Hampi, the capital city of Vijaynagar kingdom, once a prosperous state and now in ruins was my next target for travel. Hampi is almost 400Km from Hyderabad and after searching the internet I got a fair idea of the places to see and expected time to cover them. So what’s more, one fine evening I called up other riders and decided to visit the place.
After convincing my TL to let me go half an hour before the schedule on the D-Day, we made our plans for the ride. We decided to ride to Mehboobnagar on 5th September evening and stay for the night at some Lodge and next day starting early morning we would ride to Hampi. As decided we (Govind, Srinivas Brothers and myself) met at Mehdipatnam at 6.30PM on 5th September and set off. We were joined by Raghu near Samsabad airport.
Mishap at Shadnagar: We reached Shadnagar, about 50Km from Hyderabad within an Hour. While crossing shadnagar a man in early twenties while trying to cross the road, came in front of Raghu’s bike. Raghu tried to save him and in the process his bike skid and he fell off. Though he wasn’t injured (just a few bruises) his bike bore the brunt of the fall. The foot rest came off and it was not possible to ride without it. We found a mechanic shop and after more than an hour of HARD work we got it fixed, though not permanently. Fixing the bike we moved on. We stopped before reaching Jadcherla, at a dhaba to have our Dinner.
Finding a lodge in Mehboobnagar was not a difficult one and we rested our backs in a decent lodge. Sleep has already crawled in our eyes and while Govind tried hard to fix his new music system and chat over his mobile, I surrendered to deep slumber.
Waking up early morning at 4.30 AM was never easy to me, but the excitement of reaching Hampi woke me up as soon as the alarm rang. We were ready by 5.30 AM on the morning of 6th September, and riding at a good pace towards our next destination which was Raichur (Karnataka state).
Sun was just rising from the horizon and the fresh light washed off all tiredness and gave us the zeal to ride on. The fresh energy imparted by the gentle sunlight was clearly visible from our faces. We were passing through sunflower fields and all the flowers were facing the rising sun and the gentle light made them look as if we were passing through some land described in fairy tales. We got spellbound by the scenic beauty of the rising sun and thousands of sun like sunflowers who smiled at us as we rode on.
Unlike Hyderabad the road through this part of Karnataka passes through lush green fields which reminded of the agricultural fields of Bengal. So similar yet so far. The morning sun gave a wonderful view of the surrounding and we reached Raichur within 2 hrs.
Breakfast at Raichur (Karnataka): We reached Raichur at 8:00AM and found all shops shut. It seemed to us that something was wrong as there was very less traffic and less people on road. We found a south Indian restaurant and had our Breakfast. No petrol bunks were open except one, and its needless to say that there was a long queue in front of it. So we decided to fill our ‘heavier halves’ in some other petrol bunk outside the city. After refueling we carried on our journey.
The state highway that links Raichur and Gangavati (our next destination) was a good one except the speed breakers. There were speed breakers (a set of 6) before and after each locality that we passed through which reduced our speed considerably. Once near Saktinagar I almost fell of my bike due to the speed breakers. As we approached Saktinagar the cooling towers and chimneys of the power plant could be seen from a long distance. They stood amidst lush green fields bellowing smoke and water vapor, a man made structure amidst the greenery. I realized that development has its cost and amidst such greenery it was really unwanted.
Govind was riding hard and Raghu and I were riding together. Since Raghu’s bike was not going beyond 80Km/Hr, we had to limit ourselves to that speed. Gangavati is almost 135 Kms from Raichur and we rode with patience to reach there. Finally at 11.30 AM we reached outskirts of Gangavati.
A bumpy ride to Hampi : From Gangavati to Hampi there are two routes, one through Hospet and another goes directly to Hampi. We, the WANDERER’S took the road LESS TRAVELLED. And believe me that road didn’t give us any pleasure to ride. It seems that there was a road not long ago but only remainders of it could be actually found. It was full of potholes filled with rain water and it was really difficult to negotiate the potholes. After riding almost 45 minutes through that horrible stretch we finally came across a stretch which could be called a ROAD. While crossing the hills we got a wonderful view of the valley and the banana plantations surrounded by coconut trees. The rocky hills had beautiful cactus on them. We did halt to take snaps.
While entering Hampi I felt as if I was entering History. Wherever I looked I saw relics of beautiful stone carved mandir’s, gateways and other structures. Long ago people used these roads and came in horses and elephants and now we were entering in our bikes. I felt that the gates and structures were welcoming us, and as if they already knew us and we were not new to them either. I haven’t visited such a beautiful ancient city earlier and it was totally new experience for me. History beckoned us and we roared with our bikes as we entered.
Hampi was a large city, well built and must have been inhabited by thousands of people. It must have taken generations to build it. But it took a day to destroy it. What a destruction drive it must have been and what barbaric acts were enacted to destroy such a beautifully built civilization. The Bahamani sultans did something which history can’t ever forgive. The more we saw the more we felt about the destruction of such a beautiful city.
