[ARAY]

Before I even speak about the journey, let me first introduce the destination . Hampi (champion) is located in Vijaynagara of the famous Vijaynagar Empire. It’s a humble village north Karnataka. Hampi is roughly 400kms from Hyderabad. What remains of Hampi is just ruin, UNESCO has declared it a world heritage Site. Excavations are still going on at few places in the village. The city was in its glory from 1343 to 1565. The city is strategically placed near river Tungabhadra.

Sharing the picture I love the most, first.


I personally wanted to visit Hampi for a very long time , finally that time of the year arrived where work pressure was on the lighter side and we marked a date for the visit . 4th -6th December ,we booked rooms at Hotel Malligi via makemytrip.com. Initially it was decided that once I am back from officeon Thursday I would take a small power nap and then start off. I arrived home late and saw my kiddo awake at 2am running around the house and his mom chasing him. Plans had to be changed ,as once he is awake he is crazy awake and it would take a good 1-2 hours to get him back to bed.
Keeping everything in mind we decided to start off at 4am. From the go I knew the journey would be awesome I had gone through several team bhp forums to finalize the route. The 2.5 of us set off for a 400km journey. I have a tendency to touch the ORR every time I made a trip since I stay at Banjara Hills Hyderabad, this was not an option this time. We crossed the diversion to Shamshabad Airport and set sail on NH7 . Road conditions are excellent. Followed the course of NH7 till Jedcherla, average speed was 89kmph. From Jadcherla took NH167 to Raichur in Karnataka . It’s a single lane for most part but traffic was decent. From Raichur to Gangavati road (Raichur road) was not the best but the scenic beauty would make up for that. Average speed now was 51 kmph .
The road from Gangavati to Hospet , now here is the tricky part . You could opt for excellent beauty of the valley or you could go for a good road. I was driving my beloved Punto and good road was not the priority. We decided to go for SH49 road. A 20km patch was in complete ruins the Punto sailed like ships in rough water. The road passed through beautiful valley of small hills and paddy fields. We crossed the Kamalpur Lake and it was wonderful sight. Reached Hotel Malligi at around 11:30am.

Few pictures from SH49





Kamalpur Lake ,pit stop.



We stayed in Hospet City , it was small and maintained city except for few bad roads . That day was dedicated for Hospet and nearby places. We visited a few local handicraft and wooden workshops in the evening. The city was built by Krishna Deva Ray in 1500AD in remembrance of his mother.The city has seen a boom recently due to its massive iron-ore reserve. Hampi and nearby villages are threatened however.
Route Taken –
(NH7)Banjara hills > Shamshabad airport road >Jadcherla >(NH167)Mahbubnagar >Deosugur>Raichur (bypass to avoid city )(Raichur Road) >Sindhanur>Gangavati >(SH49)Hospet.

Few pictures from Day-1
The wonderful landscape that followed us on the Raichur road stretch







Small water bodies were to be found at several places, mostly used for cultivation.



The reason why we took SH49 instead

[ARAY]

The day before we had spoken to the travel desk of the hotel for a guide who could travel with us. They introduced me to one Mr. Prakash. He was local from Hampi Village and was fluent in English and Hindi. He had been a guide for past 12 years and knew most of the folks in and around. We covered most of the area by Punto. Even I managed to take it off-road and closer to ruins, of course after speaking to officials. My Punto is 4 years but I so dig the 185mm GC. It performed flawlessly on the highway and on the rocks. As the saying goes once a FIAT always a FIAT for me it might just be once a PUNTO always a PUNTO or its variation. My dream vehicle would be an Avventura with Panda’s AWD setup. Sorry about drifting away from the topic sharing some pictures from Day-2.
We started from the hotel around 9 in the morning. Reached the Main entrance to Vittala Temple by 920. via Hospet main road. Road condition was excellent and very scenic at the same time.


