The deadly-deep, unexplainable, unmanageable, unfriendly, uninviting, mass of wetness (cold, dark blue and clammy!) that terrorizes me and many others like me. Well no points for guessing as I am talking about much obvious "WATER ".I become overwhelmed in the water,the panic, then loss of breath, then more panic,then gasping for air, then sheer terror, then spluttering, then coughing . Water has always been as one of my greatest fears .After many, many years of avoiding water (with the exceptions being daily baths, showers,and enjoying with friends around the shores)I finally decided to take the plunge.
My mom and dad don't know swimming . My mom is highly scared of water and she never wanted me to learn swimming either. So ,I had to face resistances other than drag of water. Whenever I would make an attempt to learn swimming I would have my mother's fear resonating in my mind and I hesitated to even try to to swim. The older I got the more I resisted it until finally, I was a woman afraid of water. Why? Fear of water found a voice in my mum (u can drown and die ), and finally a root in my heart.
Today's world has presented us with unprecedented fears .Everything we eat can cause cancer and the air we breathe is dangerously polluted! Global warming is melting both poles, major cities on both coast lines are in danger of encountering Tsunamis. We should indeed make kids stay indoors for fear that a meteorite may fall on them.
Like most of you, I watched the Japan's recent earthquake , the 26/11 terrorist attack in Mumbai , the assault that closed the door to innocence and opened the deadly door of fear that we never knew prior to the incident.Fear gained a voice in Mumbai from which we are yet to recover. Fear has little effect until it’s given a voice. Stand in a crowded room and yell “Snake!” and watch the chaos take over. Granted, looking at an inferno does perpetuate some fear, but when you give it a voice fear takes control of the entire situation.
Surprisingly, fear and faith are transmitted the same way. Both require a voice to multiply and be effective. “Faith comes by hearing” . You need to be receptive. . The negative report of fear is easily received and believed. Our hearts melts in fear very quickly and very few have the courage to fight after hearing such things. Once fear is communicated, courage is banished unless the shield of faith is proclaimed to protect the warrior. So you need to let faith will loom over fear. It’s all in what you listen to and what you speak. Who are you listening to and what are you speaking, faith or fear?
I decided to trust water and take a plunge . It took me 9 months to win over my fears and give voice to faith. I tried to swim last year but failed miserably. I try having a reasonably good amount of knowledge before starting any activity if not
knowing everything about everything I’m doing at all times and be the BEST ever at everything. When it came to water, no way could I let go and just relax enough to let the buoyancy of the water help me along. NO WAY. So i went through lots and lots of youtube videos and decided to join swimming classes with a heavily pounding heart.
Just the night before the morning I was to have my first class I had a nightmare in which I saw my maths teacher drowning.(By the way ,I love maths and I have nothing against my maths teacher.) So i gave it a pass day and missed my first day class .The second day I gathered all my courage , directed my thoughts on perceiving water as a positive element, and put an end to my water fear .
On day one the pool and I weren’t so friendly due to tot the simple fact that I was afraid of the water. Especially when it came to learning how to float when I didn't know how to stand back from the floating position. I literally thought that I was going to die. I have to admit that I was screaming and yelling for my instructor to put me back up to my feet to stand back in the pool, but after two days it was different. I finally wanted to try floating without being afraid of water. The key being continuous practice ,belief in the instructor and my abilities , the zeal to learn, and strong will power. I have started kicking , using my hands but the only hurdle which now remains is the breathing .I can hold my breath and stride out purposely for nearly half a length – but then I need to stop, catch my breath, and start again. Any time I try to turn my head to breathe, I get all out of time and end up with a mouth- or nose-full of water. Choking on half a gallon of water is not my idea of fun. So this is the next step I need to work on .
So far, with my experience in learning how to swim, I have learned the following things.
- Don't panic and make peace with water . TRUST water. Remember when people panic they drown so just RELAX.
- Gently deal with your fear before expecting to make any headway with any swimming technique
- Believe in yourself and remember that you can always overcome your fears . the author of secret has rightly said that you can always make your dreams come true if you really desire to .
