Hampi — Magnificent, Magical, Mystical
Exploring a new place — especially one with a fascinating backstory behind it — is always very fulfilling and rewarding. The moment I set foot in Hampi, a quick realization struck me that it was hard to not be mesmerised by its mystical vibes.
The ruins of the majestic Vijayanagar kingdom in the rather breath-taking landscape strewn with granite boulders; the beautiful countryside with the river Tungabhadra flowing through the region; the references of major parts of the Ramayana occurring in the area — each contributing to giving the place its magical charm.
My first introduction to Hampi was almost 20 years ago. A visit to the Venkateshwara Temple in Tirupati got me curious about the Vijayanagar emperor Krishnadevaraya, after hearing tales of his contributions to the temple. In the absence of easily accessible internet and gadgets those days, it was an Amar Chitra Katha comic from which I learnt that he had a magnificent capital called Hampi, located in Karnataka, and I quickly made a mental note of adding the place to the rather long list of places I’d want to visit one day.
Anyhow, back to the present in 2017. While looking for a weekend getaway from Bangalore, to get a much-required break from the hectic work routine, the name of Hampi came up while searching online. I did a quick check of the posts on HopBucket by my friend Vishal of his Hampi trip, and the Photo Stories gave me a fairly good idea of what to expect and how to plan my itinerary.
I had been keen on doing a solo travel — something which I love, but hadn’t done for a while — and a comment that Hampi is an ideal place in south India for solo travellers convinced me to finalize my plan. It wasn’t too long before I had the travel bookings sorted and I was on my way to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site!
Quick facts about my trip (and also some comments):
Itinerary
Follow my HopBucket photo story to visualize this on a map and to easily add these places to your list.
Day 1: Arrival. Visited Virupaksha Temple, Hemakuta Hill, Matanga Hill, Hampi Bazaar, Krishna Temple Complex, Archaeological Museum
Day 2: Visited Malyavanta Hill, Vitthala Temple, Royal Enclosure, Hazara Rama Temple, Zenana Enclosure
Day 3: Visited Anjanadri Hill, Sanapur Lake, and other places on the other side of the Tungabhadra.
Duration of stay:
- Arrived on Saturday morning. Explored Hampi on Saturday and Sunday, and Anegundi on Monday. Started return journey for Bangalore on Monday night.
- Will recommend visiting the place in winter. I believe it would be too hot to explore the ruins in summer, and rains during the monsoons will restrict the movements, especially the hikes on the hills.
Commute from Bangalore:
Decided to travel by train. The overnight journey of Hampi Express (Bangalore to Hospet) is the most convenient option
- For those preferring to travel by road, there is a fairly good road connectivity via buses and cars/cabs from Bangalore
Local Accommodation:
Stayed at Royal Orchid Hotel, Hospet — approx. 14 kms from Hampi. Probably the best option for anyone who prefers to have a good, reliable place to have a base — neat and clean rooms with good service, and a fairly good restaurant. Very easy to get transport (auto rickshaws, cabs, and buses) to/from Hampi from the hotel. Another plus for the hotel — the railway station is at only a 250m walking distance.
- For those willing to explore the option of staying in Hampi, there are guesthouses in the town (which seem to have basic amenities only). There are also guesthouses in Virapapur Gaddi, on the other side of the river — which is also called as the “Hippie Island” and is popular with foreign backpackers.
Local Commute in Hampi/Hospet
I opted to hire an auto rickshaw to travel from the hotel in Hospet to Hampi, and for local commute inside Hampi. The charges for a full-day hire are around ₹700–800. Explored the ruins and Hampi bazaar on foot.
Hired a cab to visit the other side of the river (Anegundi and Virapapur Gaddi) on the third day. There is an option to take a much shorter boat ride to cross the river, but opted for the cab to enjoy the drive through the countryside, and also visited the Tungabhadra dam.
Where to Eat
TripAdvisor listings are usually very helpful to identify the places to have meals while travelling. I visited the top two restaurants in the listings for Hampi.
- Mango Tree: Easily the most popular restaurant in Hampi bazaar — one quick glance inside to see the rush, which includes Indians as well as foreign travellers, suffices to confirm that. Tried the vegetarian thali from their menu, and enjoyed the meal. The restaurant manager told me that their paneer dishes are their speciality — with them taking extra efforts in the preparation of the paneer — and said that their Paneer Cutlet Sizzler is the highlight of their menu.
2. Laughing Buddha: Located in Virapapur Gaddi (on the other side of the river), it also has a guesthouse, which is very popular with foreign backpackers. The view of the Tungabhadra (and the town of Hampi across it from their restaurant) adds to the charm of their excellent continental preparations. Tried their pizza as well as pasta and enjoyed both.
Suggested readings/inputs if you’re travelling to Hampi
- Apart from the Vitthala Temple, there is not much need to hire a Guide. The details mentioned in the book by Fritz-Michell are more than sufficient to know all about the various ruins. But do hire a Government-authorized Guide at the Vitthala Temple. There are some fascinating stories about the carvings, which you would only get to know from them. And do ask them to show you the musical pillars and give a demo of the different musical sounds created on tapping them!
- Do purchase the book “Hampi Vijayanagara” by John M Fritz & George Michell. Not only does it give an excellent introduction to Hampi, but it also makes for an excellent reference book to carry along while exploring the ruins. There is lack of sufficient information for tourists at the ruins, and this book is far superior to the local publications that you will get from the hawkers near the ruins.
- The book “A Forgotten Empire (Vijayanagar) — A Contribution to the History of India” by Robert Sewell is a recommended reading to know the complete story of the Vijayanagar kingdom, including accounts of foreign travellers Domingo Paes and Fernao Nuniz (both of whom visited the kingdom at its peak).
Exploring Hampi!
Here is my HopBucket photo story for this trip.
Concluding Thoughts
While the main sites in Hampi can be covered well over 3 days, it could possibly take months to fully explore the place in its entirety. With its rich history set in the breath-taking landscape, it is a perfect travel destination and has something to offer for all travellers, and not just the history buffs.
As one of the locals told me when I was approaching the place, “Go and get lost in Hampiness!”
