgli Guest House etc), the other guest houses and restaurants close down.

If you go there in Jun-August, you will not find coracle ferry in action, the river is usually very high then, so if you want to go Anegondi you have to travel ~40 KM, I don't think you will like Anegondi after Hampi, actually there is nothing to see except the Hanuman temple on Anjana hill, but be prepare for a climb of about 600 steps.

If you are staying at Virupapur Gadde side of the river, plan and return by 6'o clock. If you have a train/bus to catch in the night, checking out before 6'o clock in the evening helps. If the ferry closes, the auto/car option becomes a much longer and costlier affair.

Rockclimbers frequently visit Hampi to scale the boulders and can often be seen around with their crashpads, mostly on the Virupapura Gaddi side of the river.

Wildlife - The occasional crocodile may be encountered in the river or on rocks midstream, sometimes several metres long.

Leopards frequent some of the rocky hills, sometimes not too far from human habitation, and may venture out at night to prey on dogs or the odd goat. *Sloth bears are not only confined to Daroji sanctuary, but may wander the sugar cane fields at night. They can be dangerous when encountered with cubs in tow.

As many as 185 species of bird can be identified at various times of the year in the Hampi environs.

• Volunteer

          Hampi Children Trust Directions: Hampi main bazaar. From the main road leading upto the Virupaksha temple, take a right to go into the main bazaar. The trust is a few meters on the left.

The trust takes care of 38 children with studies, food (all 3 meals, all days of the week) and medical care. Some children live in-house while others stay in the locality. Spend time with children on scheduled picnics every Saturday from 3pm to 6pm. Their language teacher, Chidu, takes them to a predesignated area (the river area, Matunga Hill etc) where the children let their wild streak take over them. Sundays closed. Ask for longer duration volunteering options if interested.

Set up by a Britisher Tim and a local Kalidas. See their neat classroom with weekly responsibilities laid out for each child for the upkeep of the trust. Ask for a scrapbook made by other volunteers as part of their art projects.

They accept voluntary donations or dedicated sponsors at Rs. 12000 / year / child.

Related Links

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampi

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Tourism-g319725-Hampi_Karnataka-Vacations.html