Roaming around, in Hampi

(This article is about our general roaming in Hampi. We discovered several hidden carvings and the general observations about its locational advantage.)

We are at Zenana quarters and Rachit proposes not to visit another monument but to roam around, taking lesser known paths and trek; so to say, wander aimlessly.

Hampi seduces you with such ideas. Younger one immediately agrees and here we go without a second thought. Wandering in unknown place! No issues! Hampi is a popular tourist destination and we are confident that we won’t be lost as GPS would be for our company.

Roaming around in Hampi in seclusion

We take a detour on a path towards a direction where there are no signage of a monument. No-one around, even in this tourist season of Hampi! I have noticed that in Hampi, if you are walking, then there are stretches when not a single soul is in sight for long.

Discovering Bhikshatana Shiva carvings on a boulder

The barren stretch soon leads us to a huge round boulder, with a rectangular structure supported on four columns in front of it. ASI sign of protected monument is here and a local is sleeping on the slab.

I wonder who constructed this monument here. Is it constructed by ASI to draw attention and to protect the carving on the boulder or is this path part of some ancient trek? And this structure being constructed so the exhausted pilgrims, traders, travelers could halt and take rest. After-all, the weather of Hampi is, and was always, hot and harsh.

Its carving of a male holding a trident in one hand and a bowl in another. Is it of “Bhikshatana Shiva” ? Not easy to make out as my knowledge is limited and also the carving is worn-out.

Roaming around in Hampi – Discovering Natural Cairns

We walk further along the way and cross a seemingly natural cairn, the stacking stone structure. Probably by placing them in this manner, Nature too is wishing for something.

Roaming around in Hampi – Discovering a carving of Lord Hanuman

Further, on the way, we see the carving of freshly blue-color painted carving of Lord Hanuman. One of his hand is on his waist and the other hand is blessing the devotees, the tail is raised like a banner.

Roaming around in Hampi – Discovering Lord Ganesha and the royal emblem(??)

Walking on this trek further, we reach top of a hillock and here we see an old structure, with carvings of Lord Ganesha, a female deity and a guard with a spear in his hand.

I can see the moon and sun on either side. I wonder was the royal emblem of Vijayanagar empire was carved here, though the wear and tear is so high that neither the dagger nor Varaha is visible.

Roaming around in Hampi – Discovering Lakshmi-Narasimha

On another wall of this structure is a small squarish carving of Lakshmi-Narasimha and also some stone-slabs are nicely kept here. I think ASI is renovating something here too, though no-one is in sight.

I remind myself, not to forget what we see in Hampi is largely due to the efforts of ASI only. After visiting Cambodia and seeing the wonderful work ASI has done and is still doing there, has increased my respect for the organization manifolds.

Roaming around in Hampi – Reaching Banana Plantation

We trek down from here and get lost in an agriculture field of banana plantation. Tanmay picks up a heavy banana stem and carries it like a weight-lifter.

Lost in Hampi

There is a bicycle, but no human-being is around. As we are trespassing a private property, there is a fear that we may annoy the owner.

By now, I have enough of wanderings and want to reach a known place. GPS is also not working; One of the lifeline is dead. I know that we are not unsafe, but presence of a local would be a solace; he might be able to guide us out in a proper direction.

Even with these thoughts in mind, I move quietly, avoid shouting for seeking help; so not to annoy the owner. Anyway kids are enjoying it and for them this aimless wandering is the aim.

Roaming around in Hampi – Discovering the carving of a warrior

Another carving of a warrior. Again, not easy to make out who is carved here; but the body language is clearly defining his confident martial strides with left leg in front, and carrying weapons in hand. I feel, it is either Shiva or Lord Rama.

Roaming around in Hampi – Discovering an ancient Stair

At the end of this green-stretch we again reach a boulder-strewn hill. We happily move from the private property to the public property. Here, also we notice beautiful natural rock formation.

A rock similar to Akka-Tangi rock and an ancient stair is also carved here. At the top of this hillock are more massive boulders.

Roaming around in Hampi – Discovering more carvings

Here also there are carvings. Ancient, as I believe, who has time to waste so much efforts now. It might be that somebody tried his hand to see if these stone blocks are useful, good for carving or a guru tested his apprentice.

There is a carving of Ganapati beautifully done on a rock, that is pressed and protected by another rock over it. There is another male figure carved too, but it is difficult to predict whether its a figure of a deity or of a guard to the main deity or a Shaivite figure or a Vaishnavite figure.

One interesting structure seems to be like a small bridge made for kid’s play. Not sure, its man-made or natural. Its a pleasure to see and appreciate these minor and insignificant efforts in whole scale of things.

Roaming around in Hampi – looking for an escape from seclusion

We all are tired now; enough of aimless wanderings and are looking for an exit to bring us back in the civilization. From the top we see the road again. It brings smile to our faces. A few tourists are cycling on this road. I make an assumption that climbing down this hill would not be a challenge; soon I realize my mistake in taking it lightly.

Why and How boulder ridden landscape of Hampi provided a military advantage

Now, with first hand experience I can say, with confidence how these boulder littered hills provided such a strategic military advantage to the Vijayanagar empire.

It was not easy to make entry even for a single person of the rival army, leave apart the possibility of an army moving at pace or a cavalry attack. It reminds me of Abdur Razaak’s (a) description of the place.

The fort wall of this medieval empire has boulders more than the height of a man, sunk in ground in a manner that half of it remain sunk while the other half rises above the surface. If there was any gap between these boulders, it was filled with irregular fortification for the urban core. The boulders and the fortification is done in a such a manner that no horse or foot-soldier could boldly or with ease approach the citadel. The stone joining is generally fine, but irregular with blocks only touching each other on the outer side; the structural stability is mainly achieved by massive earthen fill.

Abdur Razaak, Persian, Timurid chronicler and a scholar who visited the Vijayanagar Kingdom at the time of DevRaya II as an ambassador of ShahRukh, the Timurid dynasty ruler of Persia

According to foreign visitors of that time, these fortifications were protected by moats. These moats are not to be seen now.

Returning back to civilization

We try to get down. Rachit has plaster on his hand, Tanmay is fearful of sliding down and I am also not comfortable. Rachit is the first one to get down with his agile moves, slowly-slowly with great care me and Tanmay get down too.

In the end, getting lost was fun, but bringing ourselves back to civilization is a bigger relief. Good adventure, but would prefer to avoid boulders where there is no defined trek.

Click here to read more about offbeat Hampi – Trekking along Tungabhadra River and seeing some awesome carvings

Click here to read about offbeat Hampi – walking on ancient Kampa-Bhupa Path

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