- Don't think too much on "why I can't swim while the kids around do it so wonderfully"
- Now is the time , you are never too old to learn . Learning is a constant process, so just start learning instead of thinking you are too old to learn.
- Try try again , the more you try the more you overcome your fear and more you want to learn .
- Seek help from instructors , friends to get proper guidelines on how to swim
- Move step by step . Try to gain expertise in step 1 before jumping to step 2 .
- Be strong headed and don't don't give up .
- Try to seek advise from people around in the pool . Don't hesitate in asking kids :). I interacted with people at all levels from the novice to the pros swimming in my pool and gathered my learnings . Believe me it really helps talking to people. You really do gain from other's experiences.
- Stop listening to people who say, “What? It’s easy. Why can’t you swim?”
- Its difficult but you have to settle down with a dark ugly skin . Chlorine really damages your skin . You can use sun-screen with spf 30+ for protection.
So, my goal is to complete a full lap of the pool without stopping. That,ladies and gentlemen, will be a history-making moment, and will cause waves of excitement .
Soon will i be a dolphin surfing in the ocean .
Monday, May 30, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Don' worry baby !
Have you ever wonder where the story ends, and how it all began, I do ..I do
Did you ever dream you were the movie star with popcorn in your hand, I did
Do you ever think you're someone else inside, when no one understands you are
And wanna disappear inside a dream but never wanna wake, wake up
Then you stumble on tomorrow, and trip over today
Would you be happier if you were someone together
Would the sun shine brighter if you played a bigger part
Would you be wonderful if it wasn't for the weather
You're gonna be just fine
Are you not afraid to tell your story now, when everyone is done it's too late
Was everything you've ever said or done not the way you planned, mistake
So you promised that tomorrow, be different than today
Would you be happier if you were someone together
Would the sun shine brighter if you played a bigger part
Would you be wonderful if it wasn't for the weather
You're gonna be just fine
I think you're gonna be just fine
You're gonna be just fine
So don't worry baby
You're racing for tomorrow, not finished with today
Would you be happier if you were someone together
Would the sun shine brighter if you played a bigger part
Would you be wonderful if it wasn't for the weather
I think you're gonna be just fine
Would we be happier if we were someone together
Would the sun shine brighter if we played a bigger part
Would we be wonderful if it wasn't for the weather
I think we're gonna be just fine
I think you're gonna be just fine
Don't worry baby
Gonna be just fine
Don't worry honey
Gonna be just fine
Don't worry baby
Gonna be just fine
Just wanted to write these lyrics down :) . I love the song !!
Did you ever dream you were the movie star with popcorn in your hand, I did
Do you ever think you're someone else inside, when no one understands you are
And wanna disappear inside a dream but never wanna wake, wake up
Then you stumble on tomorrow, and trip over today
Would you be happier if you were someone together
Would the sun shine brighter if you played a bigger part
Would you be wonderful if it wasn't for the weather
You're gonna be just fine
Are you not afraid to tell your story now, when everyone is done it's too late
Was everything you've ever said or done not the way you planned, mistake
So you promised that tomorrow, be different than today
Would you be happier if you were someone together
Would the sun shine brighter if you played a bigger part
Would you be wonderful if it wasn't for the weather
You're gonna be just fine
I think you're gonna be just fine
You're gonna be just fine
So don't worry baby
You're racing for tomorrow, not finished with today
Would you be happier if you were someone together
Would the sun shine brighter if you played a bigger part
Would you be wonderful if it wasn't for the weather
I think you're gonna be just fine
Would we be happier if we were someone together
Would the sun shine brighter if we played a bigger part
Would we be wonderful if it wasn't for the weather
I think we're gonna be just fine
I think you're gonna be just fine
Don't worry baby
Gonna be just fine
Don't worry honey
Gonna be just fine
Don't worry baby
Gonna be just fine
Just wanted to write these lyrics down :) . I love the song !!
