Since my childhood, I have always been fond of visiting historical places. In my country, every place has a story. These are about God, goddesses, faith, war, Mughals, the British, and many more.
In November 2019, I decided to take a week’s break and visit Hampi, Karnataka. Hampi is one of the most popular places among Indians and foreign crowds. However, reaching Hampi can be a little tricky as there is no direct flight, and the train takes almost 24 hours.
So, I decided to take an overnight bus from Mumbai to Hospet. After sleeping the whole night on the bus, I was ready and excited to explore Hampi.
After getting down at Hampi, I took an auto-rickshaw towards Hampi. On my way, there were mountains, fields, rivers, and fresh air! You don’t get that in the city! The scenery was breathtaking. It took me about an hour to reach Hampi.
Instead of staying at a fancy hotel, I stayed in a guest house owned by locals. I believe in supporting local economies and also that they serve the best local food. Their knowledge of the local places can be very beneficial.
I booked a place to stay using Booking.com and carefully read reviews. My guest house was in the middle of a farm. You could see goats, cows, buffalo, hens, and many more animals just roaming around. The place was beautiful. The wind was blowing in the fields. Ahh..I loved it.
And the best part was that the rooms were made of coconut shells! Can you believe it?
The cellular network was bad and I was very happy as I could finally breathe away from the city and my hectic work schedule. I reached there in the late afternoon.
So I decided to take my rented bike and go for a site visit. It was peaceful, calm, and there was no traffic. Locals were very excited and kept waving hi and bye-bye to me as I was riding the bike.
After some time, I reached a nearby river. That village in Hampi still has no access to the in-house water supply. I met a few young girls who were filling their pots with water. They were so excited to see a solo female traveler and asked me many questions. In India, solo trips among girls are still not popular.
It was getting dark, so I decided to go back and have an early dinner. On the first night, I met a traveler who was visiting from Italy, and she was staying in the same hotel for 2 months.
I want to visit Italy someday! It’s at the top of my list. She guided me on how I could plan a budget trip to Italy. It was a fun night. The next day, I was all set for the Hampi tour.
Beautiful temples, magnificent ruins, aquatic architecture, and royal decorations from earlier times remind people of the great past. For pilgrims and tourists alike, the ancient ruins are a magnificent sight to see. In the third century BC, Hampi was a member of the Mauryan Empire.
Hampi was the capital city of the Vijayanagar city, which was founded in 1336 AD and was home to four separate dynasties. Under the leadership of King Krishnadeva Raya of the Tuluva Dynasty, the Vijayanagara Empire rose to unimaginable heights.
I visited Virupaksha temple, Achyutaraya temple, Vittala temple, Virupaksha Temple, Hazara Rama temple, to name a few. You can cover all the historical places in one day.
Though our government is trying its best to protect these temples, a lot of damage has been done over the years.
My last stop was Anjaneya Hill. This hill is believed to be the birthplace of Lord Hanuman. I climbed 570 stairs to reach this temple. The view from the top of the temple was mind-blowing.
Also, I met a lot of local girls there who were studying at the local college. After sunset, I went back to my guest house. This time, I met 3 travelers from Moscow, Russia. We spoke about our culture, people, country, food, and more. The next day, I decided to explore the mini Goa of Hampi.
Locals have made a small island within Hampi. Travelers love visiting this place for sunsets, sunrises, local food, and parties. I made many new friends. I decided to spend the next few days reading and spending time with the locals.
Hampi is a beautiful place that you must visit whenever you plan a trip to India next!
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