Photography Trip To the "Lost City" of the Vijayanagara Samrajya - HAMPI

Day 0  (24 Jan 2014) - 9 50 pm to 7 AM

Having registered for the event, pretty early, I eagerly waited for the day to come. 24 January 2014 was the day, and I was rearing to go. This was a photography event, but photography was second on my mind, I was more interested travelling out of town, visiting a new place, adding some more memorable moments. And indeed it turned out better than what I anticipated. Apart from the quality time, which I spent, whole event turned out with lots of surprises, which in the end left me with only one option, to write a bigger blog post.

I came to Shantala silks at around 9 50 pm, and was waiting for the vehicle to arrive. Once the cab arrived people started boarding the cab and I went back to put the luggage inside the boot which was big, (enough to hold 15+ full size backpacks). When I boarded the cab I occupied the last seat, where I met Jawahar. I spoke to him for a while and soon (even before Jalahalli cross) he was off to sleep. I was joined by Pramod at Jalahalli cross. I spoke to him about our usual IT stuffs and soon spoke with Vasanth too, who was sitting in the last but one seat, to my front.

I too was dozed off to sleep only to be woken up by some pot holes along the NH 13. We were not being tossed up in the last seat, but it was not so comfortable either. Luckily I managed to catch some sleep and wake up only after reaching Hospet, where we were kind of doing circles, trying to find the shortest route to Kamalapura. In Hospet, one thing I noticed was the sizable number of people who were engaged in morning walks. That came as a surprise to me, (and I guess even to Dr Harish too who told me, about it later), who was expecting a sleepy town.

Day 1 (25 Jan 2014) - 7:20 AM to 9 30 AM

We reached Kamalapura around 7:20 am, and we made our way to the Mayura KSTDC guest house. The accommodation had quite a huge campus. It was at a distance from the main road, hence, ensuring lots of parking space, lots of space to roam around, and very less noise. It also guaranteed a nice place for camp fire. Did we carry any wood for camp fire? More about it shortly. There were two dormitories which were made available for us, and soon people starting getting freshened up. Till I got a turn to get freshened up, Vinay, Dr Harish, Harsha and me, went out to Kamalapura, to get some much needed stuffs.

At around 9 30 am odd, once everyone was ready, we started from the KSTDC guest house towards the LOST CITY of Hampi. It felt good, really good, to be back after so many years. We had to have our breakfast, before that, Vinay, Dr Harish and Ram or Sumant (not sure who) got down and paid a visit to the Information Officer at Kamalapura, to fix our Itinerary so that we could make most out of the two days. Finally around 15 minutes later all of them were back. We were also in luck as the Information Officer also got us hooked up our guide for the next two days, Satish, who would be waiting for us at the Virupaksha temple.

Then we headed out to a nearby hotel which seemed to be nice as told by the Officer earlier. It was good, but it turned out to be too slow and we lost some time and it impacted us and we ended up not making it to the Sunset point on Mathunga Hill on Day 1. More on that later. Also in the KSTDC accommodation we had lots of other people, infact a whole group of architecture students from Delhi. ( Got this info from the Officer, who told he himself would have accompanied us, in case he was not occupied with this group). But none the less, our guide packed an equal punch. (who also belted out some emotional, appreciative lines towards end of day 2, while we were about to depart to Bangalore).

Day 1 (25 Jan 2014) - 10 45 AM to 2 PM

We met our guide Satish and proceeded towards Virupaksha temple. Virupaksha temple is the oldest and the principal temple in Hampi. Virupaksha is a form of Shiva. On the way we could see a huge shuttered structure, most likely the chariot, we could see the Hampi market. As we enter we can find a 3 headed Basavanna to our left. Also very close to the entrance we could see an inscription of Varaha. Our guide Satish told us that, this has been inscribed so that, enemies / invaders would retreat on the sight of this. We saw such an inscription on couple of other temples too. We entered into the temple, and completed the Darshan. The guide showed us few paintings which were present on the ceiling and he also explained to us the significance of few of them. There are also shrines of Goddess Pampa and Bhuvaneshwari. We went there too. Also there were couple of places within the temple premises very close to the shrines where our guide could show us the natural camera. The inverted shadow of the temple Gopura is very very clearly visible in natural light through  a small opening in the wall.

 

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HAMPI, Capital of Vijayanagara Kingdom !!!

