Hampi:
The Ruins Raised and Shaped, Not Contrary To Our Senses
In the year 1510, the capital city of Vijaynagar Empire, Hampi had a bazaar where rubies from across the country were being sold, and the King Krishna Deva Raya bought the same in gold. While watching him leave the bazaar, everybody were astonished to see the king in the market, and were delighted as well with the fact that their king did such small things to ensure trade happens in the empire.
Lord Rama had killed Vali in Hampi to help Sugreeva long time back before sending Hanuman to Lanka to save Sita. Sugreeva was helping Rama, and he wanted his kingdom back. Years later King Krishna Deva Raya created a golden era where barter system were not killing for empires, but trading goods for goods was the main design of the society. Peace prevailed then, and money came in later. The golden era lasted from 1529-1570.
1565
Hampi had seen worst days before it was ruined by the Sultans of Deccan in the year 1565.However, this time a city was looted for 6 months and still has its ruins worshipped, the markets destroyed, the temples turned to dust. In the year 1565, the downfall of the Tuluva Dynasty troubled two individuals the most, one a Muslim boy who came with the sultans and a Hindu girl, a daughter to a pandit of Balakrishna temple. The city was being looted, and this boy was a part of the Sultan's army. He was a part of a big loot that came to destroy the Balkrishna temple, saw the image of a child holding butter in hand, and stopped there watching .The pandit's daughter meanwhile was being dragged by the other looters to throw the whole family out, and start the destruction of the temple that was built to consecrate the image the sultan warrior kept watching. The girl screeched and his attention went to his friends doing their job they were meant for. He watched her, and she kept looking at him for help, while the men dragging the girl away. They kept looking and looking till he realized that she was asking for his help. A man of his stature wouldn't do such atrocities to women, a temple for him was meant to be destroyed as he was a Muslim. The heart works differently when you are confused about the feelings that come your way, and instead of ignoring her, he removed the image of the child he saw, and ran to give it to her. He helped her escape with the image and legend says their friendship lasted only for a few days. The pandit lost her daughter and the sultan was murdered by his own men.
2015
In 2015, Sana read about 5 Senses Tours, a guided motorcycle & experiential tourism Company in a travel magazine, and decided to come to India for this trip with her friends. A biker herself, she was hardcore adventure nethusiast. She loved travelling and the idea of going to an exotic place like Hampi was something unique on a motorbike. She read about Hampi history, the Tuluva Dynasty military warriors, Hampi boulders, and Hampi tourist attractions. She was a Muslim but was keen on seeing Hampi & the ruined temples. The distance between Bangalore and Hampi was 617 kms and a total of 1300 kms of riding was included in the itinerary. Hampi weather was also quite tolerable in September with cloudy skies and little rainfall.
Sana decided on going to India before her friends could come. They were keen on the Hampi festival celebrated every year in November; however she wanted to go on the motorbike tour. She reached on time to Bangalore to take the much awaited bike tour she begged her friends to join, however she had to go solo. Sana reached on time and they had to start but had to wait for a man who came in a little late. He introduced himself as Abhi, mingled with everyone and they started off on a good note.
Day 1:
With 10 people onboard, they started the tour on day 1 towards Chitradurga that is 200 kilometers away from Bangalore .Before that, they stopped by at Tumkur for breakfast after riding via the NH 4 highway. Tumkur is surrounded by coconut trees and is a high ground for pulses, millets and oil seeds.Arecanut is especially grown here. They headed towards Chitradurga as the itinerary mentioned. They learnt through their guides about the history of the Chitradurga Fort. With 8 kilometers of distance, and 1500 hectares of space covered, Abhi was quite fascinated by the four invisible passages, and 35 secret pathways designed in the fort by the different dynasties such as the Rashtrakutas, the chalukayas , Hoysalas and Nayaks. Sana, on the other hand, enjoyed the battle ground , the feel of the story of Bhima and the demons Hidimba fighting there, and was amused by the belief the people had about the Hampi boulders being a part of arsenal used then.
After having a generous amount of ghee in their south Indian lunch, and missing out on a nap they head towards Hadagali, a village 122 kilometers far from the battle ground of boulder armory, where they stay in tents on a farm house on a hill located very close to a serene lake noticeable from the top.
