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| Ruins of Hampi |
One of the International Heritage of the World, Hampi is the locus of awe-inspiring ruins, astonishing temples, and convivial hippie culture situated in the Southern Part of India. According to the list of New York Times of 2019 Must-See places, Hampi secured the second position, which makes it a total crowd puller. Though India is a country full of architecture, history, and natural beauty, Hampi occupies its own sacred and unparalleled sphere in the heart of travelers. For the ultra-rich travelers to pilgrimage families and backpackers, this place has got a lot of options for each and every one.
The name Hampi is derived from the word "Pampa" which was the old name to River Tungabhadra. Hampi is also known as Pampa Village or Kishkindha Kshetra (As mentioned in the Ramayana- The Hindu Epic). So, Hampi is the English adaptation of Kannada name "Hampe". January- February is the ideal time to visit Hampi. Natural Beauty still finds its charm in this small village.
*Bonus Tip: End of the blog
If you are visiting Hampi for the first time, Here's a list of 5 must-visit unexplored places:
1. Tunnel Cave: Very few travel guides or blogs will talk about the tunnel cave which leads to the Tungabhadra river from the Monolithic Bull. This cave is for people who love to explore the unexplored. It is a way full of rocks and adventure. The best thing here is to enjoy the sunset and the view of coracle rides together.
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| View from the Tunnel Cave |
2. Hampi Painting Gallery: Everyone talks about the museum but nobody has explored the art gallery which resides in the center of the main street of old Hampi Bazaar between the Virupaksha Temple and Monolithic Bull. This art gallery shows the development and the difference of maintenance of the Historical Ruins from the time of 1509 to present 2019. The Photographs that show the progress and evolution of the ruins were taken by Italian, French and Indian photographers at different times.
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| Hanuman |
3. The basement of Queen's Palace: History tells us about the luxurious lives of Queens but it is a matter of fascination- Is it possible that the paintings and the paints used in the first century are still surviving. We found the remains of the organic paints as well as the meditative Zen chakra on the basement of Queen's palace, which may refer that either the Kings or Queens believed in the zen philosophies. Sri Lankan dragon patterns are also seen on the same.
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| Queen's Palace Basement |
4. Ugra Narasimha: It may make you wonder that Rudra/Ugra Narasimha temple is just a tourist attraction but the story behind the name of this temple is surely worth your attention. So, this temple is named as Ugra Narasimha where Ugra means full of anger which simply can be seen on the face of the deity, but to your surprise, after the temple was named, the archaeologist discovered that the deity of Narasimha (lord) has hands of Lord Vishnu on his back which signifies blessings. Thus, the expressions suggest a happy and jovial nature of the Lord Narasimha. Now known as Laxmi Narasimha.
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| Laxmi Narasimha |
5. The Indian Stonehenge: In the far rocks and ruins of Hampi behind the Elephant's Stables and beyond the deserted ground lies the Indian Stonehenge which proves to be worthy of a visit. It is believed that this would be a monitoring place for the soldiers who protected Hampi under the rule of King Krishna Deva Rai.
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| Broken Hampi Bazaar |
**Bonus: If you are a Bird Watcher or Bird Lover, then there is a great probability for you to see an Indian Roller/ Indian Blue Jay which is considered to be a stroke of good luck as per Hindu Scripture of Ramayana.
Other good places to visit include Virupaksha Temple, Monolithic Bull, Badav Linga, Elephant Stable, Museum, Hazar Ram Temple, Vijaya Vitthala Temple, Coracle Rides in Tungabhadra River and so on.
Blunt Tip:
1. Hampi Bazaar is just a lane full of Indian Handicrafts where you can spend 15-20 mins shopping. There is no such big market.
2. It is advisable to not to roam on the streets of Hampi after sunset as there are no street lights on the roads and most tourist attraction closes by sunset but it is a safe place for tourist.
Happy Reading!
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| View of Hampi from Matanga Hill |
* Disclaimer: The pictures are not to be used without permission and are the property of Live Filament. The information is solely for entertainment purpose and not to be construed as per any archaeological study or any other scientific research.