Thursday, May 05, 2011
Hampi - land of Stones and Stories
Hampi a majestic land was the final spot we zeroed down to when looking for a weekend getaway . Hampi is one place which is a land of ruins spread across acres of land with rich monumental heritage and history enough to leave anyone stunned .Infact I would say Hampi is poor man's Egypt , one place which can leave you completely awestruck by the grandeur of marvellously carved architectural remains.
The journey begins. Our journey began on a promising note as it was bestowed with showers of blessings on the onset of our journey which did save us from seething in Hampi's scorching sun .We started around 7:30 and boarded the bus to Hospet at 9:30 .The journey from Bangalore to Hospet lasted exactly 8 hours; we reached the Hospet Bus stand at 6.00 a.m. Then started the haggling with the swarm of auto drivers who descended on us even before we got off from the bus.The distance from Hospet to Hampi is about 13 kms and the autowallas started the amount at 150/-; we were able to get them to 120/- and then off we went. The idea was to go till the boat point on the river Tungabhadra from where we will go across to Virupapur Gadde to check out the guesthouse on that side. Ankit one of our friends recommended staying across the river as the nicer accommodations are in that part of Hampi – all favoured by foreigners mostly.
We took a motorboat , reached the shore and as we were walking we saw the word 'Kishkindha ' written on a board which provoked the genesis discussions of Hampi.The history of Hampi begins as the kingdom of monkeys or Kishkindha from Ramayana where Lord Rama met Hanuman. There is infact a temple atop a hillock which stands as an evidence to . Moving forward we checked out 2-3 stays with dingy rooms and finally landed in Shanthi Guest House.It appeared as quaint and popular place next to the river and scenic paddy fields. Rooms were nice with attached toilet and a swing right in front .It was a cloudy morning, on account of it having rained the night before – the weather was cool and breezy ,any attempts to get the sunrays were foiled by the cloud cover so I decided to lay on the swing , enjoy the serene view of lush green paddy field , hear the bird chatter and not to be missed do some occasional camera work .The whole thing of sitting on a swing, gabbing with friends and taking pics of paddy fields, had such a surreal feel to it. After feasting the eyes it was time for the real feast and we headed to Mowgli restra where we had a real sumptous and fillig brunch .To my surprise all the continental dishes which some of my friends oredered turned out really well which was least expected by me atleast . After the lazy friday brunch we headed for the Hampi sightseeing .
As we set out on our tour of Hampi, we started witnessing the real charisma of the ruins much heard of .My knowledge of history however has become a bit rusty and I didn’t do much reading up before I went. Hampi is a true paradise for history lovers and has the beauty of unfolding many mysterious stories . Its journey from being a stretch of uninhabited land to the capital of one of the richest kingdoms in India, to once again becoming a neglected area forgotten for generations is vast and amazing.
Vijayanagara, the capital of the mighty Vijayanagara, was founded in 1336 AD by two Hindu brothers Hakka and Bukka under the able guidance of a Brahmin priest Madhva Vidyaranya. Bukka is credited with laying the foundations of a brilliant irrigation system, traces of which are left even today, and inspire awe and admiration among tourists.The kingdom became stronger with every new heir to throne but just like all good things come to an end this period of growth was followed by one of stagnation, with a few weak kings, and the Sangamas were replaced by the Saluvas. These were then followed by the Tuluvas.
The wheel of time took a turn and the throne was annexed by Krishnadevaraya – who left an indelible mark on the city, and indeed history, though he ruled for less than 20 years! It was he who re-established supremacy over south India, subdued the Bahamani Sultans, and re-captured Orissa. No doubt he wa a great patron of art and architecture . Most of the architecture of that period owes much to him, he embellished his capital too with great temples, and renovated those already present.
This fairy tale city was devoid of all its strength and splendor in 1565 AD when the then ruler Rama Raya was defeated and killed by a confederation of Muslim kings. The capital was ransacked and reduced to Shambles within 6 months by the victorious Mohamedans who left it desolate, resembling more a ghost city than a former captital. This in short was the tale of Hampi.