Time for me to share my experience about the most beautiful historical place in Karnataka, Hampi,,, machi !!!!
Many of my freinds visited this place and they used to share their experience with unusual words ohh its sooper, ahh its surprising with the architects around any many other sounds,, ohh lala !!!!
After seeing the images of Hampi & hearing the history behind was planning to go to Hampi & then I heard  abt the group called BASC which organizes diff type of trips at very reasonable packages.
We a group of 18 ppl sat into mini bus on 19/Nov started our journey from Bangalore , we stopped our vehicle at Kamat hotel for dinner. After 5 hrs we were in Hampi city. It was around 7-8hrs journey from Bangalore 360kms.
Every 1 were new to me except Ramya(my colleague), within very few hrs we all became 1 group & moved further, sharing our personal & official life Histories. Every1 had a story of their own ,
Below are the list of people,

1. Mohan(Me ),
2. Ramya( artistic photographer),
3. Abha Kumari ( food expert ),
4. Krutika ( looks like silent creature at first sight ),
5. Deepak ( Nikon expert ),
6. Rajesh ( I phone master/multi tasker ),
7. Jinu ( Trekking master ),
8. Karthik ( Seemed lil reserved at first then he was casual ),
9. Girish ( Exited photographer, funda GURU ),
10. Mitesh ( Sensitive darling, he wont speak until you start the conversation ),
11. Srinivas ramanna ( Busy bee, you cant find him in the group he will be busy alone ),
12. Pradeep ( My room mate, chocolate boy ) he had lot of chocos in his bag,
13. Priya alias Castle mountain ( Busy when group is free & free when group is busy ),
14. Gururaj ( New owner of Nikon ),
15. Vijayalakshmi ( She has comments for all photos, light is not gud ya ),
16. I forgot uncle’s name, he was very energetic n enthu,
17. 2 nd name which I forgot, silent guy who didn’t spk first whole day n he said gud mrng on 2^nd day & ashte nothing after that,
18. Last but not the least Mr. Yadunandana – Organiser for hampi trip, perfect gentleman managed group with his 5-10 mins time limit !!!

Short summary abt Hampi !!!
Hampi is a 700 year old city built by Hakka and Bukka in the year 1336 on the banks of river Tungabhadra. It’s the capital city of Vijayanagar empire. They built the city under the guidance of Saint from Sringeri mutt called Vidyaranya. The city Hampi was built during the days of Mohammedan attacks. The palace was very much apt at that time. It was at the banks of river Tungabhadra and it’s full of rocky Hills. It’s really difficult to any one to cross those rocks to conquerthe empire at that time.
Spread over an area more than 25 square kilometers (10 square miles), Hampi ruins is packed with giant temples, palaces, market streets, aquatic structures , fortifications and an abundance of other ancient monuments.
The Vijayanagar Empire was ruled by the likes of HakkaBukka I and II , Virupaksha Raya, Krishnadeva Raya, Achyuta Raya, etc. It was under Krishnadeva Raya that Vijaynagar empire found its most prosperous days.
Hampi has a number of festivals throughout the year – both cultural and religious. The most celebrated festival is the Vijaya Utsav, known as Hampi Festival, held for three days during November. This is a cultural carnival attracting many tourists, showcasing special puppetry shows, music and dance followed by fireworks and a procession culminating the end of the festival.

Travel within city
Travelling around Hampi can be fun, as the region is steeped in history and travelling around the place can be quite interesting. You can move around Hampi through bikes, motorcycles, cars or even boats. These are the various types of internal travel options present in the ancient capital of Hampi. There are no night fares for any mode of transport.

Taxi
Renting a car can be more costly and can cost you around Rs 800-1000. You can travel to the guesthouses that are located across the river through boats for prices ranging around Rs 10 to 15.

Auto Rickshaw
You can also opt for rickshaws, in case you want to beat the heat. Rickshaw rates are fixed and slightly negotiable, so make sure that you get the best out of the bargain. The charges are normally around Rs 400-500 per day. You can also hire a guide to accompany you long the trip and this may cost you extra.
Rented Bicycle You can rent a bicycle in Hampi in order to travel up and down the hill.

Rented Motorcycle
You can also rent out a motorcycle while on a trip in Hampi as this mode of travel can give you more freedom. You can rent out 100cc and 150cc vehicles for charges of around 200 INR to 250 INR per day. This may be slightly more expensive, but you can ride through the expanse of Hampi and take in the sheer magic of the place. 

Started from Virupaksha temple, 

Virupaksha Temple !!!