The guide showed us this structure saying it was a prototype that was built first before the actual temple was constructed. So technically its the oldest structure .


Private vehicles are not allowed inside the main Temple and we took an electric vehicle. Near the parking spot we found a raised platform (Manthapa) where worldly discussions were held.



For the 1km stretch we took to the main Temple stone structures accompanied us. The 900m stone structures were once said to be one of Asia's largest market.



It is said that the actual entrance to the Temple was built in 15th century and renovated again in 16th century.


The main Vittala Temple Complex.




The famous stone chariot. The wheels could be rotated even a few years ago until government decided to block them as the structure was getting damaged.


A view from inside the Temple compound.



It is said lord Hanuman often came here to rest. The stone mountain behind was the place its said Lord Hanuman was born.



Few more manthapaas where political/strategic/economic discussions were held.



Just behind the Temple compound ran the once mighty Tungabhadra River. On the way we found the famous two storied entrance and the weigh bridge where the King sat and the other end was filled with equal weight as tax.


It is said that tax collection was celebrated like a festival. Artists from distant land were asked to play their respective musical instrument on the 1st floor ,while tax payers arrived from the entrance below.It reminded me of some Bengali wedding I attended which had a similar type of setup with musicians playing on top of main entrance.


Once the river ran in its full glory, the kind had built a special stone bridge for his subjects.


This is a small open pillared pavilion with whitewashed top dedicated to the legendary poet Purandaradasa who lived in Hampi. The pavilion is located at the river shore near Vittala Temple. This is one of the areas at Hampi where people perform religious rituals. The pavilion is almost at the edge of the river that during monsoon the river water touches the platform or even submerges it.


The return journey from Vittala temple was scenic indeed. (please use headphones)
At 2:00mins you would see a rocky mountain ,its said A family from Northern India had be reciting Ramayana for past 12 years in one of the caves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXB-p9W6maM

[atulsian]

Thank you sir for the detailed travelouge. I'm planning this trip for the December end. I'll be taking the same route to Hampi.

[afunnynut]

Hey Aritra da nice pics and travelogue and all, but "deep dive"?

Me have been planning on the Hampi stretch for some years now - never made it there - though inlaws stayed in Shimoga. This has just got me salivating again!

~ayan

[ARAY]

...Continuing with Day1
At Tungabhadra river ruins of once so useful bridge were to be found. Its said the King had them constructed just for people lower down ,so that they could access the temple and reach the King more easily.


Kings of those era believed that if you are worshiping you would need to be at a level lower than that of the God .An underground path was constructed just below the main Vittala Temple Complex for devotees to pay respect .


From Vittala Temple we went 5kms away ,The Queens Bath. Its a wonderfully made architecture with both Hindu and Muslim designers.In the middle of the building in fact there is a 8 ft pool for queen's bath. Indeed a beautiful swimming pool exclusively designed for the Queen. There was a wooden structure that covered the entire building but was lost to the weather they say.
I must say the entire place in very well maintained.


The pool itself was around 8feet deep.Water from nearby pipeline was channeled to the containers that were made surrounding the Royal bath. Clear water came in after sufficient sedimentation.



The journey continued ,roads were not the best but was more than sufficient for my punto. The guide took us to the main area of the Kingdom ,Dasara Dibba or Mahanavami Dibba . Its said the King was a huge fan of wrestling and that is prominent all over the palace or what remains. Wrestlers from distant land arrived here ,actively participated and rested. Dedicated chambers for them to retire end of day.
What remains now are just the ruins of the epic Vijaynagara Empire.


The Guide informed that it was the pipeline that they found first and then then finally discovered the famous stepped pool.


This designers of this wonderfully marveled structure, applied Gravity to get water into this tank from the river/canal. The tank, also called Pushkarni, lies in the vicinity of Dasara Dibba.