Coming back to my tale we hired an auto and our first halt was Krishna Temple .The Krishna temple at Hampi was built by Krishnadevaraya to celebrate the success of his Orissa campaign. It is believed that he brought back with him, an idol of Bala Krishna – Krishna, the child – which was enshrined in this temple. Each pillar of this temple was beautifully adorned with carvings which were a masterpiece .The ceiling of this temple seemed to be burnt as a part of the loot nad plunder. A short walk from the Krishna temple leads us to one of the most impressive figures in all of Hampi – the monolithic sculpture of Narasimha – the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The huge size of the idol reflects the sheer awesomeness of the sculptors (aided with no fancy machines )of that time .Next was a lingam – almost adjacent to this figure – which is believed to have been commissioned by a poor woman. Another monolith, it is as majestic as the earlier one, except for the embellishments. This is called the ‘Badavalinga’.
Next we headed to Hazara Rama Temple .This temple was full of carvings depicting scenes from Ramayana . Just outside the temple was Hampi bazar where sacks of diamonds and emeralds were traded. The bazaar is spread across acres of ruins. What a fortune it would have been to live in that era , disregarding the wars of course .
After that we covered Queens bath ,Lotus Temple , Elephant stable and Watch tower. Queens would take bath and kings would rejoice from the watch tower :P . Lotus Temple had an amazing symmetrical architecture . After resting for a while we headed to an Underground temple. This is below the ground level. There is always a certain level of water inside. It has a connection with some remote water source it seems.
This was near Royal Enclosure , our next destination was the largest extant enclosure. Occupying an area of 59,000 square metres and protected by lofty double walls, it housed as many as 45 buildings including the Mahanavami Dibba , King's audience hall and the public bath. Mahanavmi Dibba was splendid and standing there gave an insight of all the kingly constructions spread around . There was a secret chamber for those who would experience a chill down their spine by the thought of spooky , mysterious , dark chambers.
After doing our photo shoot we descended towards the most splendid and photogenic place of Hampi ,the Vittala temple. To reach this place you can take a battery operated tram run by women promoting eco-friendly practices and also empowering women by providing them employment.The temple's gopuram is practically all gone, but inside, its another story .The highlight of Vittala temple is its impressive pillared halls .The halls are carved with an overwhelming array of sculptures on the giant granite pillars.These are monolithic pillars, with 16 or 25 smaller pillars in each one and among these are the musical pillars – which not only give out notes when struck, but are also said to reproduce the sound of various musical instruments .Then there is the stone chariot which is possibly the most famous and most photographed structure in all of Hampi.
The day would have been incomplete without shopping for some local wear , there was an array of shops in front of Virupaksha Temple decorated with haram paints , colorful tops , funky junk jwellery and the English hats . We did some shopping and headed back to our guest house Shanthi .We ended the day, with a long and lazy dinner in the sitout area of Mowgli. The glow of the lanterns was bewitching and lent a surreal look to the whole place. The food in this place was incredibly good; we tried the Indian ,Chinese and Italian dishes mainly and were happy with the lot. Some entertainment for the evening was provided by a group of firangs sitting next to us ;).
Now came the day two where we had on list to cover Mango tree ,Hanuman temple and the
coracle ride .We started with Hampi temple at 7 am and after climbing 512 steps. The view from there was amazing , and the great boulders that surround this lovely little place appeared breathtaking! . After attending the Arti we rushed back to grab breakfast which was kinda disappointing as we were there in an off season and most of the food joints were closed . Next was time to get all decked up in the Hampi attire we girls purchased the previous day . We had a portfolio shoot in that funky oops funny attire and then we were all set to relish food at much heard Mango tree restaraunt. Mango Tree is a lazy and relaxed restaurant that can be reached by walking through a banana plantation, west of the Hampi Bazaar. It has a nice
terraced seating with views of the river .They also serve nice food at a very reasonable price . Nice place to kick back for a while in the middle of a hot day.
