These rocks are on a roll
The Hindu : These rocks are on a rollMammoth rocks, majestic monuments, ancient temples…pick up the threads of history at the World Heritage Site of HampiPhotos: C.R. ManmadhanExperience an era Stepping into Hampi is like being in different time zoneHuge granite stones that tell tales, from mythology, of reigns gone by, of monarchy and years of toil that made these gigantic stones graceful sculptures or reliefs, will have you spellbound. Going to Hampi, in North Karnataka, is like turning the pages of a history book and experiencing the era. The erstwhile Vijayanagaram empire stares at you from everywhere in that 26 acre UNESCO World Heritage Site where the excavations have resurrected some of the majestic monuments whose size stumps you.From Bangalore an overnight journey in the Hampi Express takes you to Hospet by 8 a.m., in time for breakfast at the station: crispy masala dosa and coffee. Eighty per cent of those who alight are tourists, domestic and foreign. You can either stay at Hospet and travel to Hampi, 13 km away, by bus or auto, or stay in the only hotel in Hampi, run by the Karnataka Tourism department, Mayura Bhuvaneshwari. There are homestays aplenty but with inadequate facilities. Ask for a taxi and they tell you that an auto should be okay, that all your luggage will fit in and it will cost just Rs. 100! The Hampi tourism season begins in November and ends in March. It’s bearably hot during the day and the nights are a little cold in November.Mayura Bhuvaneshwari is a sprawling single-storied granite structure with rooms in rows, in many directions. The solar heater provides hot water 24 hours. The AC and non-AC rooms are comfortable and the rates are under Rs. 1,000 for a double non-AC deluxe room during the season. But it must be booked in advance. The only place where you get good home-style food in Hampi is…More