The beautiful view, and the exhausting tour with the mental incapability of taking enough history of the place into your system, all the bikers rested till the next day, where Sloth bears would rouse them up properly after a 135 kilometers of stint like a wanderer.
Day 2
The bear sanctuary in Hampi is a stimulating sanctuary, 20 kilometers away from a hotel they booked in Hampi, where they stay for 3 days with a rich itinerary of a tour of Royal, and religious assets of the Unesco Heritage Site of Hampi still awaiting them. Till then, Sloth bears give them company at Daroji Bear Sanctuary with other guests being the leopard, star tortoise, hyenas, jackals and the porcupine.
The hotel in Hampi was the place, to reminisce about the jaunt at the sanctuary, and to anticipate another day full of revelations they don't get to know only as written on the itinerary. Experience is what makes a journey, how it turns out to be, and the people ride that event only when they come close to it. The bikes lead them to that event, however far it can be.
Day 3
The River Tungabhadra was at first named Pampa. Hampi is a Kannada word that was synonymous to Pampa. The third day was a start to a beautiful walk near the Tungabhadra River that ended with enough wandering around religious places, cultural sites, hand crafted temples while carrying on shopping at a market place in Hampi.
Everywhere they went; local food was spread across like a platter with a necessary dollop of ghee. The much needed walk, later culminated into a nomadic stroll with royalty by their side, and courts coming out live like the big screen, with military structures working there unstirred, to take on the battles they fought everyday with their enemies. The guides did their bit to take them all into a moment where they were in the Vijaynagar Empire during the time of the capture by the Sultans, and the ruins that came alive in those 6 months.
Day 4
They headed towards the next day into the past of the legend of Ramayana. They start at Anjanadri hill, the birth place of Hanuman, and the monkey kingdom that is surrounded in the Kishkinda. Rishymukha Hills was another historical place where Rama first Hanuman. At the end of the day they work their way through Sugreeva's cave where Rama hid Sita's Jewels, and a spot where Sita's garment made streaks on the rock giving Rama a trace to find Sita. Sana was totally amused with the fact that there existed a monkey kingdom in Hampi. Abhi made sure she believed. The rest of the bikers waited to head to the hotel
Day 5
The geographical route was coming to an end, and there was a simultaneous beginning of a historical ride, that took us around 150 kilometers. The Hampi history was like a scroll being revealed one by one, as we took the step towards yet another day. The bikers headed towards the cave temples in Badami designed well by the Chalukya Kings. The Agastya Lake is another delight, where red sandstone hills caught the bikers wide eyed. Paintings cover the ceiling of the cave temples in Badami. There are Sanskrit inscriptions on hillocks dating back to 543 CE in Badami.
From Badami to Aihole, there is a distance of 34 kms and the 35th is surrounded with a sprinkle of a 100 stone temples set up in the 5th century. Biking for another 14 kms, you reach Paddatakal where the Visara style of Architecture creates a stir with the grandest of all temples located here.
Day 6
Bullock cart rides on the sixth day of their tour, gave them a view of the village through a villagers eyes. After riding for several hours on fast bikes, the bullock cart ride was a slow relaxation journey into the lives of the people inhabiting the area for over 5000 years. There is a lot to explore near the Anegundi village, the best place to stay in Hampi, with lakes surrounding the village, quenching their farming needs. The handicrafts bazaar and a good picnic meal help them wind up their day.
Day 7: The Last Day
The last day they have 340 kms to ride till Bangalore & they get to keep company for the next 8 hours. Keeping each other company every bike works their way towards their last stop together. The Hampi images in mind clicked, and stored would be reminisced forever. Abhi's bike comes closer to Sana's. He watches her on the bike with her hair flowing in the air. She looks gorgeous, and now that the tour is almost over, he thinks of making up by giving her a gift .He has a small child's image holding butter in hand he got from a souvenir shop in the handicraft's market. He gives her the gift, and they keep looking at each other on and off till they reach Bangalore. Legend says that this image was in the Balkrishna temple and now the original lies with the government.
Sana takes this image back to her country in Pakistan while Abhi, a Brahmin pandit goes on another tour with the "5 Senses Tours Company" with the hope of seeing her again someday.
