My friends and I decided to go on a quick weekend getaway to Hampi. There is a reason why Hampi attracts people; it is because of its scattered boulder landscape with lush green paddy fields running along with it. It is a sleepy town but with significant heritage value. The temple ruins, the myths of gods and goddesses, the legendary stories of the rulers, Hampi seems to be frozen in time when you visit, which makes it all noteworthy.
Arriving in Hampi-
We boarded the “GO TOUR TRAVELS” bus from Hyderabad on Friday night. And arrived the next day on time , which gave us a good head start to the day. Also, we found a budget hotel on make my trip website; “Hotel Hampi International.” The hotel’s travel desk arranged a cab with a driver to move around. And, to be honest, we were glad that we chose to roam around in a car since the weather was scorching hot even this month! But, there are other means of commute too. You can hire a rickshaw or a bike which are readily available in the town.
Places to eat- The Mango Tree, Naivedyam, Uma Shankar Guest House, The Clark’s Inn.
The Magical Ruins-
All of us did our fair share of researching on trip advisor about Hampi. First, of all we saw was the Ugra Narsimha Swamy. Next, we went to see the Virupaksha Temple it is located at the southern banks of Tungabhadra river. It is a humongous structure sprawling across the land, and it is the only temple in use which was not destroyed by the invaders.
The temple also has a giant elephant named Lakshmi who bestows you with blessings when we give 10rs. Additionally, you can watch Lakshmi taking a bath in the river every morning.
There are many other monuments/ ruins in and around the Virupaksha Temple. Like, Saasivekaalu Ganesha, Kadalekalu Ganesha, and Underground Shiva Temple (Prasanna Virupaksha Temple). The Shiva temple has remained buried for more than four hundred years before being discovered in the 1980s.
After walking for half of the morning visiting all the places, we decided to have lunch at a popular restaurant; The Mango Tree. It has a tented ambiance with a quick service. You must try a thali there. Outside the restaurant, you will find shopkeepers selling dresses, jewelry, and all sorts of souvenirs.
Surreal Sunset-
Next, we set on foot and climbed around 600 steps of Anjeyanadri Hills to visit the Hanuman temple, which is located at the top. We witnessed a beautiful sunset ever! We spent our evening watching the sun go down across the landscape and spent just soaking in the breathtaking view and reminiscing the old times.
The other side of Hampi-
After trekking back down, we started towards the Hippie Island. But, to our dismay, most of the island was closed due to rains. Generally, you need to cross the river via boat to reach the island, which will take about 5-10 minutes. And you get to witness the surreal beauty. Since the water levels have risen in the river, we had to take the road.
Hippie Island is like a mini Goa, and we were disappointed because most of the shacks were closed due to some issue. So, if you guys are planning to visit, then do some proper research and find out if the island is up and functioning.
DAY 2-
Well, it was impossible to cover the beauty of Hampi in a day! The next day we had a brunch at Naivedyam Restaurant. The Hotel is like our very own Minerva or Chutneys here in Hyderabad. Authentic meals at a fair price.
The Royal Enclosure-
It consists of Lotus Mahal, Elephant stable, Mahanavami Dibba, the Stepped Tank is an elaborate tank which was used for ceremonial purposes of the royal household. As the name suggests, the Royal enclosure consists of wonderful structures dated back to Vijayanagara era.
The Vittala Temple is also famous for the reverberating musical pillars. However, to avoid damage, tourists are no longer allowed to play the musical pillars, but if you have a guide, they should be able to show you and also bring the meaning of all the intricate sculptures to life too.
Later, that evening, we headed to Sanapur lake to soak in all the magic of Hampi, as it was our last day before we traveled back home.
And, that’s the end of the most beautiful weekend.
My outfits-
Until next time,
xo.
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