Hampi, Hanuman and a Tribute to Sanjeev Kumar

Read this travelogue written by Sangita Malhan and explore the wonders of Hampi through her wonderful narration, blended with a tribute to Sanjeev Kumar!

In February 2025, my husband and I undertook an ambitious and deeply rewarding road trip from Goa to Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and back; driving 1400 kms over nine days in a manual car, and singing nearly 500 songs. We dedicated the adventure to Mohammed Rafi, the man with the velvet voice.

A few months down the line, there was talk of embarking on another jaunt; to Hampi, Pattadakal, Aihole and Badami in Karnataka, this time, during the tail end of the monsoons. The journey would cover 800 kms in six days, and the weather would be fine. We were also hoping that the roads in the State would have been repaired. Alas!

This trip would celebrate Hindi cinema’s finest actor and my favourite – Sanjeev Kumar. Reference — Naya Din Nayi Raat and his unforgettable performance essaying nine roles. I recall the rage which becomes panic in his eyes when Gabbar chops off Thakur’s arms in the film Sholay. His expressions as a father with a hearing and speech impairment admonishing his son in Koshish, his comic timing in Angoor, and his sage presence in Aandhi are a masterclass in acting. In the land of Harihara, I would hail Harihar. (Explanation follows after the fact.)

While reading up about the region, I realized that there was a lot to explore. A travelers’ delight. With careful planning, it would be possible to see many magnificent temples, megalithic statues, stone carvings of the highest caliber, serene lakes, and the mighty Tungabhadra River. The entire area is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. (Some of the approach roads to these sites need an upgrade, though.)

History tells us that the Vijayanagar Empire was a rich military state, which flourished in trade and agriculture, and which set new standards in art and architecture over a span of two centuries. Krishnadevaraya and Tenali Raman might be familiar names. The story of the City of Victory begins in the middle of the 14th century when two warrior brothers Harihara and Bukka, carved out this stronghold whose boundaries extended from the river Krishna in the north to the Indian Ocean in the south.

Most of our understanding about this bustling, large, fortified city comes from the accounts of foreign travelers and merchants who were truly impressed by its glory and grandeur. They wrote about its fine urban planning and wide avenues; of its modest but beautiful homes made of mud bricks, and of its massive structures made of locally-sourced granite. They were dazzled by the scale of the city, and said that it was amongst the largest in the medieval world.

They described its bazaars selling gems, jewels, fine fabric, perfumes and spices. They also made mention of its strict taxation and revenue systems. Hampi is situated in eastern Karnataka. It is the ancient `Kishkinda’ of the Ramayana, where the vanara (monkey) kingdom existed. (They continue to inhabit the area.) It is here, on a rocky hill, according to legend, that Rama and Lakshmana met Hanuman after Sita had been abducted.

I had drawn up a list of places to see. These included the Virupaksha and the Vitthala Temples; the large statues of Narasimha and Ganesha; a huge Shiva Lingam; musical pillars and the stone chariot; the Mahanavami Dibba – a raised platform from where the king and his nobles witnessed the famed Dasara procession; the Durga and Huchimalli Temples and the Ravalaphadi in Aihole, and the caves and their phenomenal Vishnu, Nataraj, Mahishasuramardini, Ardhanarishwara and Harihara statues in Badami, besides the entire range of early Chalukyan temples in `Red City’ Raktapura aka Pattadakal. Looming large on the horizon was Anjanadri Hill, believed to be the birthplace of Anjaneya; worshipped with great devotion as Hanumatha, Maruti, Bajrang Bali, Sankat Mochan, PavanPutra Hanuman.

Armed with this research, we set sail at the break of dawn on 20 August. We estimated covering the 350 kms to Hampi in 7 hours. The Highway going past Mollem National Park in south Goa is good, and we were cruising smoothly until we entered Uttara Kannada at 7 a.m. through thick fog and heavy rain. First, the border patrol took away hubby’s stock. One is not allowed to carry liquor from Goa into Karnataka. Lesson learnt. Didn’t happen when we had gone south along the coast through Karwar. This time, it was a horizontal, eastern trajectory.

