FROM MY DIARY ENTRIES: This ruined expanse in the south Indian state of Karnataka was once the wealthy and powerful imperial capital of Vijayanagara, the “City of Victory”. At its peak in the 1500s, this Hindu city was said to be the second largest in the medieval world after Beijing. But the city was sacked by Muslim armies in 1565 and has remained abandoned ever since. Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair! Nothing beside remains... DAY 1: I arrived via a bumpy overnight train from Mysore. This place has a bit of a reputation in India backpacking circles - namely cool ruins, hippies, bouldering, and very stoned people trying to climb large stones. On my first afternoon here, I checked out the Tungabhadra River, the Monolith Bull, the Achyutaraya Temple, and hung out with the local lads. I ended the day with one of the most spectacular sunset landscapes I’ve ever witnessed. It is a vast and mesmerising land of immense granite rocks, scattered as though the gods were playing marbles in ages past. A great evening and goodnight from atop Matanga Hill. DAY 2: I spent a full day cycling and hiking to sightseeing destinations around Hampi. It's certainly hard to know which pictures to select! See below for photos of Hemakuta Hill, Laksmi Narasimha Temple, Badavilinga Temple, Underground Shiva Temple, Hazara Rama Temple, the Royal Enclosure, Malyawanta Hill, the Saasivekaalu Ganesha, among others. During my explorations, I bumped into a lot of domestic tourists who wanted my selfie and to know where I was from, especially given my appearance. Unfortunately, a complex story (Chinese heritage, New Zealand citizenship, Australian residency, etc.) doesn’t cut it! I eventually caved and just lied and said I was from China whenever people asked. I finished day two by checking out the Virupaksha Temple near the local village, dedicated to a form of Shiva. It is believed to be one of the oldest functioning temple sites in India, being an active place of worship since the 7th century. Plus, the temple had some real head-banging trumpet and drum music going on as well when I visited. The temple elephant in the photo, by the way, is ‘Lakshmi’. Apparently, if you hand her a ten-rupee note she’ll give you a blessing with her trunk. Cutesy fun? It’s worth noting the welfare for these animals isn’t the best... It's also worth noting that the main Hampi backpacking strip is very Hindu, which mens there’s no meat or alcohol to be found anywhere. Or you could just ask for the ‘pollo’, which is code for chicken and get your meat fix anyway. Ha! DAY 3: Disaster! I was struck with travellers diarrhoea after (probably) eating a chocolate croissant that had been sitting out in the sun all day. This obviously meant no more cycling for me. Thankfully, I met an Indian-Australian traveller at the guesthouse who had hired a rickshaw for the day. So I was able to hitch a lift with him. Plus, he helped me sneak into the paid sites on an Indian ticket (40 rupees as opposed to 600 for foreigners)! I probably shouldn’t say that too publicly. Though, I have had many Indians tell me they’re opposed to the extreme third-degree price discrimination of tourist sites. Pictured: the stunningly beautiful Vijaya Vitthala Temple, more selfies with the lads, the Lotus Mahal and Elephant Stables. Videoed: an evening religious ceremony on the banks of the Tungabhadra which ended in fireworks. DAY 4: This was my final day in Hampi and it involved a cycling adventure north of the river! My newfound Indian-Australian friend and I hiked the 575 (or so) steps up Anjaneyadri hill to the supposed birthplace of Hanuman, the ‘Monkey God’ and servant of Rama. We made many hearty shouts of ‘Jai Shri Ram!’ (‘Victory to Lord Rama!’) and ‘Jai Hanuman!’ (‘Victory to Hanuman!’) on the way to the top. At one point on the climb, I was handed a banana, which I fed to one of Hanuman’s many primate subjects squatting on the rocks. I’ll drop in this over-worn quote now so I don’t have to repeat it in future writings: “In religion, every Indian is a millionaire.” The Indian countryside is also fascinating to cycle through. Bullocks ploughing the muddy fields. Piles of chillies drying out in the sun. Women (and it seems to be only women) singing and planting rice in the paddy fields. Kids coming up to you and asking for money for “school pens”. That's the way things are here. There is beauty, there is boredom, there is backbreaking labour, there is poverty, there is a continuity to life and faith on the land that has remained unbroken for countless centuries.
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AuthorMing is an economist, traveller, and creative writer from Melbourne, Australia. He’s a nebulous collection of particles on the lookout for a good corner to sit with a book and a cup of coffee. Archives
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