Wish I were an alumnus of La Martiniere School, Kolkata

Last week, I happened to read the article (refer full text and link below) in a column by Mr. Jug Suraiya in Times of India newspaper. I could not help laughing at the shade of satire in it. Very good read and here I add it to my blog for all future references :)
Link - http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/jugglebandhi/entry/take-a-tip
Title of the article, details of publishing - Take a tip by Jug Suraiya, 12 August 2010, Times of India, Bangalore
Full text - (refer below)

Take a tip

Without referring the matter to me, the porter in the New York City hotel picked up my bag six inches and put it on a trolley. He wheeled the trolley five feet to the elevator, and pressed the button for the 5th floor. He wheeled the trolley 10 feet to my room, opened the door and pushed the trolley in. He held out his hand. Bowing to the inevitable, I put $5 — which i could ill afford — into it. My bag had travelled 10,000 miles with me free of cost, its conveyance covered by the price of my air ticket. However, its journey of less than 100 feet in a NYC hotel was not covered by the price of the hotel room and cost me an extra five bucks by way of a characteristically American institution known as the tip.

Though not unique to US culture, giving a tip for services rendered is the bedrock on which American capitalism is based. According to folklore, the word tip, as in gratuity or baksheesh, is said to be derived from the initial letters of the phrase 'to insure privilege'. To insure privilege, or good service, from a waiter in a restaurant, say, you gave the chap a tip over and above the price of the meal consumed. This custom was soon extended to other areas of daily commerce so that everyone, from taxi drivers to tour guides, hotel porters to Wall Street multinational bankers, expects a tip for services rendered — though in the case of the Wall Street bankers it's not called a tip but an incentive bonus, which is often in excess of a million dollars a year and which might well have helped to nudge the world into the global economic crisis.

Crisis or no crisis, almost everyone I encountered on a professional basis in America — cabbies, bartenders, the folks who served you fast food and the people who pointed out to you the local sights of interest on a hop-on, hop-off tourist bus — not just expected, but often demanded, a tip for doing whatever it was that they were supposed to be doing anyway, and for which presumably they were already being paid. And just in case you missed the point, sometimes they'd even do the arithmetic for you and tell you on a restaurant bill, for instance, exactly how much the tip worked out to if you left a 15 per cent tip, a 20 per cent tip or a 25 per cent tip. But 15 per cent was the absolute bottom line. If you tried to get away with anything less than that it was likely to be interpreted as an overt act of hostility liable to provoke an appropriately warlike response.

It got so much that whenever I found that once again I had lost my way — which I have a great knack of doing, in America or anywhere else; why is it that the place I'm looking for is never in the place that I'm looking for it but in a totally different place altogether? — I wouldn't ask passers-by for directions. What if the person I stopped turned out to be a professional, unionised directions-giver and demanded a tip for the benefit of telling me that where I wanted to be wasn't where I was, and where I was wasn't was where I wanted to be? Fifteen per cent, minimum, just to hear that? Get lost. Which is exactly what I did.

Going around in circles in America, I realised that we in India also have a long tradition of giving tips. Except we don't call them tips. We call them guru dakshina, or tatkal, or speed money, or ghoos. Or just plain bribes. Which we perforce pay to service providers like cops, and babus, and politicians, and the guy who replaces our empty LPG cylinders, to make sure that they do indeed provide the service that they are meant to provide to begin with. And because we think of these things as bribes, we beat up on ourselves, and the world beats up on us, for being corrupt. No one beats up on Americans for being corrupt, not even those Americans who happen to be Wall Street bankers. It's a question of vocabulary. Change the word 'bribe' into 'tip' and 'corruption' becomes 'capitalism'.

So next time you have to make a hand-out to the LPG delivery man, or to your friendly, neighbourhood CWG contractor, don't think of it as a bribe. Think of it as a tip. As in a 'totally innocent practice'.

*********************************************************************************

Jug Suraiya is an eminent journalist, a great satirist who features in the opinion editorial in Times of India newspaper. His column carries creative names like - jugular vein and juggle bandhi.