Full with sumptous lunch we went for the final coracle ride which was so serene and makes you wonder about the great boulders ..how they came to be there, no one knows for certain. Mythology says they were thrown there by a mischievous god. Science tells us that they are the last remnants of a volcanic eruption… No matter how they came to be there, they stand vigil, sole witnesses to the highs and lows of various dynasties who passed by….They watched over as kings were born, as kings ruled and made their names, some for their valour, some for their wisdom, some for their greed….. They stand testimony to the kings’ foresight….. As water channels and aqueducts, capable of supplying water even today, five hundred years after
they were made…They stand testimony to the kings’ understanding of markets…. as huge areas set aside for commerce…They stand testimony to the kings’ spirituality…
in the form of huge temples… most of all, they stand testimony to the creativity of the artisans, who created works of art which the world would admire…
Standing tall among all the ruins, are they telling us not to make the same mistakes as those before us? To live a peaceful life without greed or enmity, forgetting petty differences such as religion and languages, to live in peace and harmony, for as humans, our life is short. We will soon pass on, but these huge boulders shall remain witness to our lives too, and what we choose to make of it! Tada the philosophy time over and it was time to say goodbye to Hampi
Before I say a goodbye here I would like to share some freebies for those of you who plan to Hampi soon -
Must Carry
A nice camera , sunscreens and scarf or a cap .
When to go?
The best time to go to Hampi is whenever its raining towards Bangalore side so that the temparature becomes bearable . Months of October to February would serve you the best .
How did we get to Hampi from Bangalore ?
The best way is to take a bus to Hospet. Its an overnight journey from Bangalore to Hospet and from Hospet you can hope in an auto.
Where to stay?
There are two options
- To stay near Hospet, where one can get accommodation – not advisable as Hospet is around 13 km from Hampi
- At Hampi town – there are many guest houses and lodges near Virupaksha temple and then many more across the river, there are many places which have a typical hippie, Goa feel.The lodgings are basic but scenic. And is a popular haunt of backpacking foreign tourists. To get across the river, one has to take a ferry to cross the river (2 min ride, ferry runs from 7 am to 6:30 pm). Mowgli or Shanthi are nice ones to check in .
Must do
Hampi sight seeing of course , lunch at mango tree , visit to hanuman temple and pampa sarovar and the coracle ride in the typical hippie outfit available at Hampi .
The journey begins. Our journey began on a promising note as it was bestowed with showers of blessings on the onset of our journey which did save us from seething in Hampi's scorching sun .We started around 7:30 and boarded the bus to Hospet at 9:30 .The journey from Bangalore to Hospet lasted exactly 8 hours; we reached the Hospet Bus stand at 6.00 a.m. Then started the haggling with the swarm of auto drivers who descended on us even before we got off from the bus.The distance from Hospet to Hampi is about 13 kms and the autowallas started the amount at 150/-; we were able to get them to 120/- and then off we went. The idea was to go till the boat point on the river Tungabhadra from where we will go across to Virupapur Gadde to check out the guesthouse on that side. Ankit one of our friends recommended staying across the river as the nicer accommodations are in that part of Hampi – all favoured by foreigners mostly.
We took a motorboat , reached the shore and as we were walking we saw the word 'Kishkindha ' written on a board which provoked the genesis discussions of Hampi.The history of Hampi begins as the kingdom of monkeys or Kishkindha from Ramayana where Lord Rama met Hanuman. There is infact a temple atop a hillock which stands as an evidence to . Moving forward we checked out 2-3 stays with dingy rooms and finally landed in Shanthi Guest House.It appeared as quaint and popular place next to the river and scenic paddy fields. Rooms were nice with attached toilet and a swing right in front .It was a cloudy morning, on account of it having rained the night before – the weather was cool and breezy ,any attempts to get the sunrays were foiled by the cloud cover so I decided to lay on the swing , enjoy the serene view of lush green paddy field , hear the bird chatter and not to be missed do some occasional camera work .The whole thing of sitting on a swing, gabbing with friends and taking pics of paddy fields, had such a surreal feel to it. After feasting the eyes it was time for the real feast and we headed to Mowgli restra where we had a real sumptous and fillig brunch .To my surprise all the continental dishes which some of my friends oredered turned out really well which was least expected by me atleast . After the lazy friday brunch we headed for the Hampi sightseeing .