We boarded a small lodge and after getting refreshed we had our lunch in a small hotel. The hoarding of the hotel boasts of being recommended in Lonely Planet but we found just the opposite. The food quality was not upto the mark. After we filled up our appetite we were up to discovering the place. And in front of us there was a huge gopuram (entry gate of a mandir).
Discovering Hampi : The gopuram in front of me was of Virupaksha temple, built in Dravidian style. It is one of the few temples at Hampi, where the deity is still worshipped. It is said that Virupaksha temple was saved from the destruction of Muslim rulers thanks to a divine intervention. It was a large temple complex and an elephant was seen inside munching on leaves. It consisted of three towers and a central Mandir (temple) where the deity (Virupaksheshwara or Pampapathi) is still worshipped. There are many rooms and passageways surrounding the main temple. One of the main attractions of the temple is the inverted image of the main Gopuram in the western wall of the temple through a small hole behind the sanctum. European’s claim to have invented the Pin Hole Camera but what about the Inverted image that was deliberately built by the people of Vijaynagar kingdom centuries before any such inventions by the Europeans. They must have knowledge about the inversion of images and hence portrayed such a thing in a magnificent creation – The Virupaksha Mandir. I had to pay Rs. 50/- to take pictures inside the temple but the entry fee was only Rs. 2/-. We didn’t take any guide for this temple.
We rode up to the Hemakutam hill and there we decided to take a guide with us. The guide charged us Rs. 500/- for 4 hrs, which we thought was more than enough. Our next stop was Lakshmi Narasimha temple. We found a beautiful statue of ‘Ugra Narasimha’ (violent Narasimha). The statue was partially damaged during the pillage that happened after the fall of Vijayanagar Empire. Even the partially damaged statue is exquisite with Lord Narashima in Yogic pose with snakes protecting him. Just opposite of the statue was a Badavi Linga temple, which houses 12 feet tall Shiva Linga made of blackstone. The speciality of this temple is that the shiva linga is surrounded by water which was brought through channels of stone which is still intact and the water never dries up even during summer months.
We stopped at a Shiva temple nearby which was unearthed a few decades ago but the structure was still strong enough to hold its own weight. Inside the temple there was no deity since it was destroyed in the onslaught that followed the fall of Vijaynagar Kingdom. Only Nandi bull could be found confirming that it was a shiva temple.
The Royal Enclosure : Our next stop was the Royal Enclosure, which contains the Lotus Mahal (palace), elephant stables, and Zenana enclosure. The Zenana enclosure or the queens’ quarters is an eclectic blend of Hindu and Islamic architectural styles, surrounded on all sides by tall watchtowers – most of them in a state of ruin. This enclosure housed 2 of the queens and was guarded by Eunuch guards since no male except the king was allowed inside. The elegant Lotus Mahal appears suspended, like a floating palace on a full moon night. This structure contains earthen pipes that were used to flow water inside the walls of the palace so as to keep it cool during summer months. The earthen pipes are still intact. The elephant stables are close by, a majestic row of 11 domed stalls, with arched connecting doorways. These stables were to house ceremonial elephants, only 11 among 6000 that the king had. One of the palaces here has been converted into a museum which displays an impressive collection of royal artifacts.
The enormous platform known as Mahanavami Dibba in royal enclosure served as a platform for kings, consorts and royal officers from where they could view festivities. It had a seven storied wooden palace of the king and a golden throne. The building was burnt following the fall of the kingdom by the Muslim rulers. About 30 feet above ground level, the Mahanavami Dibba is decorated with intricately carved horses, soldiers, a couple of foreign looking dignitaries, and a scene showing girls frolicking in water all depicting the daily life during those days. The vintage view of the Tungabhadra as it silently winds its way through the rocky cliffs is enchanting.
Another must-see monument here is the stepped tank, into which water was fed by a series of stone channels which still exist, an example of expert engineering techniques developed several centuries ago.
We found some of the stone plates which were used by soldiers to eat food. The guide informed that there was a mile long structure which had series of stone plates with water flowing in channels in front of them which were used by the army to feed its soldiers.
We were then guided to the king’s swimming pool which was 70 meters in length and had considerable depth. Stone channels were used to feed water in the pool and a lifeguard tower also existed.
A little distance away is the grand Hazara Rama Temple, originally built by Vijayanagar kings for private worship. The temple which stands within a walled enclosure exudes an air of elegant serenity. It is equally radiant in the day as its rock sculptures glisten in the rays of the morning sun. The relief sculptures on the walls and temples depict scenes from the epic Ramayana. The temple had 4 black granite stone pillar’s, the stone was brought from Warangal had beautiful carvings on them.
Nearby was the queen’s bath. It is an enclosed building with a pool of fresh water inside it. Water was brought through stone channels in the pool.
Our next stop was to Hampi’s famous Vittala temple. En route were monuments far removed from the tourist circuit – Purandara Mantapa on the banks of river Tungabhadra; and the King’s Balance where it is believed that the Vijayanagar princes weighed gold and silver ornaments received as tribute from subordinate kingdoms. We also discovered an ancient bridge over the Tungabhadra River.
