The Fourth Seat

Virupapur Gaddi welcomes you Experience has taught me that early mornings are the best time to arrive into a new place. It was nice to witness the bustle at dawn near Virupaksha temple, which has been standing somberly near Hampi Bazaar since the 15th century. Devotees took a bath by the river before entering the temple for Darshan, but what was I doing by the river side early morning? Well, I was waiting for the boat. For, I had decided to stay on ‘the other side’ - Virupapur Gaddi(VG) popularly known as Hampi Island. Separated from Hampi Bazaar and the main temple complexes only by the Tungabhadra, it is one of the best places to base yourself during your stay here. Connected to the Bazaar only by a boat service(20 with luggage, 15 otherwise), there are several reasons why VG scores over pretty much everything else around but I chose it primarily for a distinct traveller vibe that is felt quite prominently on this side. Life here seems laidback and chilled out. It is just ...

Kishkindha Vijayanagara   Hampi The mention of Hampi is enough to evoke many images at once. Students of history would recall the great Vijayanagara empire, the illustrious King Krishnadevraya and South India’s answer to Birbal - the wise Tenali Rama. Fans and believers of the great Indian epic Ramayana will recount the Vanara Kingdom of Kishkindha where, Hanuman met Lord Rama and Lakshmana for the first time, where the great battle between the two Vanara kings Sugreeva and Bali was fought and several such stories that abound in this region. Hampi for me was a combination of the two versions. Having grown up on a healthy dose of Amar Chitra Katha, stories from the Ramayana continue to fascinate me even though I might not be a staunch believer. The medieval period in the history of India holds mixed emotions for me. The continuous invasions, the Hindu-Muslim rivalry and the bloody wars fought between several local and foreign rulers and the eventual end of this pe...