[Teesh@BHP]

Excellent travelogue coupled with some great pictures!

I had recently been to Hospet for a colleague's marriage and was lucky enough to see Hampi. Though unfortunately, due to lack of time, I couldn't cover even 10% of the entire civilization!

Here's a picture of the famous stone chariot in Vitthala temple I had captured during the trip:

[shiva_s]

It was really pleasant reading the back ground of Hampi as you described and the pictures are absolute feast to the eyes.

[varunraizada]

Brilliant Travelogue. 5 Star rating !

Most of the pics have NO people in them !

Is it the photographer's brilliance or the heat ?

Your heat comment reminds me of the weekends in Delhi summers (April and May) that we spent with camera in hand at Humayu's tomb / Lal quila / zoo , etc in delhi .. I guess the best pics of these monuments were taken during summer with NOONE around

Very nice research on the place and I loved the way you have used your clicked pics for showcasing your research as well !

Any idea on the road between Hubli and Hampi ?

[RaghuVis]

Poetic read of the history. Thanks a lot for the intro. I was not aware of lots of historical facts.
It puts you in a mix of emotions when you read such stuff. On one hand you feel the amazing sense of pride and happiness to know about the structures and it's construction, but it makes you feel equally sad to hear the part about destruction. Not sure if there is any other species other than Mankind which can destroy it's own creations for just supremacy (Please don't mention Tiger/Lion killings it's cub!! My point was not that.)
Some of the ruins looks so stunning and majestic and I can't help but think how this would have been 500 years back in it's full glory!!

Fate has been playing with my plans of visiting Hampi. Every time I plan, something gets in the way. Hopefully 2016 is the year that is supposed to happen. Can someone suggest if it is a good plan to travel during the summers? Most of the people I ask discourage me because of the scorching heat.

Rated the Article a well deserved 5 stars!!!!

[grkonweb]

Well written...especially the historical narratives. Never knew so much about history of Hampi in so much detail. Nice pictures too. Hope to visit them soon.

BTW the tank is really strikingly beautiful!!!

[ariesonu]

Amazing PROCRJ,
Such a small world, I was at JSW guest house which is located just behind the HYATT PALACE (The A after P is missing in the sign board) between 15th & 19th Feb. The restaurant is awesome there. Do try it next time.
I was there on business trip. The place is really an OASIS in the region.

The guesthouse in Panorama - The white structure on right is guest rooms


JSW temple in Vidyanagar - This is across the road from HYATT - Area is named PANCHVATI


The presiding deities


We both have been on same road


The JSW guest house entrance


The garden behind entrance & between guest rooms area



Raab rakha.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by varunraizada

Any idea on the road between Hubli and Hampi ?

Check this thread for Mumbai-Hampi via Hubli - here

Originally Posted by RaghuVis

Can someone suggest if it is a good plan to travel during the summers? Most of the people I ask discourage me because of the scorching heat.

From what I know the summer months will be very tough on visitors, so better to avoid. We were there in January so it was quite pleasant in the mornings and evenings but between 11am and 4pm the sun came out blazing all guns, suffered some sunburn as well
Also, just like you mentioned, our plan to visit Hampi never seemed to materialize before 2016, so this maybe the year for your visit as well!

[procrj]

Originally Posted by NPV

You may also be interested in doing the trek on the rocks parallel to the river that leads from Vittala temple to Virupaksha temple via the Yanthrodharaka Anjaneya temple and the Nandi (monolithic bull). We could not do this due to lack of time.

Yes this trek is on the plan for next visit

Bheema's Gateway, underground Shiva temple,

Did see these but was not as striking as the other ruins. There is a path behind Bhima's gateway that leads to the hillock behind it. This was supposedly one of the main entrances to the city.

Daroji bear sanctuary that is about 12 Km from Kamalapur

Not much to see there was the feedback. Just 4-5 sloth bears and given the heat, even they would have been hard to spot.

There is also an old temple once you cross the railway tracks from Hospet towards Kamalapur - this is called the "Ananthashayana Gudi", again this one is for the next visit for us. So much to see, need a lot of time!

Thanks for that info. Will search for it the next time

Originally Posted by abirnale

Awesome read and nice coverage of history with present day sightseeing of course! And it is very much evident that you are loving your red dwarf rides more than before!

Thanks avinash. Absolutely loving the ride and with every passing week, the number of road trip plans only seem to be increasing

Originally Posted by Teesh@BHP

Excellent travelogue coupled with some great pictures!

Thanks Teesh@BHP. Do make time to explore the place in detail. Worth it

Originally Posted by shiva_s

It was really pleasant reading the back ground of Hampi as you described and the pictures are absolute feast to the eyes.

Thanks shiva

Originally Posted by varunraizada

Brilliant Travelogue. 5 Star rating !

Thanks varun

Most of the pics have NO people in them !
Is it the photographer's brilliance or the heat ?

Credit to the photographer - my better half. Does not let go until she is satisfied with the click

Very nice research on the place and I loved the way you have used your clicked pics for showcasing your research as well !