Dasara Dibba or Mahanavami Dibba ,The Dasara Dibba was constructed by King Krishnadevaraya to celebrate his victory over Udaygiri (situated in present-day Orissa). It is believed that the original structure of the Dasara Dibba has undergone some changes in 15th and 16th century, under the successive rulers of the Vijayanagara Empire.The raised platform was used as a stage by the kings to watch the celebration of the nine-day long splendid Mahanavami festival, also known as the Dasara festival. Due to this reason the platform came to be known as Mahanavami Dibba. The renovation that took place in 16th century is clearly visible in the stones used for construction.



The platform has two stairways to reach the top – one situated at the front and the other at the back of the structure. The front stairway is attractively decorated with ornate carvings of elephants, horses, soldiers and stately processions. There is nothing much to see at the platform’s surface at the top, but it provides a splendid view of the surrounding areas. The stairway at the back is a plain one.


The stone gates that were found at later stage of excavation. It has stone hinges that were opened or closed by elephants.


Massive Stone plates which were used during that time.

[ARAY]

The Elephant Stables are located in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Hampi in Karnataka. This structure was constructed with majestic openings for the resting places of the royal elephants. It is said that the structure was jointly designed by Hindu and Muslim architects , the Dome and other special touches are eminent .The open area in front of the of the building was a parade ground for the elephants.




The main hall resembles ,though mostly destroyed more like that of temples. Five domes on either side are of Islamic in style. They are better preserved and of alternating patterns. An elegant structure accompanies the main building. Its said to be the resting place for caretakers of the royal elephants. In fact some of the stone relics that were found during excavations have been arranged beautifully inside the building.



We moved on to the famous Lotus mahal , the drive was simple and roads were straightforward with directions everywhere.. It is a mix of Indian and Islamic architecture. We were not allowed to go inside Lotus Mahal, but this two storied structure is indeed beautiful. Its said this is where King Rama Raya met with scholars.


The structure was said to draw water from nearby man made lakes. Few places on the walls had pours outlet fr water to drip and keep the chambers cool. The structure was well guarded with high walls and watch towers at all four corners.



Next we went for Hajara Rama temple. Our guide made sure that by Hajara it did not mean 1000 but Hajara meant "in front of main palace". It was a nice touch every now and then on how he stressed on facts we could easy forget once we are back. Mr Prakash took huge interest in his City's heritage and was really proud of that. Strangely enough all the main events in Ramayana had been beautifully carved on the stones.





After a brief chat with few officials around and with our Guide's help I took the punto close to the epic structures.


Punto doing what punto does best. Any one from FIAT reading this please give AWD in Avventura.



Enroute to Virupaksha Temple we went to visit monolithic lord Vishnu. The Mughal emperors had already destroyed most of it in search of treasure which was said to have been hidden.The specialty of the sculpture is that it is the largest monolith statue in Hampi. The statue is located on the southern side of the Hemakuta temples on Hemakuta Hill.


The Linga is housed inside a chamber with an opening in the front. A close look on this icon can reveal three eyes (depicting the three eyes of Shiva) carved on it. Legend has it that this was commissioned by a peasant woman and hence the name (Badva means poor in local tongue). The priest in picture is said to be responsible for regular worship and puja for past 40 years.


The epic trip was coming to an end and we decided to visit Virupaksha Temple.The temple has been considered the most sacred among all temples at Hampi. The temple is about 50 m tall Pampa is a local goddess and the ancient deity of the area (considered a form of Parvati. Facing the Virupaksha temple is the double – storied structures known as the Virupaksha Bazaar or the Hampi Bazar.




Ancient entrance to Virupaksha Temple.


Day3 first half was spent lazing around, had a late breakfast. Visited the Daroji Bear Sanctuary , unfortunately did not find any bears around. Headed back to hotel and hit the road at 2pm. We took the same route via which we had come .SH49 was opted again and the Valley looked more beautiful basking in the setting sun. The journey came to an end and again it was a very good one.Thanks to Punto for making the journeys so memorable.
Finally few pictures of the hotel we stayed, Hotel Malligi.