Second, we re-encountered those pot-hole ridden roads and hideously lumpy bone crushers aptly named speed breakers. Still wondering why no one ever did anything about them, we landed our first big plus in the State. Undeniably superlative, rich brown Coffee! Yay to small mercies! By 10.45 a.m., we were at the Hubli Semi Ring Road – a decent patch. Around noon, a gorgeous vista unfolded in front of us – the majestic, swooping arms of gigantic wind turbines, not one or two but dozens upon dozens of them; a riveting, hypnotic sight. Karnataka is a leading producer of Eolic energy.

I had just started my share of the driving. So, I didn’t stop the car and shoot a video of myself moving my arms in sync with the trance-like movement of the enormous blades in slow motion. What fun that would have been! We reached Hosapete around 1.30 p.m. Lunch is just fruit or curd for us now. Former Air India commander Capt. Tejinder Singh Malhan has been a `one large meal only every 24 hours’ sort of person for decades. I am a recent convert, having understood the indubitable benefits of consuming less, only now.

No fatigue. So, we were ready to get out and explore within no time. Teji suggested we visit Malyavanta Hill. Vehicles can drive all the way up to the complex that houses a Raghunathaswamy Temple. Priests were chanting as we entered the premises. We marveled at the temple and its pillars. Every bit of stone was decorated with heavenly carvings. Other than the usual motifs – dvarapalas (doorkeepers), dancers, and meditating yogis, there were figures of large and small fish, serpents and other sea creatures on one of the boundary walls, including a figure riding a large whale with a weapon in hand, like Triton.

We walked out to the top of the hill. The view was breathtaking. Teji went leaping and bounding over multiple boulders; he is light and agile, and a deft climber. Ginormous granite boulders, perched precariously, atop one another; seem poised to topple and go over the edge, exploding into a gazillion pieces, and crashing down on unsuspecting passersby, but they don’t. A mystery. One cannot take one’s eyes off of them as they remain stoic and balanced. This has to be seen at close quarters to feel outright wonderment.

Day Two. O Saathi chal…

We hired a cab. It was much easier covering the twenty-something spots since the driver knew everything well, and he could manoeuvre the battered roads better. Satish took us first to the Virupaksha Temple. Bazaars, some of them with a first floor still intact, lined both sides of a path leading up to the temple. Its impressive gopuram (ornamental gateway tower) at a height of 53 metres is amongst the tallest in India, reported our guide as he steered us to an enclosure by the main entrance. “This is a 40-year-old temple elephant,’’ he announced. Lakshmi, who was busy at her breakfast, gave us a glance.

In the Ranga Mandapa (theatre pavilion) inside, colouful paintings adorned the ceiling — Girija Kalyanam, and the ten incarnations of Vishnu –Matsya (Fish), Kurma (Tortoise), Varaha (Boar), Ugra/Narasimha (Man-Lion), Vamana (Dwarf), Parashurama (Warrior-Sage), Rama (Perfect Man), Krishna (Divine Statesman), Buddha (Enlightened One), and Kalki (Destroyer of Evil), who is yet to appear.

Puja rituals were propitiating the reigning deity, Shiva, when we entered. The temple also honours the sage Sri Vidyaranaya, who advised Harihara (one of the founders of Vijayanagar) to establish a city in this region. Here, one encounters a mystical creature amongst the sculptures. It is called Makara Yaali – and has an elephant’s trunk, a crocodile’s mouth, a rabbit’s ear, a horse’s neck, a cow’s stomach and a lion’s legs. The symbolism is open to interpretation.

Having seen several structures such as the Eduru Basavanna, a monolithic bull of epic proportions; the Lotus Mahal (a fusion of Indo-Islamic architecture), the Elephant Stables, 11 of them; a spectacular 6.70 meter sculpture of Lakshmi Narasimha seated in padmasana with a yogapattika (yoga belt) under a seven-hooded serpent; the remains of the `Mint’, and the awe-inspiring Hazara Ramachandra Temple, we reached the Mahanavami platform, the walls of which are carved intricately with figurines, all the way from the bottom to the top.

In the afternoon, we visited the Vittaleswara Temple and feasted our gaze upon the exquisite stone chariot in the courtyard, which is actually a Garuda shrine. We also admired the Utsava Mandapa (the festival hall), the Kudure gombe Mandapa (toy horse hall) and the 56 musical (Sa Re Ga Ma) pillars, which were (fortunately) out of the reach of tourists, lest they are damaged. That evening, we drove to the Tungabhadra Dam, which offered us an astounding view. We took a bus uphill and then walked to the Prakash stambha (lighthouse). The river, in all its expanse, lay before our eyes. A rainbow appeared above our heads. What a moment!

