Hampi: On Sculptures, Monkeys & More

Where does one begin with Hampi?

Is it the stone pillars of music? The mythological tale of Ramayan? The festival that livens up the streets annually?

Hampi is a breathtaking little town which, on showing up, looks quite unassuming. With bicycles-on-rent quite popular, one will quickly realize that much of this town is centered around the glories of its past and the rich lineage it proudly carries through kachha streets that truly only these bicycles can invade.

The story begins, just like the town — unassumingly, with boulders and monkeys. This is the place where a friendship was born and a promise was made. Ram, a brave king in search of his wife is guided to meet Sugreev, the king of the monkeys in Kishkindha (present-day Hampi). Sugreev, the ruler of this region needs Ram’s help to defeat his own brother, Vali and Ram in turn, will need an army to invade Lanka where he has learnt that his wife has been locked away after being abducted by King Ravana. They form a pact and in significance of this dear friendship, indulge in a solemn embrace. In fact, much of the Kishkindha kaand/section of this mythological epic, Ramayana takes place in the beautiful rocky plateaus of Hampi.

Listening to the story of Ramayana in Hampi, therefore, is an other-worldly experience because one can see the very huge round rocks and the many mischievous monkeys continuing to dominate the landscape as if they know that you are enthralled by a story about them describing just this.

But fast forward to the early 1500s, an able ruler by the name of Krishnadevaraya has taken over and Hampi is as lively as it can be. Honouring the glorious epic that took place in his kingdom and also being a patron of arts and history himself, Krishnadevaraya left behind a legacy by way of temples, world-class sculpture and through it all, a symbol of the prosperous times he reigned in. Under his rule, people were always happy and celebrating with booming business, strong trade relations and flourishing of arts.

A signage of these prosperous times is the Hampi festival that takes place annually to this day. The Hampi festival has lit-up bazaars, local wares displayed, a show of theatre and arts, the locals all out on the streets and tourists thoroughly involved.

It is a way of the otherwise quiet town to say — art will always live on; through buildings, through people but most of all, through stories.