I hope I was able to provide enough information. I would be more than happy to help with any further queries.

[surjaonwheelz]

Excellent and vivid story mate!

[Samba]

The first thing that comes to my mind is excellent pics!

The details you have shared is more than enough to plan a trip to Hampi for any prospective traveller.

I have been to Hampi way back in 2009 in my beloved Alto from Bangalore. You rekindled my awesome memories. Thanks a ton for sharing this beautiful travelogue. Enjoyed reading it to the core.
Back then i didn't have a Dslr, neither i knew what Photoshop is! I just carried my humble point & shoot camera. Still i wont refrain from sharing few pics i took in my trip, though our trip pics are no where near to the awesome pics you have shared over here!































For more pics from our Hampi trip you can check out this album.
https://picasaweb.google.com/1052372...36508748/Hampi

And last but not the least, rated 5*.

Edit : Punto needs a special mention too! Its looking gorgeous in the pics!

[phamilyman]

Aritra,

Congratulations on an engaging triplog with stunning photos. What camera? Every single photo is oustanding.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Congratulations on an engaging triplog with stunning photos. What camera? Every single photo is oustanding.

+1. He has used a wide angle to good effect.
Very nice snaps. Hampi is one of the most beautiful places and has a lot to offer to all kinds of travellers.

[ARAY]

Originally Posted by Samba

The first thing that comes to my mind is excellent pics!
The details you have shared is more than enough to plan a trip to Hampi for any prospective traveller.
Edit : Punto needs a special mention too! Its looking gorgeous in the pics!

Small question : where was I when you did Hampi ? Probably we met later and I missed a mega trip with you.Better late than never.

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Aritra,

Congratulations on an engaging triplog with stunning photos. What camera? Every single photo is oustanding.

Thanks, I was using Canon 70D with 10-18mm. It was very sunny and bright was using -ve compensation of -1. At few places on the road I used 1+2's camera with the google camera in photo sphere mode.

[subbaramu]

Did you see the inverted shadow of the Virupaksha Temple gopuram inside the temple. Irrespective of the direction of the sun, the gopura shadow appears in an inverted manner.

[rakesh_r]

Excellent travelogue complimented with some breathtaking pics. Also loved the Punto,she just looks gorgeous.
I was planning to goto Hampi,is it doable in a day? I am planning to do
Pune-Murudeshwar-Mookambika-Gokarna-Pune.
Thought of doing Hampi which can be covered while driving back to Pune.
Will be driving my humble swift diesel.

[FuelInjector]

stunning captures. Great machine. Super guide to cover a story. What more do you need
Thanks for sharing the TL.

[ARAY]

Originally Posted by subbaramu

Did you see the inverted shadow of the Virupaksha Temple gopuram inside the temple. Irrespective of the direction of the sun, the gopura shadow appears in an inverted manner.

Yes ,we did and it was a great sight. Infact we reached Virupaksha Temple around 3:30pm,the inverted image was white.At around 5pm when the sun was golden the image was yellow and finally it turned bit reddish when we left.

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

Excellent travelogue complimented with some breathtaking pics. Also loved the Punto,she just looks gorgeous.
I was planning to goto Hampi,is it doable in a day? I am planning to do
Pune-Murudeshwar-Mookambika-Gokarna-Pune.
Thought of doing Hampi which can be covered while driving back to Pune.
Will be driving my humble swift diesel.

Thanks, I always though that my Punto was a he, but thats ok
Traveling to Hampi can be done in one day but Hampi is an elaborate area and would take a whole day or two.

We went to Tungabhadra Dam.There is a small park alongside. If you want to see few more tourist attractions nearby you would need another day.There are few rocky places where I manged to take my punto. Sunrise in the valley is something you should not miss. You could take your car on top of the mountain but please be careful its not for FWD but can be done.