Me at Hampi (Part-I)

"The city of Bidjanagar (Hampi-Vijayanagara) is such that the pupil of the eye has never seen a place like it, and the ear of intelligence has never been informed that there existed anything to equal it in the world."                                                                               

-                               -  Abdur Razaq, Ambassador and traveller from Persia, 15^th Century.

Gopuram of Virupaksha Temple

Of all the historical places that I’ve visited, Hampi holds a special place in my heart and has an evident emotional connect. It was here that the Telugu language was enriched by the Ashtadiggajas (Eight Poets) patronized by SriKrishna DevaRaya, the greatest of Rayas, even as brutal battles were fought with firstly, the Bahmans and later, the Deccan Sultanates mostly for the control of Krishna-Tungabhadra Doab. And on a hot June day when the entire country is obsessed over the arrival of the deceptive South West Monsoon, I visited this wonderful place.

Virupaksha Temple as viewed from Hemakuta Hill

Regular City busses ply from Hosapete bus station (nearest city) to Hampi via the village of Kamalapura. The eye feast begins once the buss deviates from the main road at Kamalapura and takes left. Two hillocks with ruins littered here and there pass by. Finally, as I got down, the sight of the towering Gopuram of Virupaksha temple beckoned me. Virupaksha, a form of Lord Shiva is the family deity of the Rayas. The temple has a separate tank and Mandapam ensconced within it. Slightly damaged mural paintings dot the roof and walls of the temple. A very fine straight road connects the temple with Matanga Hill and Monolithic Bull. From the top of the Matanga Hill/Hillock, one could have a clear view of the entire ruins and temples at Hampi. Dotted with pillars and little mandapas on both sides, the walk from the Virupaksha temple towards Matanga Hill on that almost empty road had a rustic medieval aura to it, that I’ve felt like the Great Telugu Poet Srinadha, walking, about to be felicitated by the King of Vijayanagara, DevaRaya-II.

Inside Vitthala Temple

A tiring walk of 1.75 Kms from Virupaksha temple, towards the right side of the hill, passing through little shrines, past the small but snake like Tungabhadra river, King’s Balance and Sugriva Temple, brought me to the Vitthala Temple. En route - after some distance, I could not find proper sign boards for the temple, and this was a minor complaint. This temple is an outstanding monument! The two outer Gopurams of the temple are mostly damaged, but once inside, the feel is terrific. Two major mandapas adorn the temple, complete with rich pillar work and ornamentation. In the centre of the temple complex is the iconic Garuda Ratha (Garuda Chariot). Another Central Sabha Mandapam, – famed for it’s musical pillars and acoustics was under repair and renovation. The guards told that the actual reason for it’s closure was that too many eager & unsuspecting tourists were unknowingly damaging fragile pillars by hitting them repeatedly to listen music!

Pillar inside Vitthala Temple

Then, I’ve returned to the Virupaksha temple and trekked the Hemakuta Hill/Hillock which was to the right side of the temple. Many Jain & Hindu temples dot the hillock, roamed by groups of monkeys and langurs, including a temple dedicated to Mula-Virupaksha Raya, sort of father deity of Virupaksha. It is a treat to watch the Sun-Set from Hemakuta. Next to the hillock is a carved monolithic four handed idol of Lord Vinayaka called ‘Sasivekalu Ganesha’ (Sasivekalu=Mustard Seed). Farther eastwards across the road, adjacent to each other are the monolithic Urga-Narasimha and the 3 metres high Badava Linga. Their proximity suggests a recurring concept of Vijayanagara – that of equality between Saiva and Vaishnava traditions.

Ruins of Krishna Bazaar

Shri Krishna Temple

From there, I took another road for the walk back, and got to see the beautiful, partly damaged Krishna Temple. According to an inscription inside the temple, during the famous Kalinga Campaign, SriKrishna DevaRaya  brought an idol of Lord Shri Krishna from one of his conquests and installed it here. Opposite to this temple is the sprawling ruins of Krishna Bazaar – a place where ornaments and precious stones were traded commonly like vegetables and fruits during Vijayanagara times (allegedly). I could’ve been tempted to search the place for any of such treasures, but alas, my little knowledge of history meant that there are no such mundane treasures here, after the loot of the city following the Battle of Rakshasa-Tangadi (c.1565 CE).  Only the treasures of heritage are left. (...to be continued)

BadavaLinga

Ugra Narasimha

On #Mytravels, Hampi-Vijayanagara, 

11th and 12th of June, 2019.