A word of caution. If the mere sight of rocks, boulders, hillocks and temples does not enthuse you, Hampi is not the place you should have on your bucket list.
However, if you spend some time on the internet list and soak yourself in the etymology of this place which was a Magnificent Empire Once Upon A Time, you wouldn’t blink an eyelid in planning this trip out. Set aside a minimum if 2 to 3 days to explore Hampi and understand The story of The Lost City.
Table of Contents
Getting there
Hampi is more easily accessible by road or rail than by Air. The nearest Railway station is Hospete which is around 14 kms away from Hampi and there are a few direct trains from the cities of Hyderabad, Bangalore and Goa plying in. The other alternate would be to travel by an overnight bus between Bangalore and Hospete. The Hubli airport is located around 170 kms from Hampi and would entail a 3 hour travel.Â
Friday evening’s train (Shatabdi Express) from Chennai brought me into Bangalore at around 10.30 PM and the place from where I was to take a bus at 11.30 PM to Hampi was bang opposite the Bangalore Central station. I had booked both the onward and return journeys from Bangalore to Hospete by the Airavat buses of KSRTC which offer decent value for money in terms of Air Conditioned travel and punctuality compared to the private bus operators and a round ticket made be poorer by Rs.1,600/- only.
The Long and Short on Hampi
A Quote attributed to Rumi goes as follows – “ Where there are ruins, there are hopes to find a treasure.Â
If not a treasure literally, one is bound to find a treasure trove of derelict but stunning monuments, each interwoven with a story of richness, grandeur, benevolence and which all culminated in a violent past. Kings beheaded, people brutally killed, monuments, temples and palaces razed, treasures looted and so much more. There is so much seethed in history written all over, so much to read and discover here.
While lot of Persian and Portuguese travellers who visited Hampi between the 14th and 16th centuries chronicled lot of memoirs of this magnificent city, it reached its state of ruins after being repeatedly plundered by the Mughals. The Battle of Talikota in 1565 saw a coalition of Muslim Sultanates entering into a war with the Vijayanagara empire.Â
The then King Aliya Rama Raya was captured and beheaded and the complete infrastructure in and around Hampi was pillaged, burnt and literally reduced to rubble. It was in a state of ruins until an employee of the East India Company Colleen Mackenzie, an engineer, surveyor and caryographer byy professions brought this to light by building a survey map around this place.
Persian and Portuguese travellers who visited Hampi between the 14th and 16th centuries chronicled lot of memoirs of this magnificent city. The Battle of Talikota in 1565 saw a coalition of Muslim Sultanates entering into a war with the Vijayanagara empire.Â
The then King Aliya Rama Raya was captured and beheaded and the complete infrastructure in and around Hampi was pillaged, burnt and literally reduced to rubble. It was in a state of ruins until an employee of the East India Company Colleen Mackenzie, an engineer, surveyor and cartographer by profession brought this to light by building a survey map around this place.
Lot of photographs of the then place were published which helped historians delve into the past, discover a lot more about Hampi and recreate the history behind it.Â
Spread over an area of 30 square kms, it is estimated that the town has more than 1,600 monuments which include Temples, Memorial structures, Pillared Halls, Palaces, Gateways, bath structures and fort walls. UNESCO declared Hampi as a Heritage Site in 1986 and also attributed it to be a highly evolved multi religious and multi ethnic society, Hampi was also ranked in the New York Times’ must visit destination list for 2019.Â
The best months to be in Hampi
While The months between October to March are when the climate in Hampi remains pretty cool and pleasant. While the monsoons set in between July to September a late September visit would also be worthwhile considering the greenery which one could get to see thanks to the rains. However the rains would be a definite dampener on sighting the Orange hues of Sunrise and Sunset from the Matanga Hills or the Hemakunta hills. Summer time is a definite No No as it becomes terrible with the radiation from the rocks compounding the heat. Light cotton wear and tees would be the best attire to go with but do not forget your trekking shoes unless you want to give the haul up the Matanga Hills a miss.