As we set out on our tour of Hampi, we started witnessing the real charisma of the ruins much heard of .My knowledge of history however has become a bit rusty and I didn’t do much reading up before I went. Hampi is a true paradise for history lovers and has the beauty of unfolding many mysterious stories . Its journey from being a stretch of uninhabited land to the capital of one of the richest kingdoms in India, to once again becoming a neglected area forgotten for generations is vast and amazing.
Vijayanagara, the capital of the mighty Vijayanagara, was founded in 1336 AD by two Hindu brothers Hakka and Bukka under the able guidance of a Brahmin priest Madhva Vidyaranya. Bukka is credited with laying the foundations of a brilliant irrigation system, traces of which are left even today, and inspire awe and admiration among tourists.The kingdom became stronger with every new heir to throne but just like all good things come to an end this period of growth was followed by one of stagnation, with a few weak kings, and the Sangamas were replaced by the Saluvas. These were then followed by the Tuluvas.
The wheel of time took a turn and the throne was annexed by Krishnadevaraya – who left an indelible mark on the city, and indeed history, though he ruled for less than 20 years! It was he who re-established supremacy over south India, subdued the Bahamani Sultans, and re-captured Orissa. No doubt he wa a great patron of art and architecture . Most of the architecture of that period owes much to him, he embellished his capital too with great temples, and renovated those already present.
This fairy tale city was devoid of all its strength and splendor in 1565 AD when the then ruler Rama Raya was defeated and killed by a confederation of Muslim kings. The capital was ransacked and reduced to Shambles within 6 months by the victorious Mohamedans who left it desolate, resembling more a ghost city than a former captital. This in short was the tale of Hampi.
Coming back to my tale we hired an auto and our first halt was Krishna Temple .The Krishna temple at Hampi was built by Krishnadevaraya to celebrate the success of his Orissa campaign. It is believed that he brought back with him, an idol of Bala Krishna – Krishna, the child – which was enshrined in this temple. Each pillar of this temple was beautifully adorned with carvings which were a masterpiece .The ceiling of this temple seemed to be burnt as a part of the loot nad plunder. A short walk from the Krishna temple leads us to one of the most impressive figures in all of Hampi – the monolithic sculpture of Narasimha – the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The huge size of the idol reflects the sheer awesomeness of the sculptors (aided with no fancy machines )of that time .Next was a lingam – almost adjacent to this figure – which is believed to have been commissioned by a poor woman. Another monolith, it is as majestic as the earlier one, except for the embellishments. This is called the ‘Badavalinga’.
Next we headed to Hazara Rama Temple .This temple was full of carvings depicting scenes from Ramayana . Just outside the temple was Hampi bazar where sacks of diamonds and emeralds were traded. The bazaar is spread across acres of ruins. What a fortune it would have been to live in that era , disregarding the wars of course .
After that we covered Queens bath ,Lotus Temple , Elephant stable and Watch tower. Queens would take bath and kings would rejoice from the watch tower :P . Lotus Temple had an amazing symmetrical architecture . After resting for a while we headed to an Underground temple. This is below the ground level. There is always a certain level of water inside. It has a connection with some remote water source it seems.
This was near Royal Enclosure , our next destination was the largest extant enclosure. Occupying an area of 59,000 square metres and protected by lofty double walls, it housed as many as 45 buildings including the Mahanavami Dibba , King's audience hall and the public bath. Mahanavmi Dibba was splendid and standing there gave an insight of all the kingly constructions spread around . There was a secret chamber for those who would experience a chill down their spine by the thought of spooky , mysterious , dark chambers.
After doing our photo shoot we descended towards the most splendid and photogenic place of Hampi ,the Vittala temple. To reach this place you can take a battery operated tram run by women promoting eco-friendly practices and also empowering women by providing them employment.The temple's gopuram is practically all gone, but inside, its another story .The highlight of Vittala temple is its impressive pillared halls .The halls are carved with an overwhelming array of sculptures on the giant granite pillars.These are monolithic pillars, with 16 or 25 smaller pillars in each one and among these are the musical pillars – which not only give out notes when struck, but are also said to reproduce the sound of various musical instruments .Then there is the stone chariot which is possibly the most famous and most photographed structure in all of Hampi.
