Hampi

After Palolem we took a 12 hour train journey to visit Hampi, a small village which is the base for visiting the impressive five hundred year old ruins of Vijayanagar, the capital city of the largest Hindu empire in history. It's got an interesting story actually. During the 15th century the North and much of the South of India was ruled by a dynasty of muslim rulers known as the 'Delhi Sultanate'. In an effort to control the wayward south, the Sultan of Delhi took two young Hindu princes under his wing, schooling them in Islam and and the doctrines of the North. When satisfied that they were suitably obedient, he sent them back to their kingdom to rule for him. However, shortly after their arrival they rebelled, winning a series of military victories and founding the largest, most successful Hindu empire in history, with the brand new Vijayanager (victory city) as its modern capital. However, only a couple of hundred years later the city was destroyed by raids, leaving the ruins that stand today.

Hampi is an amazing place to stay- rich jungles and banana plantations, fed by a large river, are intersperced with dramatic boulder mountains, which just appear to have fallen from the sky. On top of these hills are assorted ruins, the most spectacular being Matanga Hill, which offers superdb birds eye views of the entire ruins. Trekking up there is hard though! the steps havn't been maintained since the city fell, and sometimes the only way up is over narrow cuttings etched out of the solid rock- we both sufferred a bit of vertigo! But the hike is worth it- the views at sunset were amazing.

The other ruins fan out over the surrounding countryside, over a 26 sq km area. We rented a motorbike from town and spent the days driving around them, avoiding cows and the occasional monkey, as well as the insane indian bus drivers driving on the wrong side/ in the centre of the road. Once we were pulled over by traffic police- a cheeky smile and my provisional driving liscence seemed to satisfy the though! The ruins consist of palaces, temples and the impressive elephant stables, all in various states of dilapidation and disrepair. Funny when you think that most of them are only as old as Hampton Court- it feels more like you're walking around Pompeii.

The village is nice and relaxing- lots of traveller hang outs and friendly restaurants, but the heat was oppressive, exacerabated by daily powercuts from 9-10 every morning and every evening. The temperature peaked at 43degrees- so hot that the candles we were burning to read with (because of the powercut) wilted like dead flowers! I've never been anywhere so hot that the candles melt...

Apart from the heat though it was a truly amazing place- eden like views and dramatic ruins, coupled with speeding along quiet (if unpredictable) roads on the bike. One of the highlights was Laxmi, the temple elephant. She lives in the main tample on Hampi bazaar- a living hindu temple that attracts pilgrims from all over south India. She is specially trained to bless people as they come into the templt,but also does a (more lucrative) sideline in tourists- you give her ten ruppees which she takes with her trunk, then pats you on the head! She also appreciated donations of bananas- which she eats by the bunch, and cocnuts, which she breaks on the floor then picks up with her prehensile trunk. Every morning she has her bath in the sacred ford- you can go down an watch her lying in the water getting a good scrub down from her keeper.

Hampi is a beautiful place and very laid back- its easy to stay for longer than you plan!