Main wahi…wahi baat. Harihar Jethalal Jariwala

Over dinner, I asked Teji about some of his favourite Sanjeev Kumar movies. He mentioned Biwi O Biwi, Angoor and Khilona besides Trishul and Namkeen. I enquired if he was aware of a 1966 film titled Badal, which has the actor, slim and dashing, and light-footed, singing `Apne liye jiye toh kya jiye’. (Check it out!) And, Anokhi Raat, where his acting prowess is well on display as it is in Anhonee. We combined our two favourites, and heard the song `Main wahi…wahi baat’. Rafi Saheb sings for Sanjeev Kumar in a confluence of two great talents.

Day 3. Om Ham Hanumate Namaha.

There was talk the previous night of climbing the 575 steps up to the Hanuman Temple on Anjanadri Hill. For Teji, who can walk 25 kilometers at a stretch, this would be easy, but I had to test myself. So, I prayed to the deity himself and asked for strength. We drove towards the hill at 9 a.m., and started climbing just after 10. Half an hour later, with three 10-second breaks, I found myself looking at Hampi from that staggering height. The ruins of the city looked dramatic, as if the stage was set for a theatre. The Tungabhadra River approached us from the extreme left, and gushing and gurgling, went right, far into the distance. Unforgettable!

Once back on the ground, we drove to the Pampa Sarovar and Shabari’s cave. There’s a Durga temple here, and Vali’s cave. This is a fresh hike. I sat this one out. Teji brought back a video and photographs. At 1.30 p.m., we were at Sanapur Lake. No coracle rides at that time because of the monsoons. But a group of men was playing Chinni Dandu on the street. They would hit a gilli (peg) with a danda (stick) and then ride their motorbikes, looking for the peg. Elsewhere, kids were spinning tops. Called Buguri in Kannada, it is a popular game. Hallikar Hassu (cows of the native breed) with their long, thin, backward bent horns painted red, blue, green and yellow went past us, carrying loads of sugandhi, the local banana.

Day 4. Iss mod se jaate hain…

Off to Aihole. 140 kms. Less than 3 hours. And, 35 kms to Badami from there, in an hour.

As we approached Aihole around 11.20 a.m., there was a bazaar bristling with activity; cattle were being sold, and people were enjoying their morning `tiffin’. According to a guidebook, Aihole or Aryapura (city of scholars) was the regional capital of the Chalukyas between the 4th and 6th centuries A.D. (now termed CE – Common Era). It had about a hundred temples. We went up to the splendid Durga Temple in a complex which housed seven other temples, including the Lad Khan Temple, whose aerial view, which we saw on paper, was stunning.

Then, we went to Ravalphadi, a rock-cut shrine. On the interior wall is a jaw-dropping sculpture of a ten-armed Nataraja (the King of Nata – Dance = Shiva). Around lunch, we checked into our hotel in Badami. We had an apple each, and left for Pattadakal, 22 kms away. It took us 30 minutes.

The complex has a series of nine striking stone temples, including the Sangameshwara Temple, the Mallikarjuna Temple, the Kasi Visvesvara Temple and the Papanatha Temple. Artists and architects (Gandharva and Sutragrahin), who worked on these structures, deserve our gratitude as well as our lavish praise. A book I bought on the site said `the Badami-Pattadakal-Aihole area was such a busy hub of commercial activity that it found mention in Ptolemy’s “A Guide to Geography’’ of the mid-second century’.

In the evening, Teji went for a walk, and I went for a swim.

O Manchali..Kahaan chali.

Although this is a Sanjeev Kumar song many of us recognize, the one that melted my heart when I first heard it is `Mujhe jaan na kaho meri jaan’ from Anubhav. His presence in `Tum aa gaye ho, Noor aa gaya hai’ and `Tere bina zindagi se koi’ lends such grace to the flow of the narrative. His anguished expression in `Khilona jaan kar tum toh’ is as memorable as his perky demeanour in `Koi ladki mujhe kal raat sapne mein mili’. We played some of these songs. Hari bol! (Friends addressed him thus all his life.)