In the habit of reading Times of India for over 4 years now, watching Times now channel news debates; I have grown fond of Jug Suraiya and Swapan Dasgupta. While the former uses very simple, funny thought with many a pun at places, the latter is spotless clean on facts, facts on history and politics, highly verbose in nailing down the point. The fondness for both seems to only increase with time. They both are very noted journalists and are alumni of La Martiniere, Kolkata. Wish I were an alumnus of the same school, guess it is never late ... can learn so much from their blogs/posts/columns, would love to write like them someday.

Dud...Dud...Dud to Melkote

Preface:

On Aug 7, my husband and I made our first bike trip for the year 2010 to Melkote.
Melkote, 137 km from Bangalore is a famous hill temple close to Mandya on Bangalore-Mysore highway (SH-17). Previously, weekend trips on our Royal Enfield Thunderbird bike to places around Bangalore was an integral part of routine. But this year, we had to wait until August to open the years’ travel account due to our new found passion for swimming. 

There are 1001 blogs on Melkote, yet, this trip being the first one for the year 2010, I too wanted to write a note on it. I will try giving a new layout to this travelogue entry.

About Melkote:

A sacred place for Iyengars, Melkote is a hill temple site in Mandya district in an area called Thirunarayanapuram. The hill is called Yadavagiri and overlooks the Cauvery valley. Melkote is a revered religious center for the Vaishnavites, it served as the abode, for over a decade, for the famous saint Shri Ramanujacharya. It is believed that the saint healed Hoysala king Bittideva’s daughter’s disease, an act for which he sought Bittideva’s conversion from Jainism to Vaishnavism and acquisition of fertile land on banks of Cauvery for construction of Vaishnavite shrines. King Bittideva adopted Vaishnavism, became known as king Vishnuvaradana and Melkote flourished as an important religious centre since 12th century. 

The list of places to visit at Melkote looks like below –

1) Cheluvanarayanaswamy temple – this temple is at the foothills with the main sanctum dedicated to Lord Vishnu, there are shrines of Lakshmi, Hanuman and a statue of Shri Ramanujacharya. The pillared Ranga mantapa in this temple depicts fine craftsmanship.

2) Rayagopuram – Stepping out of Cheluvanarayanaswamy temple, taking the straight road and turning to the the right leads to the Rayagopuram, an incomplete structure with 4 pillars. As every blog mentions, this is the site where Aishwarya Rai dances for Barso Re song in the movie Guru. This is also the site where super star Rajinikanth shakes his leg for Rakkama song of Dalapathi fame.
Incomplete structures, in my opinion, have a strange element of beauty about them, like the kalyana mantapa in Lepakshi temple, Hindupur and the mausoleum of Adil Shah II – Barah Kamaan in Bijapur. One can climb to the top of Rayagopuram and catch a glimpse of Cauvery valley.

3) Akka-Thangi Kulam - Walking down the Rayagopuram leads us to the Sanskrit research academy, taking the road as it curves leads us to Akka-Thangi kulam, the sister ponds/tanks. These tanks lie in front of a Kulashekaralwar temple. 

4) Yoganarasimha temple - Now we head back to Cheluvanarayanaswamy temple, take the road away from it, a right turn as instructed by tourism dept. board to reach the steps leading to hill top – Yoganarasimha temple. The road is motorable up to the mobile phone towers and from this point; it is only a 5 minutes climb to the top.
The view of the Cauvery valley from this temple at a height of 1777 m above sea level is awesome. Take time to relax, take in the fresh air, soak up the beauty of the valley far below, now filled to heart’s content, take the same road down, turn to the right to stop by the temple tank – Kalyani with pillared mantapa around it and a flight of stairs leading to clear water meant for bathing/religious rituals etc

Photos:
1) View of the Cauvery valley from atop Melkote hill/Yoganarasimha temple



2) View of temple tank/Kalyani from atop the hill


3) Akka-thangi kula (sister tanks/ponds)


