In continuation of my earlier post Motorcycle Trip From Hyderabad to Hampi - PART 1, so far I've posted only half of the spectacular trip experience in Hampi. Nevertheless, attractive and the most delightful places yet to cover. It was around 11 AM by the time we finished visiting SRI KRISHNA TEMPLE and we skipped the breakfast and lunch. Instead we decided to have a brunch in between because we all are determined to cover as many places as we can in a day.
HAMPI Memorandum - Part 2
Hazara Rama Temple
As the Sanskrit word 'Hazara' states the Hazara Rama Temple is craved with thousand lord Rama sculptures. This is a private worshiping temple for Kings and the statues in temple walls explains the whole story of the epic Ramayana (dated back in Treta yuga - One of the four age era according to Hindu mythology).
Few stone carvings in the story of Ramayana
Temple interior sculpture architecture
Temple exterior sculpture architecture
Lotus Mahal
Lotus Mahal/Kamal Mahal is 300 meters away from Hazar Rama temple. We need an entry ticket to visit this exquisite place. With an entry ticket we can also visit the Elephant stables and many more temples behind the surroundings. The architecture of Lotus mahal is two storyed building dated back to 16th century. Mainly used as recreational activities center for royal women and minister council chamber.
As it plays crucial role in Royal affairs it was heavily guarded and also three huge watch towers are constructed systematically to identifies the threats and forewarn the troops. Visitors can go closer to take some snaps but security confines the people to stay out of Mahal because of the current condition it is in. During the invasion Lotus Mahal is not part of the destruction due to Islamic look a like design captivated the Muslim kings. Backside of Lotus Mahal has the elephant stables and remains of various other temples.
Queen's Palace Basement
Watch Tower near Lotus Mahal
Side-view of Lotus Mahal
Author with Lotus Mahal
Elephant Stables
It is not just kings who led the royal life even the Royal elephants had the fair share. Behind the Lotus Mahal, the huge stables constructed with Islamic style of architecture. Even after 600 years the monument stands still. Elephant stables are constructed for Royal elephants with 11 tombs with interconnecting passage for Mahout to monitor.
Elephant Stables
Front and Rear images of Elephant stables
Archeological team preserved the scatter idols after city invasion and destruction
We love to scout the new places and like the less crowded spots. Many visitors covers the famous places but we went little beyond. We have observed, behind the Elephant stable there were few temple remains. Below images portrays how the invasion take affect and once flourished cultural paradise grounded to ruins of severe destruction.
Shri Vishnu Temple
Parshwanatha Temple
Ganesha Temple
Underground Siva Temple
Located next to main road while going to Hampi from Kamalapur. On the way to Hazar Rama temple you can visit this historic monument. Temple is said to be one of the oldest architecture constructed back in 14th Century A.D. This is a private temple for Royal family to worship lord Siva. As in the name, temple remains underwater for the whole year but opens for couple of months during the summer. Royal family performs the ceremony and rituals during this time. The top point of temple is in the level of ground. This temple is buried underground with soil and rocks and re-discovered in 80's.
Main Mandapa - Main Entrance to temple
Side-view of Underground Siva Temple Main Entrance
Inside temple - Nandi (Holy Ox) facing the Lord Siva.
Underground Siva Temple side-view
Queen's Bath
Queen's Bath is exclusive pleasure complex for royal family used by King and Queen. It is located southeast to the royal enclosure. Entire Queen's bath is surrounded with water channel as a inflow to the inside pool and encircled channel also helps to avoid the intruders. Pool chamber is also have the changing rooms and balcony and the entire arena is an open pond.
Entrance to the Queen's Bath
Open Pond chamber with changing rooms
Ganagitti Jain Temple
This living monument explains the love of Vijayanagara Empire for various cultural arts and religious beliefs. Unlike other temples in Hampi this Jain temple has simple architecture design. This place is well preserved and maintained with encircled beautiful garden. The audience visiting is comparatively less and you can find on the way to Vijaya Vittala temple.