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As I donned the role of a backpacker
The folks at home  were stone faced (pun intended) when I briefed them on plans being made for Hampi and they were all in unison that they did not want to ruin my plans.Â
Chose the October 2nd (Gandhi Jayanti) weekend to lug it all alone.Â
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Confused about stay at Hampi or Hospete
If one were to chose between Hampi and Hospet for stay, would definitely recommend Hospet as there are quite a few decent hotels to pick from depending on your budgets like Hampi International, Malligi, Krishna Palace, Brindavan Residency, Clarke’s Inn etc while at Hampi, most of the hotels are typical homestays or pretty expensive resorts like Evolve Back, Hyatt Palace, WelcomHeritage Shivavilas Palace etc. Choose your pick depending on how much moolah you want to cough up but do read the reviews on Booking.com or Agoda before narrowing down on your choice.
I missed the bus of selecting one of the above hotels in Hospet as mine was a last minute plan to utilise the October 2nd weekend and they were all sold out months before. Finally, managed to get a room at Ananya Comforts for the 3 days of Stay at Rs.9,200/-. A nice hangout with a neat and clean bed, washroom, linen and a manageable eating joint.
There were a few restaurants around the hotel area and a nice filter Kaapi (colloquial word for coffee in Tamil) outlet right below my hotel which kind of made my life.Â
I reached Hospet by around 6 in the morning and checked into Ananya Comforts which was a stone’s throw away from the Bus Stand. Stepped out of the hotel for a filter coffee when a young Auto Driver Uday befriended me and offered to show me around Hampi. He had the map of all the important place to see and while he was on his sales pitch, noticed that he came across as a very genuine and humble guy and quickly settled for a price of Rs,1,200/- for him to take me around all the places. A word of caution!! The moment you set foot in Hospet, you would be hounded by Auto and Cab guys on the roads, promising a detailed tour but negotiate hard and be very clear that you have to be shown all the famed spots in Hampi.
Day 1 of Sightseeing
After a quick and lovely breakfast at a restaurant called Naivedyam opposite my place of stay, freshened up and got ready to soak in the sights of Hampi. The Auto guy came in at the duly appointed hour of 8 AM and we set off for Hampi which was around 13 kms away.Â
I was all excited like a school kid reminiscing the ICSE history book of the 80s with all the vivid descriptions of the Vijayanagara empire and the epic photo of the Stone Chariot at Hampi and could not wait to get going.
Before my story unfolds in terms of what I saw and its significance, let me present His Story all over again …..
Plotting the Course
The Mohammedan Tomb
Keep your eyes trained on both sides of the road while travelling and never hesitate to ask your cab or auto guy to pull up whenever you see some piece of architecture /monument  on the road.Â
These guys would generally otherwise drive by on account of being familiar with the main sights only. That is how I stumbled upon the Mohammadan Tomb and Dargah which stood in isolation near Kadirampuram before entering Hampi.Â
A small complex housing a couple of cubical structures, one with a flat roof and the other with a domical roof and a few tombs of some important members of the Vijayanagara court and its military, this place is known as the Ahmad Khan Mosque. Ahmad Khan was an officer in the army of the empire and built this mosque in 1439 as a place of worship.
The Fiery Ugra Narasimha Temple
A little ahead of us towards the right side of the road lay the Lakshmi Narasimha Temple where a large monolithic granite statue of Lord Narasimha (meaning half man and half lion) unfolded before our eyes.Â
Said to be the 4th incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the Ugra Narasimhar statue depicts the lord in a fierce, wrathful and aggressive form and his power to destroy evil and protect righteousness.Â
Commissioned in 1528 CE by King Krishnadeva Raya, the 22 feet high lord is shown to be sitting cross legged on the coils of a 7 headed snake (Adi Sesha) whose hood can be seen on top.Â
The statue was believed to have Goddess Lakshmi sitting on the lap of the Lord but after having been damaged and vandalized in 1565 by the Mughals, the broken statue was shifted to Kamalapura Museum.