4) The incomplete Rayagopuram that features in movies


5) Pillared ranga mantapa inside Cheluvanarayanaswamy temple


6) View of Melkote hill temple from a distance


Travel means loads of fun …

Bangalore-Mysore highway – State Highway 17 is a great road to travel on, a superb highway, full of life. The last time we traveled on this road was to Bandipur in the year 2008 and I must admit that there has been a whale of change on this road since then. The Mysore highway boasts of restaurants like Kadumane (before Wonder La, Bidadi), Kamat Lokaruchi (near Janapadha Loka), 4 Café Coffee day outlets between Ramanagara and Channapatna, 1 Barista and 1 McDonalds outlet, 2 Kamat Upachar hotels near Channapatna, 1 MTR outlet near Indradhanush Café coffee day, 1 Adigas restaurant after Maddur. That’s a long list and this apart the highway also has regular shops for tea break, dhabas etc. There is absolutely no worry of food/water and the highway is abuzz with activity.

Away from all this hustle on SH-17, to reach Melkote, one takes the right turn, immediately after leaving Mandya town. This winsome journey stretching for about 37 kms winds through sugarcane and paddy fields. The road is in very good condition and carries the sweet scent of jaggery all along. When traveling on this stretch of 37 kms, one easily realizes a drop of 1-2’C in temperature, thanks to the number of trees, fields and water bodies around.

A road trip with good food is like a boon and Melkote trip scores a neat 100. Outside, Cheluvanarayanaswamy temple, there are many stalls which sell the famous Iyengar Puliyogare. We found one such stall where a elderly couple offered us a big dhonai (Palm leaves cup) of hot Puliyogare and sweet pongal, each priced at Rs 15. Ambrosia (in my language – devaamrutham) I would call it, we dug into the contents and bought Puliyogare powder prepared by them to recreate the magic in our kitchen :)

More insight into our trip:

We left home at 6.30 am, stopped at Kadumane, Bidadi for breakfast and tea. We also stopped at Kamat Upachar, Channapatna to have a look at the wooden toys they had on display. We stopped for a tea break at a small village on the road leading from Mandya to Melkote. We reached Melkote at 10am, completed our darshan and lunch, left at 2.30 pm. There was no wait/queue in either temple but a brief, strong spell of rain restricted our movement for about half an hour.

Saturday, the 7th of Aug 2010 was well spent, a nice bike trip to an important religious and historical centre filled with many gud (pun intended – gud in Hindi means jaggery) memories.

Between Bridges, Backwaters and Beaches

Prologue: Viswa, my husband and I have travelled lots in three years of our marriage, every place we visit is close to our hearts and makes fond memories. I hail from God's own land, Kerala, more specifically from Pattambi in Palakkad district. Almost all of my summer holidays, when in school (class 1-8) were spent in Pattambi in the company of my grandmom. In these three years, Viswa and I have paid an annual visit to Kasaragod in Kerala for different reasons and these trips are truly more cherishable than the others, especially the one in July 2009 against the backdrop of South West monsoon. Nestled in Western ghats, dotting the Arabian sea coastline, at northernmost tip of Kerala, this small, mystical town with its many backwaters, bridges, beaches and endless coconut groves has the quintessential ingredients to invite tourists.

I always wanted to jot down a travelogue on Kasaragod right after my first visit, however it appears that this post was reserved after I completed a hattrick :)

Photos:

1) Malpe beach, Udupi

2) Bekal fort berth bearing the SW monsoon fury

3) Ananthpur Lake temple, Kasargod

Post:
An overnight journey spanning about 7 hours in KSRTC bus, via Hassan and Puttur, takes one to Kasargod, that lies to the south of Dakshina Kannada district. This town is bordered by the mighty Arabian Sea on the west and the biologically diverse Western Ghats on the east. We can also reach Kasargod by train - Yeshwanthpur- Kannur Express, again an overnight journey.