Well that was just to break the monotony of reading long paras of text. Most people today believe that 140 characters is more that sufficient to convey important info and hence my ploy to trick people into reading more

Any idea on the road between Hubli and Hampi ?

Refer to @Chaand's recent trip here

Originally Posted by RaghuVis

It puts you in a mix of emotions when you read such stuff. On one hand you feel the amazing sense of pride and happiness to know about the structures and it's construction, but it makes you feel equally sad to hear the part about destruction.

Well there is a little more background to this. Apparently after his victory over Adil Shah in 1520, Krishnadeva Raya plundered bijapur and desecrated muslim shrines and asked Adil Shah to fall at his feet and beg for mercy. But again, nothing can justify wanton destruction of any city.

Fate has been playing with my plans of visiting Hampi. Every time I plan, something gets in the way. Hopefully 2016 is the year that is supposed to happen. Can someone suggest if it is a good plan to travel during the summers? Most of the people I ask discourage me because of the scorching heat.

Hope you get to visit soon. Its already pretty hot there right now & I cant imagine the heat in summer. 11 am - 4 pm is just too hot to do anything and hence you might be better off going there Aug/Sep

Originally Posted by grkonweb

Well written...especially the historical narratives. Never knew so much about history of Hampi in so much detail. Nice pictures too. Hope to visit them soon.
BTW the tank is really strikingly beautiful!!!

Thanks gkonweb

Originally Posted by ariesonu

I was at JSW guest house which is located just behind the HYATT PALACE

small world indeed

JSW temple in Vidyanagar - This is across the road from HYATT - Area is named PANCHVATI

I could see this from my room window and was wondering what temple it was.

[Axe77]

Super travelogue and makes me want to plan a trip myself. Lovely to read all the history interspersed in as well.

[adityadeva]

Beautiful travelouge. The pictures are awesome. A few words on where you stayed and took food would have been a added bonus for the ones who wish to go there.

[anand_hc]

Great post, thanks for history addition. Another visit to Hampi through your eyes.

You never get tired of the place. Just sitting & watching river flow amidst ruins is a beautiful experience.

[durgaprasan]

What a post!!! Many thanks, and kudos on those wonderful photographs.

[King_pin09]

A very nice and detailed information over there PROCRJ. Thanks for sharing.

Hampi stands as evidence as how disastrous it could be if power is vested in wrong hands. A better administrator would have averted this war havoc and the aftermath massive destruction along with human massacre would have ever happened. My heart gets heavier each time I visit this place, and an image of the Vijayanagara blooming in its full glory keeps emerging in my mind.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by Axe77

Super travelogue and makes me want to plan a trip myself. Lovely to read all the history interspersed in as well.

Thanks Axe77

Originally Posted by adityadeva

Beautiful travelouge. The pictures are awesome. A few words on where you stayed and took food would have been a added bonus for the ones who wish to go there.

Thanks aditya. Do check post #6.

Originally Posted by anand_hc

Great post, thanks for history addition. Another visit to Hampi through your eyes.
You never get tired of the place. Just sitting & watching river flow amidst ruins is a beautiful experience.

Thanks anand. Did not get a chance to visit the river this time around but I do plan to the next time.

Originally Posted by durgaprasan

What a post!!! Many thanks, and kudos on those wonderful photographs.

Thanks durgaprasan

Originally Posted by King_pin09

A very nice and detailed information over there PROCRJ. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks king_pin09

Hampi stands as evidence as how disastrous it could be if power is vested in wrong hands. A better administrator would have averted this war havoc and the aftermath massive destruction along with human massacre would have ever happened. My heart gets heavier each time I visit this place, and an image of the Vijayanagara blooming in its full glory keeps emerging in my mind.

I think hampi was a victim of its age. Increase in influence of Vijayanagar made its enemies unite and destroy it. This has happened many times in history and I doubt that a good administrator would have been able to control the empire when you have multiple foes attacking in force. But yes I do agree that we would have had a lot to gain if it was not destroyed and continued to be a center of culture & commerce.

[King_pin09]

Originally Posted by procrj

Well there is a little more background to this. Apparently after his victory over Adil Shah in 1520, Krishnadeva Raya plundered bijapur and desecrated muslim shrines and asked Adil Shah to fall at his feet and beg for mercy. But again, nothing can justify wanton destruction of any city.

Good information there.

Krishnadevaraya during May 1920 had defeated Bijapur Adil shah and conquered the fort of Raichur. It was here when Adil shah was asked to fall down to his feet.

Krishnadevaraya during 1509 had defeated the last Bahamani sultan and plundered Gulbarga.

I recall no instance of Bijapur getting plundered by Krishnadevaraya.

Am I missing some thing here.

Nevertheless, the last batch of Vijayanagara kings were arrogant, short tempered and short sighted. They were more worried for passing power to their family clans than the future, integrity and prosperity of the vast kingdom. This was the very reason that led to untimely downfall of this mighty Empire.