After a bumpy sleeper bus ride from Bangalore, we arrived in the holy land of Hampi. The only word to describe Hampi is magical. The landscape is breathtaking. Massive granite boulders are piled into small mountains, divided by lush rice paddies, palm trees, and a bright blue meandering river which serves as the center of this small town. As if that weren't enough of a feast for the eyes, towering and intricate temples rise up between the rocks, competing with the vast desert wilderness for your attention.
The now tiny town of Hampi was once the massive city of Vijayanagara, the second largest city in the world during the 15th Century. We stayed in Hampi Bazaar, where most of the local population lives, making their livelihood off of the tourists that have started to flock to the town. The Bazaar is literally in the shadow of the impressive Virupaksha Temple, giving it a surreal quality.
The designation of Hampi as a World Heritage Site already forced several buildings to be reduced to rubble and families to be moved from their home town so that further excavation of the site can take place. (Read more about it here). It is likely that Hampi Bazaar, where we had the privilege of staying, will be relocated as well, which would mean you can no longer stay at this holy site. But while protecting and restoring the temples is important, I can honestly say that the magic of Hampi is part temple, part people. Without the town, it becomes almost sterile. Angkor Wat had none of the character and vibrancy that Hampi has. The temples were grand, but they lacked the richness of culture that you feel at the temples in Hampi, where people still come to worship.
So, India has bitten us, both literally and figuratively, in both good ways and bad. We have had an incredible time exploring the temples, swimming in the river, taking in the scenery, watching sunsets, and rock climbing with young locals. We also got robbed at our guesthouse, were eaten alive by bedbugs, and have had more questionable stomach moments than we can count.
But, I can safely say, we are finally, officially in real India, and we love it: the people, the food, the culture... It's captivating.
I'll finish up with the highlight of our time in Hampi, which should illuminate why we have fallen in love with this country.
On an evening walk, we wandered into the Virupaksha Temple, which was full - as usual - of Indian families who had come to worship. Adam and I sat, watching the intricacies of the temple blur as the light faded. A street dog scampered up to us, and we were petting her a bit. I noticed she looked just like Sadie, a dog we know and love from home, and I decided to take a picture to send to Kate and Bret, her owners.
They spoke no English, but put their hands to their mouths, indicating that we should come eat with them. Can't say no to that! So, a younger woman in the group took my hand, and a crowd surrounded Adam and we were led from the temple away from the town, and to a small dirt alley where most of the Indian travelers stayed and ate. They were definitely improvising, and they were so excited about it. They sat us on a cement block, put a wooden box in front of us, then darted off in different directions buying food, fruit, and water for us to try. They were thrilled to share their local foods with us, and for some reason found it very funny when we ate bananas. Despite the language barrier, we managed a good deal of communication, and were filled up with the kindness of these strangers. Basically, it was a perfect evening.