Kasargod houses two prominent forts– Chandragiri and Bekal, of the Ikkeri Nayaks dynasty. While Chandragiri fort (in Melparambu, 5 km from Kasargod town) overlooks the confluence of Chandragiri River with Arabian Sea; Bekal fort, the biggest in Kerala (15 km from Kasargod town) stands tall and imposing at the edacious sea front. Bekal fort is bigger than one can imagine, it takes nearly 3 hours to cover its sprawling expanse over 40 acres and view all its sixteen bastions. Most of us would have had a glimpse of this impregnable fort in the famous song Uyire/ Tu hi re from the movie Bombay by Mani Ratnam. Images of a big, central bastion with a sloping ramp, huge fort walls with windows, opening to a view of the berth extending into the rough sea might still linger on from this song.

Set adjacent to the Pallikere beach and preserved with utmost care by ASI, Bekal invites flocks of tourists. A visit to the fort during South West monsoon provides an unparalleled experience –fresh air with intermittent spells of rain, blended with the sight of white foam of sea drenching the rocks, monstrous waves lashing at the berth in attempts to engulf it and rocky fort walls adorned with tufts of green moss.

Chandragiri fort offers a visual treat, no less in comparison. Atop the fort, at sunset, the vast expanse of Arabian Sea shimmers as Chandragiri River opens into it while trains chug on the bridge busily, from Kannur down south to Mangalore up north. It is coconut groves all over; as far as your eyes can see and for once you feel, Kasargod has enough coconuts to meet the whole world’s demand.

While a day is sufficient to visit these forts, the next day’s itinerary may depend on one’s interests. For those religiously inclined – there are Ananthpur Lake temple (primary abode of Lord Ananthapadmanabha) and Madhur (Madanantheshwara Swamy temple). Ananthapur lake temple is located in Kumbala and is set in serene village surroundings. The sanctum is in the middle of the temple tank that houses a lone vegan crocodile. Madhur temple houses Lord Shiva and Ganesha, it is a busy temple and is famous for its appam prasadham.

For those who take want to take a detour from these religious places, leaving to Mangalore as early as possible would save time. Reaching Mangalore by bus is ideal as it is quick and offers superb view of many beaches, bridges and rivers, all along a 50 km stretch. In Mangalore, one can visit the Someshwara Beach, Panamboor Beachor or proceed further to Udupi. In my opinion, one must stop at Mangalore to relish the culinary delights this place offers. From crispy, ghee laden masala dosas to snacks like biscuit Ambode, Mangalore bajji at Hotel Ayodhya(Kodiaballi) and Hotel Taj Mahal (Hampankatte) to rich and fine, yet very affordable ice creams at Ideal Ice Cream parlor outlets scattered through the city (an outlet exists in Hampankatte too), Mangalore has so much to offer to our taste buds that a day will not suffice.

Recharged with energy, one can alight a bus to Udupi and let the journey continue. As the conductors in private buses shout “ReReReRace”, the bus races down the highway and one reaches the temple city of Udupi in about 90 minutes. The Krishna Mutt founded by Saint Madhavacharya in the 13th century is the highlight of the town. Malpe Beach, about 10 km from Udupi bus stand, is a very pristine and scenic beach. Marked by lanes of coconut trees in fine, white beach sand, dotted with St Mary’sislands in a distance, this beach is truly different and definitely worth a visit.

Heading back to Mangalore to catch a train back to Bangalore will add immense value to your weekend getaway. Just pray that the night be amply moon-lit and you get/retain a lower berth. The train departs from the coastal town at 7.45 pm. The section beginning from Subramanhya road up to Hassan (from 10.05 pm– 12.10 am) through Bisle ghats offers an experience, totally awe-inspiring, wrapped with matchless elements of beauty mixed with proportions of eerie uneasiness. The train travels this stretch of 56 km, dotted by 58 tunnels (I counted 54), 109 bridges and 25 waterfalls at snail’s pace. On a moonlit night, the silhouette of the Ghats merges with the gray sky, with a cover of mist making the demarcations more obscure. Seated in the train, you ride over many bridges with swift rapids, deep gorges and valleys below. As you peek to get a view, through the iron bars of the window, you only wonder how one managed to create this broad gauge wonder at such an elevation and in such terrain. The periodic tunnels and bridges, the fierce roar of water underneath, the sheer depth of valleys, the awkward silence of woods interrupted by rail guards’ whistle sounds signaling the track’s OK condition offer a genuinely unforgettable 2-hour long adventure. It leaves one with a bundle of memories worth cherishing lifelong.