Adjacent to the Ugra Narasimhar temple lies the Badavalinga Shiva temple, supposed to have been commissioned by a Badava (meaning poor) peasant woman. This was built in the Vijayanagara style of architecture and consecrated in 1534 AD. The Linga is housed in a chamber with an opening in the front and the sanctum is always filled with water at the base. A close look at the icon reveals the 3 eyes of Lord Shiva carved on it. There are no fees levied for visiting this temple.Â
The Krishna Bazaar and Temple
We moved on next to the famed Krishna temple, a 5 minute drive away from the Ugra Narasimhar temple complex.
The opposite side of the temple had the Krishna Bazaar (conventionally known as the Car Street) and the sacred water tank or the (Pushkarni) which were recently excavated sites from what existed as thick banana fields earlier.
While the Krishna temple has been built at an elevation, the Bazaar is low lying since there is a pathway with some broad steps which takes one down to a long row of pavilions which strikes lot of semblance to the existence of a market place those days. The water tank has a small pavilion at its center and many intricately carved aquatic devices which were used to feed water to the tank.
Watch the video below to get a fair idea on how imposing this structure would have been then.
The Sasivekalu Temple
We then reached the square shaped Sasivekalu Ganesh Temple located close to the Krishna Temple.
Here the 8 feet tall idol here is carved out of a single rock.
Located on the South Eastern slopes of the Hemakunta hill, this temple is erected in memory of King Narasimha II of the Vijayanagara Empire as per the inscription on it by a merchant from Chandragiri in 1506 AD.
The legendary story around this idol was that given his intense liking for food, Lord Ganesh overate and to prevent his stomach from bursting at the seams, he caught hold of a snake and tied it around his belly.
The belly is shaped like a mustard seed In terms of its contours and hence the attribute of name as what it means in Kannada.
The 4 armed idol though broken in parts is said to have held a bowl of sweets, a tusk, a goad and a noose.
The Virupaksha Temple
The iconic images of Virupaksha Temple dominating the skyline of Hampi is a common sight when we search on the net for Hampi. Built by Lakkan Dandesha, a chieftain under Deva Raya, this temple, located next to the Hampi Bazaar lay a little ahead of the Ganesh Temple which was next on the itinerary.
One of the oldest structures in this town, this 7th century temple is dedicated to Lord Virupaksha (an incarnation of Lord Shiva). This is perhaps the only temple in Hampi where a sanctum sanctorum exists and where priests go about their daily rituals. People come in hordes to worship here. What is striking about the temple’s design are the way mathematical concepts have been used to carry out the design, given the symmetry and repeated patterns one can observe when looking at the towers.
A 50 metre high 9 Tiered Tower or Gopuram believed to have been constructed in 1442, leads one to the inner courtyard.Â
There is an unusual triple headed statue of Nandi (bull) right near the entrance after one crosses the main tower. Â
The temple complex has quite a few decorative columns, a 100 pillared hall, intricate stucco figures on the upper tier, a number of smaller shrines, a kitchen, grand gopurams, antechambers and high carved ceilings done up with paintings which date back to the 14th and 16th century.Â
There are inscriptions on Lord Shiva dating back to the 9th and 10th century.Â
The temple complex looks to have been developed from a small shrine to a large complex especially with many additions being carried out during the Chalukya and Hoysala dynasty. The main idol of Lord Virupaksha is in the form of a Shivalinga.Â
The most important of the sub shrines are for Lord Shiva’s consorts Goddesses Pampa and Bhuvaneswari.Â
A pillared hall also known as the Ranga Mandapa where King Krishnadeva Raya was coronated can be seen near the entrance. This also has a large stone plaque detailing his contribution to the temple.
