[hsejars]

Excellent writeup & Excellent photos Samurai-san! I wish our history books were written by people like you :-). I have been to this place only once before and after reading the travelogue feel like going again.

We should also thank the ASI for their excellent upkeep of the place. I have also visited other places Somnathpur, Belur and Halebid & the monuments are maintained very well. These guys are doing an excellent job.

[Nitin]

Originally Posted by rjstyles69

Samurai sorry for going OT but then I hate to see people doing such things at tourist places. I am sure no-one else here also appreciates the same.

+1,riju..
Very nice thread,indeed. Samurai,any other trips such as this one planned in the near future?

[netchef]

A photographer friend named Amith Rathod has shot in Hampi. I shipped them around our litlte planet.

For anyone who's interested, take a dekko here:

Summer in Hampi - a set on Flickr

ps. Samurai, I hope it's ok, Sir

You can see more at UNESCO Heritage site for 3-D panographic view

For site map: WHTour.org > Asia > South Asia > India > Hampi : map

Click on indvidual links for all site as mentioned

You can also see in Google Maps for topographical view and dimensions of each heritage site/temple

BTW, you can see all UNDESCO heritage sites from India(as well as world) -- See Kambodia for largest Vishnu temple(build around 5-8 century)

[akroy]

Excellent travelogue Samurai, Just came across it (I was out of internet for 2 weeks when u posted it and it somehow got lost). Read all the 6pages.

It was as if I am reliving history. I need to plan Hampi soon, hopefully in this winter lets see.

Excellent pics too.
Abhi

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by netchef

For anyone who's interested, take a dekko here:

Summer in Hampi - a set on Flickr

His compositions are quite excellent, he must have spent lot of time scoping his shots. We family tourist shooters can only wish for it.

It will be very useful to hire a licensed guide in Hampi. They can take you around quickly by optimally planning the order of the attractions to visit.

[safari_lover]

Samurai,

That was just excellent!

[cediafan]

Samurai,

Do you remember how much time it took from Shimoga to Hospet? I want to see if I can cover Hampi and Jog falls in one trip.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by cediafan

Do you remember how much time it took from Shimoga to Hospet? I want to see if I can cover Hampi and Jog falls in one trip.

About 5 hours if you don't get stuck behind ore truck.

[netchef]

Originally Posted by Samurai

His compositions are quite excellent, he must have spent lot of time scoping his shots. We family tourist shooters can only wish for it.

It will be very useful to hire a licensed guide in Hampi. They can take you around quickly by optimally planning the order of the attractions to visit.

Thanks, Sir. I'll pass your feedback on. Amith is an art guy and I've always found some magic in his photographs.

Take care,
RG

[vvnagan]

Samurai Sir,

I have lived in Hospet for close to 20 years and have been to Hampi multiple times. But the way you described journey intermixed with the History of the place was just mindblowing. Hats off to you.
Hampi is truly an awesome place and the sadness that you feel once you are among the ruins is beyond any words.

[bullinb]

Was in Hampi over the last weekend amidst the infamous rain and flood. Actually it was a blessing in disguise - the weather was perfect, the flood scare kept most of the tourists out and all the gates were open in TB dam.

I have nothing more to add to the exemplary travelogue by Samurai. So I'll stop at updating the road condition. The roads are great up to Chitradurga from Bangalore except the usual hiccups at Nelamangala and Tumkur. But it's a whole different story from Chitradurga onwards. We got stuck in a royal truck jam in Chitradurga for nearly an hour. NH-13 for the next 150 odd kilometers has literally gone to the dogs. It is fit only for trucks and boy! did we saw a lot of them! In fact it was a 150km two way queue of trucks moving at 20kmph. Took us nearly 5 hours to reach Hampi.

Return journey was a mixed bag. We decided to avoid the dreaded NH-13 and return via Bellary. Hospet to Ballry has car sized craters every two km’s but it is only 40km long. It can be covered in an hour with a few bangs and scrapres to the underbody. From Bellary onwards it is in an excellent, well marked, two lane state highway through Challakere. Only grouse about this road is the leading and trailing pair of road bumps at each village.

Either carry your own food or go hungry between Hospet and NH-4. There is no place worth stopping anywhere in between.

[ampere]

Any snaps of the gushing waters at TB dam?

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by bullinb

Was in Hampi over the last weekend amidst the infamous rain and flood.
I have nothing more to add to the exemplary travelogue by Samurai. So I'll stop at updating the road condition. The roads are great up to Chitradurga from Bangalore except the usual hiccups at Nelamangala and Tumkur. But it's a whole different story from Chitradurga onwards. We got stuck in a royal truck jam in Chitradurga for nearly an hour. NH-13 for the next 150 odd kilometers has literally gone to the dogs. It is fit only for trucks and boy! did we saw a lot of them! In fact it was a 150km two way queue of trucks moving at 20kmph. Took us nearly 5 hours to reach Hampi.

Gosh, that is a hell of an ordeal you had. We were at Hospet/ Hampi on Sep 26th and 27th, but the journey from Hospet to Chitradurga took us only 2 hours 20 minutes. There were a hell of a lot of 18-wheeler trucks near Hospet for 10 kms, but after that the road was free---but at least 40 kms out of Hospet had a very bad road where we could not cross 3rd gear.

Originally Posted by ampere

Any snaps of the gushing waters at TB dam?

I've posted a few pics in my travelogue.

[bullinb]

Hampi in the rains and TB dam filled to the brim.