Hampi, Badami, Pattadakal and Goa.............. Part I

As a break from hectic city life we planned to travel on weekdays. Started the journey with a flat tire at 10:30 pm outside a town in state where we dont understand a single word other than 'ille' (meaning no). Though with some efforts of trying to fix it ourselves, trying to contact 24 hr. helpline and finally trying to communicate our problem to local transporters  made it possible to move ahead. Stay in hospet was very short but relaxing. We visited Hampi in the morning at around 7:30. Started with visiting Ganesha temple and Virupaksha temple. Grand Gopuram of Virupaksha Temple made us feel so small that it actually calmed us down. 

We suddenly came across a spotted owlet siting on electric wire. By the time i changed the lens, it flew away. As i tried to move away from structure to look for that owlet, i found out that there was a pair of owlets. My first ever encounter with spotted owlets.

Sine we entered Hampi, stone hills made their presence felt. Their scale was mesmerizing. At some places they looked very fierce because of their shear size and balance achieved with very little support.

With such a rocky terrain, it was still supporting a wide variety of life.

Carving at Krishna Temple

Carving at Krishna Temple

Carving at Krishna Temple

Carving at Krishna Temple

Carvings at Krishna Temple

Chandrashekhar Mandir

Saraswati Mandir

Octagonal Bath

Gopuram Vitthala Temple

Ratha at Vitthala Temple

Grandeur of the structure, precise geometry and sense of scale were the key points to be observed. Long colonnade leading to Vithala Temple sparked my imagination. I thought of the life of that age and how i would have felt if I had been a King at that time who is visiting the Temple for Ceremony, seating elegantly on his chariot, draped in silk clothes, covered in gold jewellery. Chariot walking on a path decorated with Rangoli of flowers and earthen lamps. People standing in the colonnade showering scented flowers on me....... But...... I am still in 2014......

At some point I felt stone in this landscape are supporting humans or their civilizations. Tried to capture the same through a sketch.

Left Hampi at 5:00 and statred our road journey for our Next Destination...........