Close to the main sanctum, a flight of steps leads one to the rear exit of the complex and just before the exit, entry into a dark chamber is definitely not be missed. An amazing concept of Physics in the form of a Pin Hole Camera technique created with stonework can be seen. There is a small slit on the wall through which the sun rays passes and creates an inverted image of the temple tower on the wall.
A visit to this temple would be incomplete without greeting the gentle Temple Elephant Lakshmi. A tower towards the Northern side leads one to the banks of the Tungabhadra river where one gets to see a small Durga Temple. Opposite the temple lies the Manmadha Water Tank. The Elephant balustrades, the Lion like Mythical creatures and warriors riding on ferocious animals have been sculpted very nicely.
The special entry tickets to the temple would be Rs.25/- and one would have to pay an additional non receipted amount of Rs.50/- to carry one’s camera inside.
The Hampi Bazaar and the Hemakunta Hills
Close to the Virupaksha temple lies the Hampi Bazaar where one gets to enjoy a local shopping experience. This at one time used to be a place where merchants from various foreign countries used to come and sell exotic stuff like Jewellery, Silk Clothes, precious stones etc and also where horses and cows were traded. A wide variety of local items like stone figurines, carved artefacts, handicraft items, clay dolls, colourful bags, embroidered shawls and textiles got sold here and one could even pick up a replica of the Hampi ruins.
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As one comes out of the temple, a cobbled pathway on the left leads one to the Hemakunta hills where the cluster of Hemakunta temples can be seen. A gentle climb up the slope gives way to beautiful views of the Virupaksha Temple apart from some amazing rock cut designs of temples, archways and pavilions on the hillock itself. A great place to see the sunrise and sunset, the climb to the top is very gradual and once one gets there, it’s a flat expanse of rocky sheet with undulations in a few places. The well preserved pre and early-Vijayanagara temples are all housed atop this hill. Legend has it that Goddess Pampa (Parvati) pleased Lord Shiva with her dedication so much so that he was very impressed and his celestial powers led to gold falling on this hill in the form of rains.
The temples here are pyramidal in design and bear an uncanny resemblance to the Shikaras of Jain temples. Most of the temples out here are dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Shiva or Ganesha.Â
The inscriptions found on the 2nd of the temples dates the existence of the temple to 1309-1310 AD.
The Moola Virupaksha temple which can be seen here is considered as the original Virupaksha temple. The Moola Virupaksha and the Trikuta temples can also be sighted on this hill.
The Kadalekalu Ganesh Temple
The other side of the hill (the North eastern slope) leads one to the Kadalekalu (meaning Bengal Gram in Kannada) Ganesh Temple. The belly of the statue is in the shape of this Lentil. This Giant statue is around 15 feet tall and is carved out of a single boulder A fairly large pillared hall with intricately carved pillars and Ornate with mythical themes can be sighted in front of the sanctum.
The Famed Vithala Temple
A 15 minute drive through a beautiful avenue of trees leads one to the Vithala (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu) Temple, located around 10 kms away from the Virupaksha Temple. The Vithala or the Vijay Vithala temple built during the 15th century during the reign of King Devaraya II exemplifies the excellent Dravidian architecture and immense creativity of the artisans and sculptors of the Vijayanagara Dynasty. Â
From the parking lot, there are golf carts available to ferry people up and down for a return ticket cost of Rs.20/-.Â
The entrance to the Vithala Temple costs Rs.30/- and there are no charges for cameras.Â
Spread across a vast area of land with abundant rocky hillocks and unearthed pillars, the temple complex has high compound walls and 3 imposing gateways.
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The main Hall located inside the inner courtyard is built on a slight elevation and has a beautifully sculpted base with different carved figures of warriors, swans, horses and other ornamental designs. There are also different Congregation Halls (Mandaps) inside the temple complex which served purposes of Marriages, Festivals and Gatherings.
One unique Mandap which stood out in terms of its uniqueness was with 56 ornate pillars which supported the hall. These Pillars are supposed to emanate music when struck with one’s hand. A couple of these pillars are said to have been cut open by the British who were so intrigued by the musical notes coming from the Pillars that they decided to probe further but found nothing.