The Vittala temple is perhaps the finest example of Vijayanagar architecture. Originally constructed by king Devaraya, it was further embellished during Krishnadevaraya’s reign. The temple comprises an impressive rajagopura, a sabha mantapa (congregation hall), narasimha mantapa, kalyana mantapa (wedding hall), utsava mantapa (function hall) and several small Devi shrines in the passageways. The pillars hewn out of single granite blocks with carved friezes, produce musical notes when tapped gently, prompting the mantapa to be christened the Hall of Musical Pillars. It is said that kings 2nd wife who was a dancer used to dance in that mandir and musicians armed with sticks used to pad the pillars to bring out the desired music. Every pillar contained a statue playing a musical instrument depicting the sound to be produced when the pillar is stuck with a stick. Our guide gave us a small demonstration by tapping the pillar by his thumb. It amazed me a lot, since these solid stone structures could produce different sounds, was beyond my imagination. I was rendered speechless by such precision and workmanship of the artisans of that era, certainly with all modern technology we can’t recreate them.
Stone Chariot at Vittala Temple :Perhaps the most breathtaking structure in Hampi is the amazing Stone Chariot installed inside the Vitthala temple. This life-sized 22 feet tall chariot carved out of stone is testimony to the skills of the stone carvers of the Vijayanagar era. The intricately carved monolithic stone wheels rotate on an axle with an awe inspiring precision and detailing of sculptures. The wheels are now sealed to protect them.
In front of the Vitthala temple was a large Bazar primarily for selling horses. It was 900mts long and horses from different countries like Arab nations were sold in these market. It was an international trading center. We also came across another market call Pan Supari Bazar which was a trading center for ornaments and Beatle leaves and pan masalas.
Sun was setting down and it was time that we returned to our hotel, I stopped by Krishna temple while others carried on. The Krishna temple complex is also a large one, beautifully carved stone temple. It was also destroyed. Inside I took a few snaps of the wonderful carvings and statues of Garuda (Vahan of Lord Vishnu). The gopuram was a magnificent one and the temple is a masterpiece of art.
Visit to Hospet :After refreshing ourselves we decided to ride to Hospet so as to see a musical fountain show near the Tungabhadra dam. The road to Hospet is smooth and it was a pleasure to ride through it. As we reached the dam site the sky became overcast and it started raining. We took shelter in a hut in front of the fountain, the show started almost immediately. There were leakages in the roof and water was trickling but it didn’t deter us from watching the full show. After the show was over we rode amidst rain and reached Hospet town. Finding a good place to have our dinner was never an easy task, it took a while but we ultimately found one.
Way back it was pitch dark and riding through gust of rain was really enjoying. The road ahead of us was visible only by our bike’s head light, Raghu dropped his bottle of water and it rolled back to him through the road. Back in hotel we all surrendered to slumber with little delay.
Ride Back Home. 7th September 08. Last night we decided that we would try to cross the Tungabhadra river and visit the places at the other side, but the rains increased the water level and boats would not ply. So we had no other option but to start our journey back home.
At 11:00 we started after having breakfast. I ate Guntapongal among other dishes in breakfast. Guntapongal is made of idli mix but is fried instead of steaming them. It was served hot and I really enjoyed it.
We reached Gangavati by 11:45 and had our lunch in Shaktinagar at a dhaba before we reached Raichur at 2.15 PM. We reached Jadcherla at 5.30 PM and after having tea we took the Highway back to Hyderabad.
A survival story: Sun was setting and it was getting dark. Govind’s bike’s tail light got fused and it was difficult to spot him. I could clearly see clouds in the horizon with occasional lightening. I feared a thunderstorm. We were riding among good amount of traffic and we were slowing down as the highway only had 2 out of 4 lanes operational and we had to change lanes after few kms. Overtaking the long vehicle’s was proving to be a challenging task keeping in mind our safety. Riding a few kms my fears were proved to be true. A thunder storm was waiting for us. It started raining cats & dogs. I was the lead rider and hardly could I see anything in front of me. I was blinded by the force of rain drops falling over my eyes in considerable speed. I blindly followed the tail light of a vehicle in front of me. Lightening lit the other wise dark surrounding but still I couldn’t figure out anything on the road. It required nerves of steel to carry on. Govind, Raghu and Srinivas trailed me. We were riding just to survive and praying that the rain stops as quickly as possible. Riding for almost 1 Hr in the incessant rain we finally reached the outskirts of Hyderabad where Raghu and Srinivas bid us good bye and Govind and myself carried on our journey towards our home. We thanked the almighty for saving us. It was a terrifying as well as enjoying experience for me. It took out the best riders in us and showed that we also do have nerves of steel.
This trip marked a satisfaction and achieving a long awaited desire to visit Hampi. I always wanted to visit Hampi since I read about it during my school days. I thank my fellow riders who gave me company and filled my journey with joy. The ride also proved beyond doubt the toughness of our vehicles and the passion we have to ride them. It also proved that finding an opportunity to travel to different places, though not easy but having one gives the freedom of getting out of this mundane life which I always do wait for.