Virupaksha temple is the oldest and the principal temple in Hampi.This temple is located on the south bank of the river Tungabadra, It believed that this temple has been functioning uninterruptedly ever since its inception in the 7th century AD.That makes this one of the oldest functioning temples in India.

Balakrishna Temple !!

Balakrishna Temple !!

Inside Balakrishna Temple !!

Temple of Balakrishna temple !!

Krishnadevaraya built this temple in 1513 A.D. to commemorate his victory over Prataparudra Gajapati, the ruler of Orissa. During the battle he seized an image of child Krishna and brought it to Vijayanagara as war trophy. He then built this temple to consecrate the image. An inscription describing the conquest and the consecration of this temple on 16 February 1515 by Krishnadevaraya is found on a slab in front of this temple. Built in the centre of a courtyard, the temple possesses a sanctum, an antechamber, an ardha mantapa, a circumambulatory passage, a pillared hall with three entrances and an open pillared mantapa, in addition to a number of other shrines for the attendant deities. The sanctum is at present empty. The image of Balakrishna showing him as a child holding butter in the right hand is now resting in the Government Museum at Madras. 

Bazaar opp to Balakrishna Temple !! 

Bazaar opp to Balakrishna Temple !!

Lakshmi Narasimha Temple !!

Lakshmi Narasimha Temple !!

This is the largest statue in Hampi. Narasimha is sitting on the coil of a giant seven-headed snake called Sesha. The heads of the snake acts as the hood above his head. The god sits in a cross-legged Yoga position with a belt supporting the knees.The original statue contained the image of goddess Lakshmi, consort of the god, sitting on his lap. But this statue has been damaged seriously during the raid leading to the fall of Vijayanagara. Even the damaged portion of such a large statue of Lakshmi carved on his lap is missing. But the goddess’s hand is visible resting on his back in embracing posture. If you get a chance to go inside this enclosure, it is possible to see the hand of the goddess. Even the nails & the rings on her fingers are so perfectly executed. 

Badavi Linga !! 

Badavi Linga !!
 

This is the largest monolithic Linga in Hampi. Located next to the Narasimha statue the Linga is housed inside a chamber with an opening in the front. One legend has it that this idol was originally carried around by a poor woman and it accidentally fell into the canal. So when the distraught woman prayed to the lord Shiva, the idol grew to the height it is today.

Queens Bath !!! 

 Queens Bath !!!
 

In Hampi, the Queen’s Bath is part of the Royal Enclosure. This was constructed during the Vijaynagar Empire any time from 1336 to 1565. This is a enclosed space, consisting of a complex of changing rooms and a bath. At present only the bath is extant. 

Temple view from Queens bath complex !! 

View from Queens bath complex !!

Mahanavami Dhibba !!!

Mahanavami Dhibba !!!

The massive stone basement called Mahanavami Dibba, also called as Dasara Dibba played a prominent part during the celebrations of the nine-day Navaratri festival.The Dibba is about 12 metres high up to the floor of the topmost platform. On the west side are the steps. It was from this side that the king ascended the platform during the festivities connected with the Dasara. On the east side is a small chamber projecting from the platform. Access to the chamber is by means of two flights of steps on the north and south located on the floor of the platform itself. The walls of this chamber contain many friezes and panels including figures of animals and clowns.

Bahamani Mosque !!! 

Bahamani Mosque !!!

Under ground Shiva Temple !!

Temple inside Under ground Shiva temple !!!

Pillars inside Under ground Shiva temple !!

This temple dedicated for Lord Siva was built many meters below the ground level. For this reason, almost all the time the sanctum and the core parts of the temple are under water, restricting entry to the inner areas. A water cannel system too is visible around the main temple. But this canal is dry and you can walk down to a point from where it’s impossible to go further. There is a small temple for Siva’s consort too near the mail shrine. The Kalyanamantapa (ceremonial marriage hall) is great a structure. It has been believed that this is one of the oldest temples in Hampi.

Our first day ends here on Malyavanta Hill with beautiful sunset view !!! 

Malyavanta Hill !!
 

First of all it is one of the few hilltops in Hampi where you can reach by a vehicle. That’s welcome news for those of you find it difficult to hike, despite a desire, to a Hampi hilltop.

Sunset from Malyavanta Hill !!! 

Sunset View from Malyavanta Hill !! 