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The Ornamental Stone Chariot is yet another fascinating piece of architecture. One among the 3 stone chariots in India, the other two of which can be found in Konark (in Odisha) and Mahabalipuram (near Chennai).Â
The shrine is dedicated to Garuda the carrier of Lord Vishnu and has an image of the same enshrined in the sanctum. The wheels of the chariot were functional and could be rotated but to prevent damage has been cemented to the ground and a wooden enclosure built around it.
The path leading from the temple complex back to the parking lot is sandy but well laid out and lot of monuments appear on both sides of the road. One gets to see the Kudregomba Mandap built by horse traders on the right side while the opposite side has a water tank (Pushkarini) and a small temple at the centre of it. Semblances of a market place can be seen as what was visible at the Hampi Bazaar.
It was around 1.30 in the afternoon when I walked my way back to the entrance since there were horrendous queues lined up for the Golf Cart at the temple entrance.
My Auto driver Uday was there right at the entrance and we headed off for a quick bite close next to a restaurant Anjanadri, located very close to the Archaeological Museum which was to be my next pit stop. Opted for a plain vanilla Banana Lead South Indian Meal here and walked across to the Museum located diagonally opposite. The meal was pretty good on the palate and costed me Rs.150/-.
The Archaeological Museum post Lunch
Located opposite to Hotel Clarke’s Inn, the Museum has an entry fee of Rs.40/- levied per visitor. While the lawns outside the museum and the rear side of the complex house many sculptures kept in the open air, a lovely 3D Model of Hampi can be seen on display inside.
Before this Museum came up at its current location at Kamalapur in 1972, the Archaeological Survey had collected various sculptures from the ruins and had housed them near the Elephant Stables.
Right at the entrance, one can see statues of Krishnadeva Raya, the most famed ruler of the Vijayanagara Dynasty and and his queens, greeting visitors. The collections are spread across 4 galleries and include sculptures of the Saiva faith like Ganesha, Karthikeya, Virabhadra, Bhairava.Â
One can also see antiquities like Arms and Armoury, Brass Plates, Metal objects of religious utility, Palm manuscripts, Old Coins, Stucco Figurines, shreds of porcelain, pre-historic antiquities and many more.Â
The Chandrasekhara Temple
We then moved towards the Royal Enclosure and happened to see a board of the Chandrasekhara temple.Â
What unfolded ahead was a large tract of land with structures of these ancient worn down temples which looked less frequented.Â
The Chandrasekhara Temple dates back to the 16th Century and is dedicated to Lord Shiva.Â
Shaiva Dwarapalas (door guardians) adorn the doorway while the temple is built in a typical Dwikuta (two towers) style.Â
The lower portion of the temple is made in dressed granite with low recess decorations and has lot of terracotta mouldings adorning the structure.
A little ahead as I walked Northwards, a derelict Saraswathi temple, built on a boulder and with a small flight of stairs leading one to the top could be seen. Â This is devoted to goddess Saraswati who is the goddess of knowledge, intelligence, understanding and wisdom. Built during the 13th century in Vijayanagar style, amidst the ruins, the temple is located close to an Octagonal Bath.Â
Quite a few mutilated stucco images can be seen adorning the towers and walls of the temple. There is an empty pedestal with carvings of Garuda at the base which supposedly housed Goddess Saraswati. The temple was originally supposed to have been dedicated to Tiruvengalanatha, a form of Lord Vishnu.Â
Close to this temple lies an Octagonal Bath, a gigantic 2.5 feet deep bathing area made in this shape with a similar looking colonnade surrounding the bath.
The Queen's Bath
500 metres ahead of this temple complex as one heads to the Royal Enclosure lies the Queen’s Bath. This Bath is believed to have been built by Achyuta Raya as a private chamber for the king, his queens and members of the Royal family.Â
Though built in Indo-Islamic style and over 500 years back, the ornate interiors, the elaborate structures spread over an area of 30 square metres, stands testimony to the architectural excellence prevalent then.