More Photos:

1) View of the berth extending into Arabian Sea at Bekal fort

2) View of bastions at Bekal fort

3) View of the rail bridge , confluence of Chandragiri river and Arabian Sea from atop the Chandragiri fort

Quick Notes: (The rates/tariff mentioned in the note below pertain to year 2009)

How to reach: KSRTC bus @9 pm from Kempa Gowda Bus terminus via Hassan (Bangalore – Kasargod). Board Kerala state buses to reach Chandragiri and Bekal forts (state buses maintain time and have only scheduled stops). Can hire an auto (for Rs. 200 inclusive of waiting charges) if visiting both Ananthpur and Madhur temples. Frequent private buses are available on Kasargod-Mangalore and Mangalore-Udupi routes. Auto from Udupi temple toMalpe beach will cost about Rs. 50 – 70. Getting back to Bangalore from Mangalore by train is the best option.However, there are KSRTC buses from Mangalore that ply toBangalore.

Where to stay (budget/ decent): Hotel City Tower, Kasargod – just a stone’s throw away from new bus stand with good restaurants nearby. Day2 - in Mangalore, can leave luggage @cloak room in railway station and roam around.

Where to eat: Hotel Taj Mahal, Ideal Ice Cream parlor (try out Gudbud, Parfait, Beehive, Tiramisu and many more for Rs. 30 - 45) – Hampankatte, Mangalore. In case, you visit the Udupi temple, don't miss out the free meals at the temple Bhojanashala, truly out of the world! Being a vegetarian, I regret being myopic, you have to figure out good options for sea food yourself.

Must see/ Not to Miss: Spend ample time at the fort’s berth in Bekal, fort timings 9 am-6 pm. Sunset atop Chandragiri fort (4.30 – 6 pm), many trains cross the rail bridge during this time. Tales of a solitary, vegan crocodile that resides in the lake at Ananthpur lake temple from the temple priest. Appam prasadham (sweet dish) at Madhur temple (Kasargod). Malpe beach at Udupi is a must-visit. Two-hour journey from Subramanhya road to Hassan in train to Bangalore – remain awake to catch the best of Western Ghats.

This Ramayana is not so Modern

As a true Mani Ratnam fan, I eagerly awaited Raavan’s release. I chose to see the Hindi version first for the sake of Gulzar’s lyrics. Having heard the songs of Raavan (Hindi version) and Raavanan (Tamil version) for nearly a month or more, I felt Raavan sounded better, the lyrics fitted the music snugly without aberrations.

Theatre: Fame Shankar Nag Chitra Mandira, MG Road, Bangalore
Date and Time: June 20, 2010, 10.15 am
Ticket Price: Rs 80/per head

I am sure most readers would have either seen the movie or read multiple reviews from different websites by now. I have nothing new in my first paragraph in terms of content, just like the insipid first half of the movie – insipid in terms of script content. It is only the second half where the epic we so well know figures.

Dev Sharma (Ram/Vikram) is a top cop posted in Laal Mathi forest region, living happily with his dancer wife, Raaghini (Sita/Aishwarya Rai) till one day when Beera, the local outlaw, (Raavan/Abhishek Bachchan) abducts her. Hemant (Lakshman/Nikhil), another cop shares the tragic news of Raaghini’s abduction with Dev who sets out to settle scores with Beera, taking assistance from Sanjeevani (Hanuman/Govinda). Beera is all set to avenge the death of his dear sister played by Priya Mani fitting the role of Shoorpanaga but meekly submits to the beautiful, fearless lass – Raaghini during the course of 14 days hostage. Though he initially intends to kill Raaghini in 14 hours to teach Dev a tough lesson, his unbridled affection for her weakens him every time, costing him the life of his brother, Hariya, may be Mangal (played by Ravi Kishan, we are not sure what happens to him at the end, so we safely assume he’s dead), even worse, his own life at the end of the movie. Upon rescue, Raaghini is recommended a polygraph test by her husband to come out untainted, an Agni pariksha that sends her fuming.

