My feelings as I left Hampi, were that of indescribable loss and sadness. If this account by Robert Sewell is anything to go by, during the last days of Vijaynagar Empire, the people there lived through hell:

“With fire and sword, with crowbars and axes, they carried on day after day their work of destruction. Never perhaps in the history of the world has such havoc been wrought, and wrought so suddenly on so splendid a city; teeming with a wealthy and industrious population in the full plentitude of prosperity one day, and on the next seized, pillaged and reduced to ruins, among scenes of savage massacre and horrors beggaring description.”

I finally conclude my series of “Hampi” posts with a disturbing picture of the delicate, headless figurines (and a little verse which attempts to sum up their suffering). I would have loved to conclude on a lighter note, but sadly, the story of Vijaynagar had no happy endings.

the end
sun set on our kingdom’s fame
the night when those marauders came
we saw its fall; heads held in shame
and grisly dance of hungry flames

all part of their gruesome game
riot roistering murder shame
then those blows from hammers came
and sun set on our kingdom’s fame



Here are the links to all the posts I’ve made till date recounting my experiences from the two day tour:

1. Hampi Visit - I. Preludio: Allegretto ma non troppo


2. Hampi Visit - II. Andante con moto


3. Hampi Visit - III. Allegro agitato


4. Hampi Visit - IV. Adagio maestoso


5. Hampi Visit - IV. Adagio maestoso (in pictures)


6. Hampi Visit - V. Doppio Movimento


7. Hampi Visit- V. Doppio Movimento (in pictures)


8. Hampi Visit – VI. Finale: I. Allegro


9. Hampi Visit – VI. Finale: I. Allegro (in pictures)


10. Hampi Visit – VI. Finale: II. Presto


11. Hampi Visit – VI. Finale: II. Presto (in pictures)


12. Hampi Visit - VI. Finale: III. Scherzo

Great series. When's the next?

Deepak, did you notice the link love coming?

;-)

By  sajith, at 8.4.05  

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Thanks Aarthi.

Hope you'll visit countless places (and thus pen down countably infinite blogposts) :)"

Amen to that!

Thanks Sajith! Don't quite know if I'll ever visit an archeological site as elaborate as Hampi. As for a second visit to Hampi, nothing planned yet, but may be during monsoons :-).

By  Deepak, at 8.4.05  

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Compile these and try getting them publihsed Deepak - the entire series makes for an educating, enlightening, cob-web clearing, not to mention interesting and entertaining travelogue! :-)

By  G Shrivastava, at 9.4.05  

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Hi Geetanjali, this was a prelude. I'll definitely pursue publication of material I'll write during my second visit to Hampi. Stay tuned :-).

By  Deepak, at 11.4.05  

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Deepak, awaiting the details of your vizag visit and "ఆ నలుగురు" experiences ;-)

By  Anonymous, at 12.4.05  

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Thanks, Deepak - you've given us a great journey, as Aarthi says.

By  D, at 19.4.05  

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Hey Sudhakar - I'll definitely post about the wonderful experience. It might come late, but come it will :)

Thanks Deirdre!

By  Deepak, at 20.4.05  

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Whoa.. the travelogue was interesting.. I'd visited Hampi three years back but did not have a good camera with me... thanks for bringing back good memories.

Even I agree that the whole place is a musuem.. and wish I could have explored MORE...

Info on the Lotus Palace.. (what the guide told us.. unverified).. The whole structure was a desert cooler.. The pillars of the palace are hollow with thin pipes within.. water was manually carried to the first floor.. and filled in all these pipes.. thus, air flowing around the pillars cooled and provided respite from the heat to the ladies within the palace.

By  Rahul Kumar, at 2.1.06  

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