The building is rectangular in shape while the sunken bath in the centre has an area of around 15 square metres and a depth of 1.8 metres. There are ornate balconies projecting from the top with stucco ornamentation on the ceilings while the bath is open to the sky. An aqueduct connected to the bath was the source of fresh water supply. The next stop was at the Royal Enclosure, supposedly the seat of power in the Vijayanagara Empire. Â
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The Royal Enclosure
Largely built out of granite and soapstone, this complex houses different structures of significance which includes the King’a Audience Hall, Public Baths, Sacred Pools, Secret and Underground Chambers etc. The place is also believed to have been a royal pleasure complex for the king and his wives.
This sprawling fortified area spread across a huge tract of land has some very interesting relics of yesteryears and the architecture, the geometric patterns, the sculptures are something which is to be seen to be believed. While there are over 45 buildings in the complex, the 3 Tiered Mahanavami Dibba is the most imposing structure found here and is also known as the Dusshera Platform or the House of Victory.
Near the stepped water tank, a Public Bath can be found. The Nobles of Vijayanagara and the subjects living in the Royal Enclosure were supposed to have used this bath, bearing a span of 62 x 22 metres. Constructed using stone, mortar and bricks, the tank walls have stucco plasters done all over.
Located slightly to the West of the Mahanavami Dibba are the remnants of what was once the King’s s Audience Hall. A broken staircase found here indicates that this could have been a 2 storied structure. Vestiges of 100 regularly spaced stone columns indicate that there could have been 100 Pillars supporting this hall. The hall was believed to have been built in wood and its said that it was destroyed in a fire in 1565 AD.
As one moves towards North West of the King’s Audience hall. a large tank of water, monolithic in structure appears. Measuring 12 metres in length and capable of holding around 2000 litres of water, this tank presumably must have been built for  the animals living in the area and those belonging to the officials of the kingdom. A nearby statue of an elephant might have given belief that this could have been an Elephant Tank.Â
South West of the Mahanavami Dibba, one can see an Underground or Secret Chamber where it is believed that the King used to hold closed door conversations with his trusted aides. One can walk down the steps into the chamber and have a look around.
A mud road ending near the Hazara Ramachandra temple led me to an interesting excavation of the Palace remains of the Vijayanagara Kings. Known as the Palace of Vira Harihara, this is believed to have  been identified basis the inscription found on the Silamandapa.
The Hazara Ramachandra Temple
The Hazara Ramachandra temple was the next halt after an arduous walk around the Royal Enclosure complex.
The multitude of relics of the reigning deity Lord Rama has probably earned the temple its sobriquet Hazara (meaning 1000 in Hindi).Â
Believed to a private temple of the Kings of Vijayanagara, this temple was built by King Devaraya II and has some lovely carvings and panels detailing the story of the Ramayana.Â
While the initial design of the temple was centred around a simple sanctum, Pillared Hall and an Ardha Mandapa. It later on got revamped and lot more of additional pillars and an open porch came up.Â
There are bas relics of Lord Rama and Krishna besides processions of Attendants, Soldiers, Elephants, Horses and dancing women taking part in the Dushera festival.Â
2 large gateways lead one to the temple compound and towards the Northern side of the complex, a well manicured lawn can be seen.
The Lotus Mahal
The complex housing the Lotus Mahal was at a walking distance from the Ramachandra Temple. The tickets were priced at Rs.40/- apiece for entry. A board detailing the structural complex being encompassed with tall walls and with access being provided through small openings on the East and West walls and three on the North wall.Â
A treasury building, the basement of the Queen’s Palace, the Jal (Water in Hindi) Mahal, the Lotus Mahal and 3 Watch Towers, all built in Indo-Islamic architecture can be seen here.Â
The Lotus Mahal, built as a residence for one of the two wives of King Krishnadevaraya is also known as the Chitragani Mahal or the Kamal Mahal.
