Hampi Caravan :-)

Thanks to J and J, six of us had the unique experience of visiting Hampi one weekend courtesy Bangalore Walks, Karnataka Tourism Department and the inimitable Radio City (which played a huge part in promoting the entire affair by giving free passes to this event).

We set of early in the morning to reach the ‘pick-up’ venue - the one and only Vidhaana Soudha. We along with the rest of the pass-winners constituted a caravan of nearly twenty vehicles excluding the police escort (yes, we did have one. On boy....had a taste of what it takes to be ‘rich’ and famous). And with the arrival of Sunaina (an RJ with Radio City) and a short gig by the Bangalore Walks band, we set off in full josh.

Good food, good route-map and good company. Sigh.....life mein aur kya chaahiye?

Enroute Hampi, we visited the Chitradurga fort where history was created by a ‘mere’ woman. More to it here.......

And at last, we reached Hampi in late evening. As an exclusive treat for us, the entire temple of Hampi was lit with small lights and the entire effect was such that it was lit with lamps. It was a visual treat......and there are not enough words to describe it. Perhaps a (shaky) pic would do justice......

Hampi occupied a prime location during the reign of the Vijayanagar era. And with the descent of the empire, the city was looted not only the Mughals but by the very people who called themselves the ‘allies’ of the State. This act just goes on to prove that human nature had sown its evil trenches long back. And what lay before us was just a ghost of the former city – broken stones lying here and there, painfully excavated and constructed by the ASI.

A city of glorious past, a city which created history, a city now in ruins – that’s Hampi for you.