A trip to Hampi had been due for a couple of years. Neither my husband nor I had previously visited this place, and so, we were eagerly waiting for a long weekend to drive to Hampi. What better time could we have chosen than the Independence Day weekend to visit the bygone glorious era?
We quickly made a checklist to check weather conditions, reserve room, check condition of vehicle, and take a printout of the map. Of course, we also had to complete all our errands and chores before taking a vacation.
Our route was from Bangalore - Tumkur - Sira - Chitradurga - Hospet. For details about the route that we took, see
Map-Route.
Though most travel blogs or agents suggest that the best season to visit Hampi is during its festivals (October to February), we preferred the rainy season; any season other than summer is fine. A word of caution if you visit the place during monsoon – do not mess with the overflowing river. During this season, the coracle rides will be suspended. You will miss the coracle crossing; but you can always take the longer road route to visit the places on the other side of the river. The country side is awesome, and will be worth the long drive.
Hospet (and Hampi) offers you hotels to suit your budget. We stayed at the
Hotel Malligi, Hospet. The hotel provides neat and comfortable rooms at a reasonable rate. The food at their restaurant is tasty. The hospitality is good. And, best of all, the hotel is closer to the Bus station, Railway station, and the city center. The other hotels are the
Royal Orchid, Hotel Krishna, Hotel Karthik, and others. On the Hospet-Hampi road, you can also stay at
Vijayshree Heritage Village.
On the beautiful Saturday morning, we headed towards Hampi. The day was cloudy, and we prayed that the lovely weather accompanied us during our journey. And it did! We stopped for breakfast at the Kamat Hotel on the Bangalore-Tumkur road. The place was crowded with travelers. Seemed like a big breakfast party; only that there was no host and that you had to pay your own bills!
Plenty of trucks and heavy-duty vehicles greeted us on the road. Surprising we did not find many cars on the road. Oh well, that made us the sole users of the road! The road was bordered with fields. The country-side was beautiful. Farmers grew maize, corn, onion, cotton, sunflower, and other crops. Lakes and river supply water; some fields have bore-wells. Of course, we took the camera, jumped out of the car, and marched into the fields. First, we absorbed the fresh air and sunk in the beauty of the plants, and then clicked a few snaps to save the sweet memory. The truck drivers seemed amused, and would honk when they saw us in the fields.
In my opinion, each terrain is different. Each road narrates a different story. Each culture fascinates us in a unique way. The river, lush fields, cloudy sky, fresh air, and a great travel companion are similar to a gift basket with wonderful goodies. As we drove further, we spotted one windmill after another. They were erected on several hill ranges, and stood tall. When the blades moved, they seem to greet us – “Hello! Welcome.” Click, click, and click went our camera. That’s our way to acknowledge their beauty.
Just before Hospet, we stopped the car to see the backwaters of the dam. Oh, so much water that the waves splashed against the retaining walls like the waves in the ocean! All the roads were fantastic except a few potholes on the road that led to the Hospet town. Hospet is a cute little established, and one cannot get lost in those streets but can miss a road. We can see a lot of canals; be careful when you walk or drive at night. It’s nice to see people lazing near the canals, washing clothes or vehicles, or generally gossiping. The breeze that blows over the canals is refreshing.
Regards,
Asha