The building has somehow managed to survive the large scale destruction carried out across Hampi, save for a few damages to the stuccos on the top. Built with a blend of Indo Islamic architecture, the symmetrical structured 2 storied building has a Central Dome, shaped like a Lotus Bud and covers the balcony and the passages. A rectangular wall surrounds the Mahal with 4 pyramidal shaped towers. Beautiful carvings of birds and sea creatures can be seen.Â
Located close to the Lotus Mahal are the Elephant Stables.Â
Created out of brick and mortar this imposing wide structure amidst the greenery in the front looks beautiful and is the most sought after place for photo shoots.
Had a tough time trying to get a snap of just the stables, sans people.
The Royal Elephants of the Vijayanagara Empire were housed here in these 11 chambers, all built with lofted archways and opening into large open spaces.
The Guard’s House on the left side of the complex and next to the Elephants stable has a gallery housing sculptures found in and around Hampi. The Guard House and the Elephant stable lie perpendicular to each other, built maybe with an intent that the Guards could oversee the treasury building located close by. A 10 feet high structure with a small flight of stairs leads one to a portico which has a long corridor with a dome shaped archway. Along the pathway, there are sculptures kept on display for the public.
Eastwards of the Elephant stables and a little towards the back side, one gets to see the Watch Towers which were erected to guard the Zenana Enclosure.Â
A Paan Supari (Betel leaf and Areca Nut) market was supposed to have existed within the Zenana enclosure. a flourishing trade post during the Vijayanagara empire. The place is in ruins except for a small building with a flag post in front. Close to this place lies the Parshavanatha Jinalaya, a Jain temple built by Devaraya II in memory of the 23rd Thirthanakara, Parshavantha of the Jain sect. This temple was later on renovated by King Krishnadevaraya. The frontage of the temple has an image of a Jain monk carved on top.
Beyond this Jain temple as one moves further away and crosses one of the watchtowers, a temple of Vishnu appears.Â
Constructed during the 15th-16th Century CE, this South facing temple has multi-sided pillars which have bas reliefs on them. There are different Mandapas at the four corners.
Located very close to this Vaishnav Temple is the popularly known Ranga or the Madhava Temple. There is a 18 pillared Mandap with a pretty large 3 metre high sculpture of Lord Hanuman. One cannot miss the inscription of the O Sadashivaraya dated 1545 AD which records the construction of a Rangamandapa for the God Madhava and exclusively for holding dance and musical concerts.
The Underground Shiva Temple
It was getting dark and there was this underground Shiva temple to be seen. Located not very far away from the Lotus Mahal, this is also known as the Prasanna Virupaksha temple. Located under water and for reasons unknown, core parts of the temple and the sanctum have always been under water thus restricting entry to the inner areas.
There is a statue of Nandi which can be seen inside the temple complex, entry to which is through a nice wide flight of stairs. The outer walls have some nice carvings on display which have stood the test of time.
We left the temple by around 6.45 PM back on our drive back to Hospet. The legs were generally aching after quite a bit of walking but thanks to the weather gods being kind, the tiredness was manageable and we reached our hotel back at 7.15 in the evening.Â
Dinner was at a restaurant next door and tucked in early as I had an early morning drive to the famed temples and caves of Aihole, Badami and Pattadakkal the next day. More of these places in a different section on my website. Had booked a cab for this visit and started for Aihole by around 7 am in the morning.Â
After soaking in the lovely sights of these 3 places, reached Hospet back at around 7.30 PMÂ and after a light dinner got ready for the trekking expedition the next day which was to be my last day of stay at Hampi/Hospet.