Royal Enclosure
Once upon a time it is open auditorium with 20 acres of area. Usually, this place is lit when Kings summons to meet public and it's a gathering between the Royal family and people of the kingdom. It is also said to be the "house of victory". Celebrations usually takes place in this arena. This arena provides the aerial view of the surroundings and it also has public bathing points, stone carved food plates and underground meeting chambers. Main attraction is open square shaped stone platform, earlier when is functioning the entire platform is covered with wooden crafted Mandapa. Second attraction is step water pool or water tank. It is said during the destruction of city entire stepped tank is filled with rocks and soil.
Square Shaped Main Stone Mandapa
Underground Royal meeting chamber
Underground Passage near Royal enclosure
Square shaped step tank/pool
Tungabadra river water is pumped to step pool - Advanced Engineering concept
Aerial-view from Main Stone Mandapa
Vijaya Vittala Temple
One of the most visited and grandeur to all the architectures designed in Hampi region. Majestic craftsmanship displayed in form of constructional engineering and carving of stone to show the love of arts and culture. The entire region of Vittala temple resembles the Dravidian style of architecture - Found only in south India. India is country of festivals and comprises of god praising and fearing devotees, temple has various halls for mass marriages, musical halls, stone chariots and Main Hall for worshiping.
Side views on the way to Vijaya Vittala Temple
Vijaya Vittala Temple entrance
The famous Stone Chariot - Inside the temple
The famous stone chariot was carved inside the temple and it is said, earlier people can able to circle the the wheels of the chariot. But archeological team applied the cement to stagnate to diminish further damage to great craftsmanship. Chariot is the official tourism mascot for the Karnataka state. Indian government honored the mascot by printing it in 50 rupees currency note in 2018.
The king Srikrishna devaraya was impressed by the chariot in Konark temple in Orissa state and summoned the top structural engineers of the era to make the best designed in his capital. The Stone chariot in Hampi is one of the three chariots in the India. Visitors are so awe-stuck by the evening/early morning citation of sculpture.
Side-view of Stone Chariot
Musical Pillar craved inside the below Mandapa
Another impossible carving inside the Vittala temple is Musical pillars inside the Ranga Madapa. It has the total of 56 single stone pillars. Constructed logically with single stone to create a resonance sound. As in different strings in any instrument, musical pillars are grouped together from size high to low to make perfect sound when artist taps gently.
Back side view of Maha Mandapa
Entrance to Maha Mandapa
Sunrise Point MATANGA HILL
As soon as we visited the Vijaya Vittala Temple we rushed back to Matanga hill to reach the sunset point. It was one of the highest peak hill in Hampi. Meanwhile trekking style is not sophisticated but more adventurous and audacious because the hill has steep and narrow paths and without stairs. Because of savage route to top, it is less crowded and few of the initiators drop in middle. Taking risky maneuver has highly paid off, as you seen in the below images it gives the bird eye's view and spectacular aerial view of Hampi surroundings and empty marks of Tungabadra river drift makes the way through several mountains.
Sunset shots from Matanga Hill
Packing our bags on return
After sunset we spend some time in the hill but returned decided to go down because the path is delicate and wild. We summarized the whole journey and remain silent for few minutes after we climb down from the Matanga hill. Finally, everyone decided to drive back to Hyderabad.
We dedicated three days of round-trip from Hyderabad to Hampi. Lived in the all the moments while visiting places in Hampi. With great despair, I always remember Hampi as a living fossil, Once upon a time India flourished with richest culture & love for the arts; Hampi is a living proof. What would it be now, if Moguls didn't destroyed the great Indian architecture? Where do we stand if British didn't occupy us? And who knows how many untold truths were buried and destroyed like Hampi? We left Hampi with indelible memory of happiness. I recommend Hampi to everyone to visit.