The day would have been incomplete without shopping for some local wear , there was an array of shops in front of Virupaksha Temple decorated with haram paints , colorful tops , funky junk jwellery and the English hats . We did some shopping and headed back to our guest house Shanthi .We ended the day, with a long and lazy dinner in the sitout area of Mowgli. The glow of the lanterns was bewitching and lent a surreal look to the whole place. The food in this place was incredibly good; we tried the Indian ,Chinese and Italian dishes mainly and were happy with the lot. Some entertainment for the evening was provided by a group of firangs sitting next to us ;).
Now came the day two where we had on list to cover Mango tree ,Hanuman temple and the
coracle ride .We started with Hampi temple at 7 am and after climbing 512 steps. The view from there was amazing , and the great boulders that surround this lovely little place appeared breathtaking! . After attending the Arti we rushed back to grab breakfast which was kinda disappointing as we were there in an off season and most of the food joints were closed . Next was time to get all decked up in the Hampi attire we girls purchased the previous day . We had a portfolio shoot in that funky oops funny attire and then we were all set to relish food at much heard Mango tree restaraunt. Mango Tree is a lazy and relaxed restaurant that can be reached by walking through a banana plantation, west of the Hampi Bazaar. It has a nice
terraced seating with views of the river .They also serve nice food at a very reasonable price . Nice place to kick back for a while in the middle of a hot day.
Full with sumptous lunch we went for the final coracle ride which was so serene and makes you wonder about the great boulders ..how they came to be there, no one knows for certain. Mythology says they were thrown there by a mischievous god. Science tells us that they are the last remnants of a volcanic eruption… No matter how they came to be there, they stand vigil, sole witnesses to the highs and lows of various dynasties who passed by….They watched over as kings were born, as kings ruled and made their names, some for their valour, some for their wisdom, some for their greed….. They stand testimony to the kings’ foresight….. As water channels and aqueducts, capable of supplying water even today, five hundred years after
they were made…They stand testimony to the kings’ understanding of markets…. as huge areas set aside for commerce…They stand testimony to the kings’ spirituality…
in the form of huge temples… most of all, they stand testimony to the creativity of the artisans, who created works of art which the world would admire…
Standing tall among all the ruins, are they telling us not to make the same mistakes as those before us? To live a peaceful life without greed or enmity, forgetting petty differences such as religion and languages, to live in peace and harmony, for as humans, our life is short. We will soon pass on, but these huge boulders shall remain witness to our lives too, and what we choose to make of it! Tada the philosophy time over and it was time to say goodbye to Hampi
Before I say a goodbye here I would like to share some freebies for those of you who plan to Hampi soon -
Must Carry
A nice camera , sunscreens and scarf or a cap .
When to go?
The best time to go to Hampi is whenever its raining towards Bangalore side so that the temparature becomes bearable . Months of October to February would serve you the best .
How did we get to Hampi from Bangalore ?
The best way is to take a bus to Hospet. Its an overnight journey from Bangalore to Hospet and from Hospet you can hope in an auto.
Where to stay?
There are two options
- To stay near Hospet, where one can get accommodation – not advisable as Hospet is around 13 km from Hampi
- At Hampi town – there are many guest houses and lodges near Virupaksha temple and then many more across the river, there are many places which have a typical hippie, Goa feel.The lodgings are basic but scenic. And is a popular haunt of backpacking foreign tourists. To get across the river, one has to take a ferry to cross the river (2 min ride, ferry runs from 7 am to 6:30 pm). Mowgli or Shanthi are nice ones to check in .
Must do
Hampi sight seeing of course , lunch at mango tree , visit to hanuman temple and pampa sarovar and the coracle ride in the typical hippie outfit available at Hampi .
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