Now where is Mani’s story in this, there is only Ramayana etched all over it. With such a threadbare script, when we feel Mani is all set to lose out, he roughly compensates by stunning visuals, superb editing, impeccable choice of locations, great music and background score, fantastically brave stunts. I guess no director will have an urge as strong as Mani to tap the beauty of Athirapalli falls, Malshej Ghats, Hogennakal and Orchha from such daring proximity. Without an original script, the film stands decent for a one time viewing majorly because Santosh Sivan, Sreekar Prasad, Peter Heins, AR Rahman and Gulzar, of course Mani Ratnam who brought them all together and extracted the best out of them.

If there is any bit of modernity/difference to the Ramayan we know, it is that Beera does not have evil lust and is superbly in control. He is a shade better than the Raavan we know. Dev is many shades darker than the Ram we know, in that he tells Raaghini things which Beera never said, misconstrues statements, kills Hariya when he is unarmed and out to negotiate peace, kills Beera ruthlessly, forgetting that only he saved him the day before. Raaghini is little more tilted in favor of Beera, must say bit more practical than our Sita, that upon suggestion of a polygraph test by her husband, she has the nerve to stop a chugging train in the middle of the ghats, take a bus and get back to Beera to question him on what he said about her, express her fondness in her eyes for him as he falls deep into the Ghats below. I would have lauded the climax if Raaghini too fell into the deep ghats along with Beera, then this Ramayan would have definitely been modern.

Mani is a tough taskmaster and he alone has the potential to make Abhishek Bachchan act and emote. I think if Abhi ever owed anybody, other than his father, for his presence in Bollywood, it’s definitely got to be Mani. Aishwarya has done her part well, though she messes in the end with her artificial loud laughter upon reunion with Dev. Habits die hard, is what we realize at that moment. Though Aishwarya dances well, thanks to Shobana’s training, God alone knows from where and how she gained a quintal kilogram.

Vikram scores well and definitely dons the role of a tough and not so good cop flawlessly. Mangal and Hariya, brothers of Beera (don’t ask me which of them is Kumbakarna/Vibhishana, there is no explicit correlation we can make) do their parts well. Govinda is my favorite in the movie. I was wondering how Mani ever imagined a role for him in his movie given the amusing performances he has provided teaming up with David Dhawan. Must say, Govinda is really good. Priya Mani stands tall and beautiful, very striking in the short role she performs. However, guess she has got branded for getting gang raped in movies, thanks to her stint in Tamil movie Paruthiveeran.

Music and background score mould the movie well. The trek up the Athirapalli falls in closest proximity to gushing water, the plunge into Hogennakal that Abhi takes in the prelude, the climax scenes atop the precarious bridge over Malshej ghats, the stunts in dense jungles where Beera’s men choke the cop vans’ petrol tanks with sugar and steal arms from police ground camps are superb, straightening most audience’s backs. Mani always chooses a contemporary political backdrop to weave the script; here he has chosen Maoist activities, their lawlessness, cops' attempts to curb them, acts of gunning down peaceful, unarmed tribals, raping women in custody etc which we read/hear in media. This movie is a must watch for our Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram, to understand the extent to which tribals are adept with jungles, how skillfully they move around and some flaws in the Indian police system where most times, policemen turn hooligans.

Verdict: Disappointed in that there is no original script, it is a huge letdown but the painful efforts taken by the team in shooting in such harsh conditions needs to be appreciated by a one-time viewing. Spend no more than 100 Rs and refrain from watching in multiplexes if you reside in Bangalore. Liked Mani’s Raavan, it is not as bad as Dil Se, and definitely not a masterpiece like Nayagan/ Kannathil Muthamittal, that’s all I can say.

