A ride into the stone-age!

Roads towards Gandikota



The Jamia Masjid with its two minarets



The cloisters around the Jamia Masjid



P.I.P.





The Minar of the Jamia Masjid



My friend Shardul on top



The nearly dried up Pennar River more than 300 feet below....but that doesn't take away the tranquility and the scenic beauty of this place.



Twin fortification of the Gandikota Fort



A wider shot



Entrance of Raghunatha Temple



It was disheartening to see such treasured monuments left to wither away.



Coffee break...somewhere near the Andhra-Karnataka Border. The owner of the dhaba offered us a cot to sleep. My friend was suspicious of his hospitality

though.



...and coz of his suspicion I had to keep awake watching while he had a peaceful sleep.



Next time I will shoot all of them. Bloody they were crowing at 2.30 in the night!



Tea break at Kudatini after a ride in thick fog!

The bikes, the rocky mountains and the reflection in the water...it was a treat to the eye.



Towards Hampi from Kudatini



Water canal before Hampi



160-foot high tower at the entrance of the Virupaksha Temple



Lakshmi the temple elephant of Virupaksha Temple



Artwork at its best!



The Virupaksha (Lord Shiva) Temple



The temple ceilings...colours still intact



The statue's true friend



Dome of the Pampa Devi temple



View of the Virupaksha Temple from Hemakuta Hill



The Kadalekalu (meaning Bengal Gram) Ganesha Temple on Hemakuta Hill



Clusters of temples on the Hemakuta Hill



The Sasivekalu (meaning mustard seed) Ganesha Temple



The long pavilions were shops in the market street. The empty stretch that you see were the actual approach to the Krishna Temple.



Entrance to the Krishna Temple



The Krishna Temple built by the king (Krishnadevaraya) in 1513 AD to celebrate the conquest of the eastern kingdom of Udayagiri or Utkala (in the present day Orissa state).



The gorgeous cloisters of the temple



Stunning...absolutely!



The twin sisters....the one on the right has cracked due to the sheer weight pressure. On my earlier trip, this one was intact.

The Queen's bath!



The Talarigatta (means tollgate) Gate



One very noble initiative. The comfortable electric cart carries 10 people- doesn't pollute and kick up dirt like some reckless drivers do with their vehicles. And no parking issues either near the temple! To and fro charges are 20 bucks per person. Wish this is started all over Hampi as for the present ferry to the Vithala Temple. And the best part- operated by women serving them an employment opportunity.



The eastern hall which is called the musicians hall is notable for sculptures of musicians on the pillars. Each of the pillars surrounding this hall is sculptured with musicians, drummers and dancers.



The Vithala Temple Campus



In front of the chariot two elephants are positioned as if they are pulling the chariot. In fact these elephants where brought from elsewhere and positioned here at a later stage. Originally two horses were carved in that position. The tails and the rear legs of the horses can be still seen just behind these elephant sculptures.



Though the chariot is not resting on it, the four giant wheels attached mimic the real life ones complete with the axis shafts & the brakes.



The Maha-Mandapa (meaning great hall). Under repairs at the moment.



The overwhelming carved pillars



The southern hall dominated with the rampant mythical creatures called Yalis on the outer pillars.







The Ganigitti (meaning ‘the oil women's) temple



Carving of Bheema inside the complex



Carvings of Draupadi tying her hair. Bheema slaying Kichaka who tried to molest Draupathi is depicted next to it.



The Monolith Bull near the foothills of Mathanga



One of the important locations mentioned in the Hindu mythology, Ramayana. The place was the hermitage of Sage Mathanga. Monkey prince Bali killed a buffalo demon called Dundhuvi and threw the corps on to the sacred Mathanga hill. Angry at this act, sage Mathanga cursed Vali that he could never venture on to this hill.



The climb up to Mathanga Hill



I wish Sage Mathanga cursed that like Bali, no monkey would be able to get on top of the hill. They're a menace trying to pull people's bags for food and water. A stick in hand is more than enough to keep these restless souls away!



Aerial view of Hampi Market and Virupaksha premises



The rocky landscape...one of the best views of Hampi

Idol of Laxmi Narasimha sitting on the coil of Seshnaag!



The Badavilinga Temple. This is the largest monolithic Linga in Hampi. Located next to the Narasimha statue the Linga is housed inside a chamber with an opening in the front.A close look on this icon can reveal three eyes (depicting the three eyes of Siva) carved on it. Legend has it that this was commissioned by a peasant woman and hence the name (Badva means poor in local tongue).



The cart ride again next morning



The Kudregombe Mantapa



One of the temples in the Vishnu Temple Complex



The King's Balance also called as Tula Bhara or Tula Purushadana, the king used to weigh himself with gold, gems, silver and precious stones, and distributed to the priests.



The flowing waters at the back end of the Vithala Temple



The Purandara Dasa Mantapa where Purandara Dasa known as the "father of Carnatic Music" lived.



Exteriors of the Vithala Temple



Bidding adieu to the magnificient Vithala Temple!



Bikes enjoying a few moments of peace!



A few shots of the river...wish it had more water! The coracles no matter in operation Now substituted by motorboats!





The remains of the Queen's Palace in the Zenana enclosure- a secluded area reserved for the royal women.



The Lotus Mahal aka Chitragani Mahal or Kamal Mahal, most probably this was a socializing area for the women folks in the royal family.



The beautifully constructed archway!



The Elephants Stable! This long building with a row of domed chambers was used to ‘park’ the royal elephants.





Can't help taking another click of the Lotus Mahal!



The Hazara Rama Temple. It used to be a private temple for the king, or at the most, the royal family. The temple got its name Hazara Rama (a thousand Rama) owing to this multitude of these Ramayana panels on its walls.



Highlights of the Ramayana Epic are carves on the walls all around.



The sanctum though closed at the moment



Stunning...just stunning.

The Mahanavami Dibba (the House of Victory). King Krishnadevaraya constructed this in commemoration on the victory over Udaygiri.



Steps leading to the top!



The platform looks plain from the distance...get closer and the treat starts! Just fabulous.



The king used this platform to watch the army march-pasts, war games, aquatic sports, shows of the royal animals, musical performances and also the most important Navarathri celebrations.



Probably this was used as a service staircase during the ceremonies.



Atop the Mahanavami Dibba



King Krishnadevaraya graces Hampi again, this time in RJays Riding Gear



The stepped tank...much deeper than it actually looks!





The aqueducts that flush water into the stepped tank





This speaks volumes about human ingenuity and dedication. A series of holes were made on the surface of the rock (along the line of cut). Then they pegged dry wooden pieces into it. Over these pegs water is poured to soak it. The wood expands slowly by absorbing water and the sheer force of these tiny peg in a row made the rock crack apart. Once the crack was developed and the rock split, it was the job of elephants and men to move them the construction site.



The most painful part of the journey...bidding goodbye to enchanting Hampi, but with a hopeful promise to return again. Its not a place you can explore and understand in a single visit.



Back on the runway called NH4...the CBRs showed us as to why its a highway star.



And that was our route. Thanks for the patience of going through this huge bunch of pictures