Mystical Hampi: The Ancient Ruins Where I Fell in Love with India
Travelers to India often say you either love it or hate it, with that knowing nod. After a few weeks exploring the country, I was undecided. I didn't hate India, but love? Not quite yet. I appreciated the vibrant smells, colors, and people amid the chaotic streets—tuk-tuks dodging cows as goats herded across roads by elderly women in colorful saris, forcing buses to swerve.
Once accustomed, I even enjoyed the symphony of honks from dozens of cars, tuk-tuks, buses, and trucks.
The food was a highlight. My partner Jess and I adore Indian cuisine, and southern India introduced us to new delights like coconut or mango curries rare outside the region.
Yet, did I love India? Not fully. Our relaxing Kerala houseboat cruise was memorable, but towns, beaches, and temples in Kerala and Goa didn't wow us—we'd seen more impressive ones abroad. Even land-based meals paled compared to Malaysian Indian food, despite houseboat excellence.
Then I Discovered Hampi
I arrived feeling down, having left Jess in Goa with a knee injury after a grueling 10-hour bus ride. Touts bombarded us near town, pushing guesthouses. Shaking them off, as we neared Hampi, my mood lifted dramatically.
We passed oxcarts hauling goods or workers through farmland that transitioned into a surreal boulder-strewn landscape, glowing orange in the morning sun.
I Loved It All
The People
Hampi sits amid Vijayanagara ruins, former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire and home to the sacred Virupaksha Temple—a must-visit for Hindus, like Mecca for Muslims. Visitors are pilgrims, many from remote areas never seeing foreigners before.
Their genuine curiosity and joy at spotting us—and our DSLRs—was heartwarming. They'd never seen cameras, thrilled by their images on screens. Temple crowds grew large, but we parted smiling, imagining our faces in family albums.
Even observing quietly, I cherished riverside family rituals: morning baths beside temple elephant Lakshmi's scrub-down, the hilltop barber's scenic view, chai wallahs on bikes serving steaming masala chai to the freshly bathed. Street vendors offered chapatis with potato stew and coconut sauce as pilgrims headed to temples.
The Temples
Hampi transformed my view of Hindu temples. Virupaksha's carved facades and 49m tower impressed, but Vittala Temple—with its stone chariot, elephant stables, and underground Shiva shrine—was my favorite.
I could have spent days exploring the ancient sites scattered across miles of stunning terrain.
Village Life
Walking the village revealed not just temple ruins but demolished homes—government efforts to curb overcrowding left rubble uncleared. Intact areas charmed with smiling children amid colorful houses outnumbered by cows. Women sipped chai watching men play games, girls did laundry, vendors hawked baskets. It felt enchanted, sealing my love for Hampi—perhaps aided by guesthouse puppies.
The Scenery
Hampi's otherworldly landscapes evoked another planet—red boulders like Sedona, Arizona, near the river, then banana plantations and swaying palms screaming India.
Rooftop restaurant tables offered panoramic views, ideal for post-exploration relaxation with Indian dishes and lime sodas. Bamboo Chill Out's comfy beds around low tables revived me, washing away travel's hardships. Here, I found the India I'd sought.
I'll return to Hampi—with Jess.
My Favorite Hampi Shots:
[flickrslideshow acct_name="Globetrottergirls" id="72157631069397528"]