If I could turn back time - Hampi Travelogue

Prologue: I wanted to write this travelogue entry in Jan this year to commemorate 500 years of king Krishnadevaraya’s empire. This landmark event was celebrated in grandeur in Karnataka in Jan 2010. I penned down the article below for my office newsletter late March, now found the time to post it on my blog. A general advise - I request all to undertake a trip to Hampi, the seat of Vijayanagar empire, only in winter months (Oct – Dec) to avoid scorching heat of the sun.

****************************************************************************
When Harihara and Bukka founded the Vijayanagar empire in Deccan plateau, back in 1336, they barely would have imagined this empire flourish as a strong conglomerate of four different dynasties – Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva and Aravidu dynasties, an era that marked the pinnacle in South Indian art, architecture and literature. It was under king Krishnadevaraya of the Tuluvu dynasty (1509-1529) that the empire reached its peak of prominence, many thanks to his administrative acuity, religious tolerance and his endless aegis to arts, architecture and literature.

Hampi, about 350 km from Bangalore, 13 km from Hosepet, now a world heritage site, is the capital of this renowned empire. The place teems with history and if one wishes to turn back time, revisit some magnificent examples of Vijayanagar architecture, nothing can parallel a 3-day visit to Hampi. There are KSRTC bus services to Hospet and Hampi and Hampi express, a daily train from Bangalore to Hosepet. While day 1 can be dedicated to visiting the Sacred centre, day 2 can be dedicated to visiting sites of the Royal centre at Hampi and day 3, for visiting TungaBhadra dam (at Hosepet) and Chitradurga fort en route Bangalore.

Virupaksha temple, the oldest temple in Hampi is the most prominent site and its giant gopuram (tower) overlooks the Hampi Bazaar. With Lord Virupaksha in the form of a linga in the inner sanctum, this temple with two courtyards has some important features - a tri headed Nandi statue, a 100 column mantapa in the first courtyard on left, a central mantapa with a view of the sanctum with intact mural art on its ceiling, a dark chamber behind the sanctum where an inverted shadow of the temple tower can be seen (pinhole camera effect). The Hampi Bazaar stretches from the Virupaksha temple to the monolithic bull statue and is flanked by shops, guesthouses and restaurants.

Adjacent to the Virupaksha temple is the Hemakuta hill with a cluster of temples. As one climbs the hill, one gets a better view of the Virupaksha temple tower. Descending the Hemakuta hill on the other side leads to Sasivekalu Ganesha, a monolithic in situ figure of Ganesha, round like a mustard seed. Nearby, is even bigger Kadalekalu Ganesha.
Figure below: From L to R – 1) Virupaksha temple tower 2) Hemakuta hill with shrines 3) Sasivekalu Ganesha 4) Tungabhadra river, view of Virupaksha temple Walking along the Hampi Bazaar Street, turning left before the monolithic bull takes one along the banks of Tungabhadra River to Kodandarama temple and Yantrodhara Anjaneya temple. Going ahead one hits the Achutharaya temple/Tiruvengalanatha temple, a grand example of Vijayanagar architecture with the wide Courtesan street in front of it and a stepped tank by its side. The courtesan street was then known for profuse trade in gems, pearls and ivory.
Figures below: Vittala temple & From L to R – 1) River side path leading to Achutharaya temple 2) Courtesan Street 3) Stepped tank 4) Inside Achutaraya temple

Getting back along the riverside path, one heads towards the Vittala temple observing the remains of Hampi bridge, Purandaradasa mantapa and Kings’ balance. Marking the apogee in temple architecture is the Vittala temple, our history textbook regular, bearing the Stone Chariot and the musical pillars mantapa. Walking back along the same riverside path brings us back to the Nandi, a point from where one can take a trek up the Matanga hill, the highest peak in Hampi to get a bird’s eye view.