Day 3 @ Hampi starting with the Matanga Hill Trek
Uday, my auto driver came in sharp at 5.30 AM.Â
I was up and ready in an endeavour to carry out the Matanga Hill Trek and catch the sight of the first rays of the sun.Â
We reached the base of the hill by around 5.50 AM but looking at the cloudy skies above, decided that it would be a futile attempt to rush in to see the sunrise and hence took the climb easy.Â
There are around 600 steps (said to be in existence since the Vijayanagara era)  and a height of around 1726 feet to be covered to reach the top. The trek here gets classified as a Moderate Trek.Â
Balancing between a back-pack, a DSLR and 2 mobiles, managed to reach the summit in 30 minutes time, thanks to the fitness levels being good.
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The best way to approach the place is via the Hampi Bazaar and once you are at the summit, you get mesmerizing views of the Virupaksha temple on one side and the Achyutaraya Temple on the other side.
A lovely view of the Tungabhadra river can also be seen from atop the hill.Â
Certain sections of the trek are moderately risky and one would be advised to stay close to the main boulders leading to the top as its slippery at a few places also.
A nice Veerabhadra temple opens upto visitors right at the very top and one would need to exercise caution with all the mischievous monkeys around.Â
The Matanga hill is supposed to have been the place where the Monkey King Sugriva had hidden with Lord Hanuman to save himself from the wrath of his brother Bali and finds mention in the epic The Ramayana. One must remember to carry good trekking shoes for the climb.Â
The Anjanadri Hill
Located around 15 kms away from the Matanga Hill, we drove through water bodies, nice roads surrounded by paddy fields to reach Anegondi, believed to be the birth place of Lord Hanuman or Anjaneyar.
It took us around 30 minutes to reach the foothills of this temple and it was around 8 AM when I started my climb of around 575 steps to take me to the top.Â
A nice temple with some stunning views of the countryside including the Tungabhadra river can be seen right from the summit. A couple of rounds of prayers said, I reached downhill and indulged in a little bit of street shopping before hopping onto the auto to go to Sanapur for the Coracle Ride.
Don't miss the Coracle Ride
Located at a distance of around 4 Kms from Anegondi lies Sanapur where the Tungabhadra river can be seen in full flow. A popular place for boating amongst tourists, one gets to see lot of Coracle boats to be found here. Strike a hard bargain with these middlemen and boatmen as there are different slabs depending on duration of ride and no. of persons. Typically these boats can seat around 6 to 8 people on an average. Was running short of time and squeezed in a quick 20 minute ride for Rs.400/- with these folks.
I had to vacate my hotel room by 11 AM and afrer completing a quick breakfast at Naivedyam again. reached the hotel by around 11.15 AM. From Sanapur to Hospete, had to traverse a distance of around 28 kms and this took an hour’s time. Paid the auto driver Rs.1,200/- and Rs.800/- for the 2 days he was with me and bid him goodbye. Should you want to avail his services, ping Uday on +91 88846 89205.
The Tungabhadra Dam
After having carried out the check out formalities, realized that I had around 4 hours on hand since my bus back to Bangalore was only at 4.15 PM. Negotiated with the Hotel folks for a cab for 3 hours and struck a deal with them for Rs.600/-. The cab guy reached almost immediately and we drove on towards the Tungabhadra Dam.Â
The cabbie first took me to Munirabad View point where the Tungabhadra river could be seen in full flow. Nothing much to see except for a rocky beach and after spending around 15 to 20 minutes, headed for the Tungabhadra Dam.
I was back at the hotel by around 2 PM and headed for lunch to Abhiruchi, the restaurant next door. A sumptuous lunch done, lazed around at the lobby at Ananya Comforts till around 3.45 PM. Hailed an auto to drop me at the KSRTC Bus stand from where I was supposed to commence my return journey to Bengaluru. Official work to catch up on before returning to my base at Chennai.Â
Lovely memories of this short trip but would love to do it all over again. So much more to see as what I realized when I flipped the pages of a book on Hampi which I brought near the Virupaksha Temple along with lot of fridge magnets which they were selling on the road. The inquisitive minds thirsting for more info and the shutter birds in search of more snaps are always welcome to check my web page link at Hampi.
