Hampi in Karnataka

Just realised that when we were travelling, we hadn't the time to post the pix from Hampi. It's a Unesco world heritage site...

Hampi dawns and sunsets can be spectacular, this is what we got!

After jumping in a tuktuk at 4am, our driver dropped us off and said he would be back in couple of hours. We found ourselves at the foot of a mountain, with dogs barking and monkeys whooping. Whilst we started climbing in total darkness, we didn't know what we were going to bump into. I picked up all the stones we came across and probably wieghed a few more kilo's by the time we reached the summit. We declared to each other, once the ordeal was over, that yes, we had both been anxious.

This shot was taken in virtual darkness with just a hint of light. But the long exposure makes it look brighter. A couple of minutes before the two of us, were wondering around trying to figure out which way was east.  We were so high up, we had an uninhibited view of dawn, so much so, that you can see the curvature of the earth. 

This was the same morning as we posted the video of the loveable, curious monkeys. 

Please note they can make a lot of noise and in the dark!

 

A couple of minutes later.

Just me trying to be arty and trying to catch the changing colour of the sky with a lifeless tree and some flag poles, you can make out a cresent moon in there too. 

So Hampi by day looks like this

Anyway, It's hard to contemplate how this place evolved! The history states that it's first inhabitants, dwellings and a community, existed here around 0000 or -BC/AD+ But it really came to prominence in the 1400's  When it became the centre of the Hindu Vijayanagara capital. 

The Persian and European travellers, spoke of a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with numerous temples, farms and trading markets. By 1500 CE, Hampi-Vijayanagara was the world's second-largest medieval-era city after Bejing and India's richest at that time, attracting traders from Persia and Portugal. It was defeated by a coalition of Muslim sultanates; its capital was conquered, pillaged and destroyed by sultanate armies in 1565, after which Hampi remained in ruins.

This is the Grand Bazaar from the south end, looking back to the Virupaksha temple ( aka pyramid temple) in the distance.

Although it looks very green around Hampi, It's actually very arid and very hot, so most of the vegetation is due to the Tungabadhadra river being diverted into irrigation channels. Hived off further up stream, to allow the fall to keep the water flowing and feeding the coconut palms, banana plantations, rice paddies and the aqueducts that used to supply the temples and their residents. 

So after climbing some hills and boulders in the baking heat, where you think nobody would want to be. We were amazed to wander across this temple in a low lying valley, completely invisible unless you knew of it's existence within this natural amphitheatre. 

Whilst we first saw the temple from the hill side.

This is the avenue leading into the temple complex from the river a few hundred meters back behind us. The structures on the left and right were the aqueducts that supplied the permanent population that lived here.

Not only did the aqueducts provide the water but also cool shaded walk ways that lined both sides of the bazaar.  

There was at least 38KM's of aqueducts within the temple systems. 

 The main gate for this temple and some of the fortified walls. There are so many temples

It was so hot, Donna wished they had kept the water flowing. Just imaging how it would have been to swim in this, the public bath, with ghats so that the dhobi wallahs could sort the laundry too!

This is just another little temple and they are strewn all over this area around 16 sq miles. (at least 50 major sites and untold more lesser structures) But to us, the untrained eye...... one temple looks a lot like another. 
Whilst we we're blown away with what we saw at every turn,  we realise that these pix can in no way reveal the majesty that is Hampi, so we will spare you!

 OK OK enough already eh....... the last temple on a bend in the river, with another coracle ready to take us across.

 The river flowing but covered in vegetation.

 I found some respite between some boulders but Donna doesn't like spiders!

A pathway has been cut into this huge slab of rock, these steps with anti-slip engraving carved in for good measure.

The wildlife here prefers siestas. It's so hot during the day, the birds don't fly around much but early mornings and early evenings, the insects are about and the birds feast then.

The elephant likes bath time too!

Temples keep elephants for festivals, so they are treasured. Indeed Ganesh is almost everybody's favourite Hindu God.

Donna and myself struggled with the thought of captive elephants but at the end of the day, we are intending to get a dog, so who are we to bark... so to speak : )
And actually an elephant and it's trainer are paired near the start of both of their lives. The "Mahout" ( trainer ) will have got his elephant as a boy and will bond over a lifetime together. We saw no cruelty whilst we sat and watched this daily ritual.

 The mahout is very caring and lavishes lots of time scrubbing his trunk.

He gets a shower every morning.

Indeed the animal appeared to be very much enjoying itself.

So the river runs from north to south and this place is just a few kilometers north of Hampi. 
Not sure how long this resevoir has existed. But this natural elevated body of water, holds the key to why a society settled here.  Becoming the seat of power for a kingdom that straddled the whole of southern India and a thriving civilisation that has spanned two millennia.

A corracle, this ancient form of transport along with bullock carts are still in everyday use.

After a hurried climb to get to the top of another peak and another Hanuman (Monkey God) temple. We got this elevated vista of a sunset, showing just how flat the land is. I was able to scramble in here and stand up in this small cave or shelter.

A last Hampi sunset.