Hampi: Day 2 – Discovering Hampi on foot

Last Updated on January 17, 2021

It was Day 2 of our Hampi visit. The previous day we had taken the touristy approach and had visited a few of the heritage structures along with a group. Today we decided to discover Hampi on foot and just walk around the heritage structures on our own and take in the sights as they came in.

Also Read: Discovering Hampi – the touristy approach

Discovering Hampi on foot

The sky was a little overcast in the morning. We decided to go for a walk before breakfast. Taking a mud path, right behind the KSTDC hotel we were staying, we walked, enjoying the bird songs and the cool breeze.

Bhima’s Gateway

The mud path led to a board that said ‘Bhima’s gateway’; beyond that, we saw an arched gateway.

The gate led into a courtyard which had a lot of stone carvings depicting the stories of Bhima. One carving showed Bhima carrying the ‘Sowgandhika’ flower.

Another one showed Bhima killing Keechaka.

Draupadi is standing nearby watching the scene.

Hampi Bazaar

After breakfast, we hired an auto-rickshaw from the hotel to take us to Hampi Bazaar. It had started to rain. However, the drizzle did not dampen our spirits.

We were trying to see the positive side of it. Rain can give a totally different texture to any landscape.

We walked through the Hampi bazaar, in the opposite direction of the Virupaksha temple. The bazaar was slowly waking up to a wet morning.

Monolithic Bull

At the end of the bazaar was a huge idol of a bull called the monolithic bull.

A lot of monkeys were swinging around the bull idol.

The steps from the bull led to a small mandapa from where the Virupaksha temple could be seen.

Further up, was a small Hanuman temple. A lady, who was sitting in front of the temple,  gave us ‘prasad’.

From the Hanuman temple, we climbed down a few steps to reach the Achutharaya temple complex.

Achutharaya Temple

Located at the foot of Matanga hill, this large temple complex had a Devi shrine at the center. This temple, like the other temples in Hampi,  had many gopuras.

The outer courtyard had a large gopura on the northern side which was also the main entrance. The inner courtyard had three gopuras, on the north, east and west.

There were various pillared mandapas around the courtyards. Most of the carvings told stories from the Ramayana.

Soolai Bazaar

We continued our journey of discovering Hampi on foot. Right outside the temple were the ruins of a long street or bazaar once famous as the Soolai bazaar or dancing girls’ street. At the end of the bazaar was a beautiful water tank with steps on all sides and a small mandapa in the center.

Sugriva’s Cave and Sita Sarovar

From the tank, we walked further to our right and reached a small cave called the Sugriva’s Cave. The legend is that Sugriva kept Sita’s jewels inside the cave. Right outside the cave is a pool called Sita Sarovar.

Jain Temple

Opposite to Sugriva’s cave was another temple which had a stepped tower over the shrine, making it look like a Jain temple.

However, there were a few Vaishnavite sculptures in the temple like the two dwarapalakas at the entrance.

The temple had a two-storeyed mantapa which was reached by a flight of stone steps.

In front of the temple was a stone deepasthambham.

The King’s Balance

The path further led to a gateway popularly known as the King’s balance.

This balance was used for weighing the king against gems and gold during auspicious occasions. The balance had two huge granite ornate pillars supporting a stone beam. There were a number of ruined shrines near the balance.

Raya-Gopura

On the opposite side of the balance were the ruins of a structure called the Raya-Gopura which had tall pillars.

Behind the Raya-Gopura was a Vishnu temple which was closed for renovation.

Kondandarama Temple

We started walking back to continue on our Hampi on foot exploration. We traced our steps back till the Soolai bazaar and walked further to reach the Kodandarama temple. The temple stands on the banks of Tungabhadra river, opposite the Chakrathirtha, a bathing ghat. The temple contains the standing figures of Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana.

We rested for a while on the banks watching people crossing the river on coracles.

It was way past lunchtime. There was a small restaurant on the banks of the river, where we had lunch.

After lunch, we then took a stone-paved pathway, passed by some huge boulders that took us right back to the monolithic bull.

We then walked to Hampi Bazaar, did some shopping and then took an autorickshaw and returned back to our hotel. But not before finalizing our next day’s plan.

We were to rent a moped for the next day. For our Day 3 adventures on a moped: Click here.