Day 2 might witness some spill over from sites of the sacred centre. Up hill and down hill from Hampi Bazaar, turning left after crossing the Ganeshas, one reaches the Krishna temple. From here, one has to follow the road to Kamalapur via Chandikeshwara temple and Uddana Veerabhadra temples, en route the gigantic Lakshmi Narasimha statue, Badavalinga temple (monolithic Shiva Linga) and sister rocks to reach the Royal centre.

You get ready for the day's dose of architectural extravaganza of Vijayanagar empire when you see the board citing “Underground Siva Temple”. Taking the small dusty lane on left, you are at the threshold to the Royal centre that comprises the Mohammedan watchtower and mosque, Band tower, Danaik enclosure (mint enclosure), Vira Harihara palace ruins, Noble men quarters and Basement of palaces. As the dusty lane forks off, it leads one to the Zenena enclosure on the left, the Hazara Rama temple and Royal enclosure on the right.

Figure below: From L to R - 1) Lakshmi Narasimha statue 2) Band tower 3) Mohamaddan watch tower 4) Lotus Mahal 5) Elephant stables

The Zenena enclosure – royal women’s quarters comprises of some of the beautiful sites of Hampi – the Lotus Mahal, the royal treasury, the guard’s quarters and Elephant stables, all enclosed within broad, tall, stone wall compound marked with watch towers at the corners. Proceeding towards the Royal enclosure, one hits the Hazara Rama temple on the way, with scenes from Ramayana adorning the temple walls.
The Royal enclosure is as significant as Zenena enclosure for it confines structures like the King’s audience hall, underground chambers, several aqueducts, public bath, the stepped tank/Pushkarini and Mahanavami Dibba.

Figure below: From L to R – 1) Pushkarini in Royal enclosure 2) Mahanavami Dibba 3) Queen’s bath 4) View of Achutaraya temple from Matanga hill top

Leaving the Mahanavami Dibba and riding along the mud pathway away from these two enclosures, one arrives at the Queens’ bath, with projecting balconies built in Indo Sarcenic style. The dusty track merges with the main Hampi- Kamalapur road and one heads back to Hampi bazaar, carrying pictures of the many monuments, their architectural styles. There are patches of paddy fields watered by small canals on the way and there are huge rocks, heaps of boulders by the side of the Tungabhadra river, the landscape of Hampi offers myriad questions, as many in number as the architectural wonders, it offers for the human eye.

On day 3, one can pack the bags early after breakfast, cross the river to take a tour of Anegondi or leave Hampi, head to TungaBhadra dam in Hosepet. Before heading back to Bangalore, a trip to the Chitradurga fort (200 km from Bangalore), with seven concentric tiers of fortification built by the Nayaks, known for its many temples, watch towers, bastions and secret entrances, will definitely add an element of excitement and rack few muscles.
********************************************************************
Quick Tips
How to reach: KSRTC buses to Hospet and Hampi/Hampi express from Bangalore city junction to Hosepet
Where to eat: Hampi has many restaurants on the main bazaar street and its offshoots. Lot of hype surrounds a certain Mango Tree restaurant. In catering to foreign tourists, Hampi parallels Goa as the menu in most eateries covers everything from Tortillas, Momos, Pita bread, Falafel, Hash brown potato and Pancakes.
Where to stay: Innumerable guesthouses in Hampi near Virupaksha temple provide a comfortable option, rest houses in Virupappara Gadde (on the other side of TB River) are not preferable as ferry services stop at 6pm. Kamalapur and Hosepet hotels may be luxurious but not good options as commute to Hampi will eat away valuable time.
How to go around: Cycle, though it might get a little tiresome. Motor bikes are available and the best option. Please carry a valid ID proof to procure a cycle/bike. While walking to cover sites on day 1 is possible, walking to cover the Royal centre sites is an impossible option even in winter months. It is highly important to carry maps of Hampi sites to ensure you visit all of them without wastage of time.
For maps and more details, please refer to www.hampi.in
********************************************************************