Start of a #RoadTrip with the EO.
:-)
Windmills on the way...
The Tunghabhadra Dam! Water is absolutely full in the reservoir
The Tunghabhadra reservoir. It's like a mini sea!
Started off our Hampi trip with the Ugra Narasimha, the Ganesha, the giant Shiva Lingam and Hema Kuta.
We made sure to take our slippers off everywhere as well as be a pain in the neck for others by politely requesting them to do the same.
The feeling of anger at what happened and how we have still not been able to reclaim all these temples lingers long after one views any of these.
We took off our slippers for all temples, functional,non-runctional or ruined.
A great example of how the stones were cut. The second picture shows the holes that were drilled. These were then filled with hot water and then they would cause the stones to expand and shear away. The first picture shows the resultant surface
It was gorgeous atop the Hema Kuta. The gopuram or the #Virupaksha temple in yellow stood out against the backdrop of the Anjanadri Hill and the dark cumulonimbus clouds.
A video panorama of Hemakuta with my commentary of the same.
This video, by the EO of the temple haunts me. For the emptiness and of what is missing.
This is my absolute favourite shot taken today by the EO. The photographers ony TL can comment better but I just loved this. captures the essence of Hampi for mem
Started the day with these. Broken, damaged, destroyed, defaced. The ugly face of iconoclasm by monotheism.
The octagonal bath.
The massive stone doors that once guarded the Royal Enclosure. Could only be opened or closed using elephants.
Hunting scenes at the Mahanavami Dibba
The next time youbhear tall of Hinduism being regressive and anti women, show them these..women hunting and fighting.
A step well or Pishkarini inside the Royal Enclosure.
Stone plates for eating.
There osvsome ironix apparently to the stone. You can hear the sounds when you tap on them.
The dance hall built by Krishna Deva Raya for his "Dancing Queen"
The secret underground chamber. Readers of #NandisCharge would ever Pulikeshi talking to his spy in such a chamber. I used this as my model for that!
An Ashtabhuja (eight armed) Krishna at the HazaraRama temple.
Exquisite black stone marble carvings on the pillars inside the Hazara Rama Temple
A homa mandapam. Notice the roof to allow the smoke to be dispersed.
Arrowheada and caltrops. The "museum" is in such pathetic condition. Tattered carpets. No lights. Crappy displays. Only some labels.
The elephant stables.
The original Nagini.
JK Rowling probably got the idea from here ;)
I asked the EO to sing a Rama song at the Hazara Rama temple standing at the center. To test out the acoustics. In true Indian bureaucratic fashion, the caretaker objected to it saying I need permission. Asked her if w can touch the pillars. She said oh no problem there!
I really don't understand our bureaucracy!!
Also when EO got up on the dance platform, she bent down and touched the platform and to her eyes.
Said, all thie years ago, people danced here.
Then struck a Bharatanatyam pose of Krishna standing.
This one looks like a Mapilla in a lungi. Eh @NarenMenon1 @BoredMallu @malludoc
Vijaya Vithala temple. It would have been magnificent in its heydey.
This is the base on which the Vitthala deity was kept. Even the hardened tourist guide took his slippers off before going in. We went in and did a namaskar to the empty space. There was something haunting about it. Like the God was waiting to be reinstalled.
The Virupaksha temple.
We also went to Sugriva's cave where he is supposed to have brought news of Sita's jewels to Rama.
Two sets of footprints purported to be that or Shri Rama and Lakshmana
A Nandi decided to get petted by us at the Virupaksha. We also saw this giant monolithic Nandi at the end of the bazaar in front of the Virupaksha temple.
The EO waved her magic wand at the Vijaya Viththala temple!
Started day 3 with a visit to the Anjanadri Hill. The birthplace of Anjaniputra Hanuman. Steep 575 step climb to the top of the hill.
There was a sannidhi there with Anjani and a cute little Hanuman.
The views from up top were breathtaking!
We also visited a Shiva temple which is called the "Underground temple", just because its floor level is lower than the current ground level. It was filled with water. Heartbreakingly lonely and desolate. Sigh.
Here is the Tunghabhadra flowing grandly on its way past Hampi.
We also went again to the Royal Enclosure and at King Harihara's palace, we found this old toilet. Interestingly, the outlet sloped down into a soak pot at the back. Our ancestoes had plumbing figured out since the Harappa days, so this is not that surprising.
This is the area, right next to the enclosure housing the courts, mints and the palaces where the government officers and no lemen lived. As you can see the farther from the palace (which is to the left of the pic) the smaller the plots!
Somethings never change
We went back to the Hema Kuta hill in the evening for some more pics.
Here is me singing "Pon Maalai Pozhuthu" sitting atop the Hemkuta hill.
A stiff breze and a child screaming its head off at the beginning but I enjoyed myself!:-)
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