Ran to rooms, get re freshed was thinking of good, nice, calm place for dinner then thought about Mango tree restaurant, This is a very popular restaurant in Hampi, especially among the backpackers. The popularity is more so because of the settings. The dining area is essentially a terraced slop overlooking the river Thungabhadra. You need to sit on the matted floor cross-legged, in the typical Indian way, with the low table in front of you. The last row facing the river is often more popular.
Returned to rooms n slept off early as our Organizer Mr Yadu instructed to woke up early in the mrng to reach Mathanga parvatha to see Beautiful Sunrise !!! 

Sunrise, Mathanga Parvatha !!
 

We started our walk early in the morning at 5.40 am to watch beautiful sunrise. The climb can be little difficult as the path is slant & rocky, but is rewarding. The tallest hill in Hampi and has a 360 degree view. There is the charming river to north flowing amidst neatly arranged boulders, to the south is Virupaksha temple standing tall. 

Sunrise view !!
 

We came back to rooms,  had break fast & started our 2nd day from Achyutharaya Temple, 

Entrance point of Achyutharaya Temple !!
 

This temple is an example of Vijayanagara style temple architecture in its most advanced form than any other temples in Hampi, Resonating the imposing architectural style of Vijayanagara, Achyutraya Raya’s temple was built 500 years ago. Its foundation was laid by an officer in Achyuta Raya’s court. Hence the temple was named after him. It exemplifies the most advanced form of the temple built in Hampi. It was the last contribution of the Vijaynagara Empire before it declined. The temple is dedicated to the heavenly deity Tiruvengalanatha, a form of Lord Shiva.

Achyutharaya Temple view from Mathanga Parvatha !!! 

Achyutharaya Temple Aerial view from Mathanga Parvatha !!
 

Tunga River view from Yantrodharaka Temple !! 

Tunga River !!
 

Purandara Mantapa !! 

Purandaradasa Temple !!
 

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.

Vittala Temple,
Vittala Temple is the most extravagant architectural showpiece of Hampi. The temple was originally built in the 15th century AD. The highlight of Vittala temple is its impressive pillared halls and the stone chariot. The halls are carved with an overwhelming array of sculptures on the giant granite pillars. The stone chariot located inside the campus is almost an iconic structure of Hampi.

Vittala Temple Entrance, 

Vittala temple entrance !!

Stone chariot inside Vittala complex !!

Stone Chariot !!! 

It was originally a shrine of Garuda, Lord Vishnu’s Vehicle. The stone chariot is not a monolith. It’s actually carved from many giant granite blocks. The joints are neatly hidden with help of the carvings giving it a monolithic feel. The chariot is built on a rectangular platform and though now the giant stone wheels seem to rest on the platform it’s believed that these wheels could rotate on its axis.
Temple inside Vittala complex !! 

Temple inside Vittala Complex !!!
 

There is a museum too which says the history of hampi, its called Kamalapur museum.
Next destination after museum was Lotus Mahal.

Lotus Mahal – This was a socializing area for the women folks in the royal family. 

Lotus Mahal !!

This is a two storied structure with an open base floor the sidewalls are having tall arched windows. The upper floors have balconies with arched windows. Hook like structures are made on to the wall close to the windows to hang curtain. The arches of the ground floor are recessed and ornate. The decorations and architecture is a curious mix of Hindu and Islamic styles. Lotus Mahal’s Islamic style arches and the Hindu style multiplayer roof and base structure are often quoted for the ingenuity of the Vijayanagara artisans.

Lotus Mahal !!

Elephant Stables !!

Elephant Stables !!

One among the few least destroyed structures in Hampi, Elephant stable is a major tourist attraction. This long building with a row of domed chambers was used to ‘park’ the royal elephants. There are 11 domed tall chambers; some of them are inter- connected. 

The center one is specially decorated and big.

The center Dome !!

Last but not the least, Jain temple for Sunset shoot !!

Jain temple at sunset time!!

one more sunset pic to finish my blog !!!

Sunset at Jain temple !!!

More details abt BASC - http://www.bangaloreascenders.org/
Details abt the places were reffered from these sites

1. http://hampi.in/,
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampi
3. http://hampi.in/distance-to-hampi - this link helps to reach Hampi from various towns and cities in India.

So finally we went back to rooms, packed our luggage, sat in bus reached back b’lore on 21/11/2012 at 3.45 Am .

Original Writeup by:  Mohan Rajendra
Visit our Group @ CLICK HERE
Writeup and embedded pictures by: Mohan Rajendra
Event organized by: Yadunandana
Image Gallery: Yadunandana , Jinu John , Girish Motwani , Deepak , Gururaj , Krutika , Mohan

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