Hampi in Karnataka is a place where its ruins exhibit the grandeur it celebrated in the glorious past and how significant they are even today. Amish Tripathi shares with ERAM AGHA his personal experiences in the place

Which is that one place in the world where ruins most effectively speak of past grandeurIJ To this question, the writer of the Shiva trilogy, Amish Tripathi, answers simply: “Hampi.” And with this began a conversation that celebrated history, culture and lifestyle of an era gone by.

Hampi, a village in northern Karnataka, takes one back in time, paints the picture of the majestic Vijayanagara empire that once was and makes travellers fall in love with it like never before. little wonder then that many a traveller has dubbed the destination as “Poetry on rocks” what with its boulders stretching far and wide along the landscape. Tripathi, however, chooses an Urdu couplet to describe Hampi: “Khandar bolte hai ki imarat kabhi buland thi... (The ruins reveal how grand the structure must have been in its time.)” For him, Hampi bears resemblance to the moon (because of its rocky surface). Though this moon has far more travellers.

Memory card

It’s been 10 years since he visited Hampi. But even today, he prefers to talk about the ancient city over other travel experiences. “Very rarely does one get to see the ruins of an entire city, especially in India. Most historical cities were either destroyed or built again into new cities,” he says.

And Hampi holds within it a treasure house of chronicled history. “In the mid 16th century, the Battle of Talikota between the Deccan Sultanates and Vijaynagara Empire ended the last great rule of Hindu kingdom in South India. They conquered and left.

The city was rediscovered by the British. It has no trace of development that comes with continuous human habitation. “You, therefore, get a picture of a life lived centuries ago.

Discovery of India

Ancient India was different, and how! Temples were central to the lives of the locals. “They were beautiful and ornate structures that were not only meant for religion and worship but were a place of social gathering. In fact, every temple was surrounded by a locality, the way we have living spaces around a big mall today. There were markets, mandap, schools, hospitals and other civic structures. You can call them a place for gathering, where people met, discussed, talked and carried out important decisions,” he said.

Popular mindset in that century was different. Apparently, one of the temple streets was a market for courtesans. “I was told by the guide that they were respected and treated well in the city. This shows the liberal spirit that abounded in India, even in the Middle Ages,” he added. The idea of having a spiritual centre was not only prevalent in India “but also in Greece where acropolis was central,” he said.

Most out of the least

Tripathi remembers his drive from Hospet to Hampi as a refreshing one, one that offered the sights of sunflower fields flanking a clear road. Once he reached Hampi, the boulders bowled him over. What struck him most was the absence of worry and stress on the facial expressions of locals. “I met a pandit at a temple that was made out of a boulder. Despite living in a desolate place, there was such peace on his face that I was moved. It is a rare sight in urban habitations,” he shared.

Other than history on rocks, Hampi offers quite a bit of a gastronomical journey. Being a vegetarian, Tripathi was amazed at the choices of greens on his platter. “Food is simple here. I remember driving down to a restaurant called Mango Tree, set amid a banana plantation. I was little surprised that they did not call it Banana Tree!” he laughed.

He was most surprised at the quality of food that the place offered for a small price. “There was nothing for more than Rs 20. I ordered a thali, which had rice, chapatis, vegetable and dal. The thali meal works the best for me as it entails someone else making a decision for me and packing a good meal in one plate. I don’t have to tax my brains for that,” he said. “We had food on the steps of the Tungabhadra River, served on a banana leaf, under the open sky with river for view,” he recalled. Now how’s that for some food for an “ancient” thoughtIJ

Author Speaks

• Travel has never been about tick marks for me. I like to travel out of the bubble, get inside the layers and respect the culture. You can’t visit a place and crib, ‘Oh my God, they don’t know English!’
• Travel inspires me. For the gates of Branga in my book, the idea came from Greece. Hampi gave me the idea of the structure of the temple in Kashi, which no one has seen. It was not a conscious decision but yes, it did influence me
• My wife is more organised. She is someone who gets the bookings done in advance, carries the guide and does her homework. I do all that on the spot
• I love historical trips. I like to get into the history of the place I visit
•  last time I visited Florence, I stayed where leonardo Da Vinci used to live. It was not a five star settlement but yes, it was expensive
•  We were told that Hanuman’s birthplace is  150 km from Hampi. We found this out when we were on our way to Hospet. Nevertheless, we drove back to visit the place
• While travelling, I carry my passport, credit card and a travel guide

Copyright: Exotica, the wellness and lifestyle magazine from The Pioneer Group, available in all rooms of select five-star hotel chains