Np Trips Found

Day 5. Phir kahin…koi phool khila…

Poetry on stone.

We set out to see the Badami caves, known for their exemplary architectural and sculptural excellence. Maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India, they are tourist-friendly. A plaque at the entrance said `Badami, also known as Vatapi, was the capital of the Chalukyan Empire (6th to 8th century A.D.) which extended during the reign of Pulikesin II from Kanchi in Tamilnad to the banks of the Narmada and from Orissa to the West Coast’.(sic) It also mentioned `Here lived Prasanna Venkatadasa, a great Vaishnava saint of the 16th century A.D.’

Teji scanned a code at the entrance of Cave No. 1, and the literature came up. The stunning cave, dedicated to Siva, has an 18-armed Natesha statue. The King of Dancers holds a trishul, a damaru, a lotus, a serpent, a japamani, and a pushpa in his many hands. There are large reliefs of Nagaraja (the snake king); Harihara (the combined form of Hara and Hari/ Shiva and Vishnu), and a `vrishabha-kunjara (a morphed form of a bull and an elephant,) among several others. I bow to the craftsmen who have signed their names – Aychasvami-Kalkutti.

Cave No. 2 is dedicated to Vishnu, who is present in the Trivikrama Vamana avatar and the Bhu-Varaha avatar forms. Episodes from Krishna’s life and from the Samudra-manthan have also been chiselled with much finesse. A matsya chakra yantra (fish motif device) on the ceiling is flanked by the swastika symbol of well-being and good fortune. Lions, elephants and crocodiles have been sculpted with precision. May the sculptors Vachya, Buru and Duttoja accept my salutations!

Reading material said `Cave 3 was created for Maha-Vishnu. It is the largest and most ornate of the Chalukya caves.’ The sculptures of Vishnu seated on a five-hooded Adishesha/Ananta (his serpent); his Vijaya (victorious) Narasimha avatar after slaying demon Hiranyakashyapu, and his eight-armed avatar statues are just otherworldly. I sat down to observe them at close quarters.

Figures of Shiva-Parvati, Kama-Rati and Naga-Nagini are also visible, as is a relief of Brahma surrounded by Indra in the east, Varuna in the west, Kubera in the north and Kartikeya on the south. Data informed us that Artist Nelavalke has carved the beautiful image of Vishnu’s vehicle, Garuda.’ I prostrate before his genius. The names of the other sculptors are Kolimanchi, Singimanchi and Aju-Acharasiddhi. May they continue to receive accolades! May their Tribe Flourish!

Data provided to us said – `Cave 4 is a Jaina cave-temple. Its verandah walls accommodate reliefs of Bahubali (who is also known as Gommata) in penance and Parsvanatha in penance overcoming the obstacles thrown by his enemy, Kamatha. The sanctuary doorframe depicts Kama as the door-guardian. On the rear wall is a sermon-delivering Thirthankara (ford-maker to salvation), probably Mahavira, with a halo behind him, seated on a lion throne under a chaityatree and triple umbrella, and attended by chauri-bearers, Vidhyadharas offering flowers, and automatically beating divine drums.’

All it took was one hour to explore these four caves, but their memory will stay with me forever. We still had to visit the Badami Fort and the Bhutanatha Temple on Agastya Lake, nearby. Motorbike taxis accosted us, but we preferred to walk, although the approach to the lake is through shabby dwellings and narrow alleys ridden with garbage and muck. (Who will do something about this?)

We also went looking for a Vira Galla (heroic epitaph) inscription (called the Kappe Arabhatta Shasana) from the 7th century honouring a Chalukya warrior called Kappe Arabhatta. It is said to be the earliest form of Kannada poetry in the Tripadi (three feet) meter. I was told that it is in Sanskrit and Hale (old) Kannada. We kept looking, and to my utter joy, we found the boulder on which it was inscribed 1300 years ago. Goosebumps! For its meaning, one will have to solicit scholars and academic experts.

A hike up to the fort took about 300 steps through a magical rocky alleyway, that resembled Petra (Jordan). Two Shivalayas (temples), granaries, watchtowers and a mosque provide picturesque backdrops to a bird’s eye view of the city. While we were descending, we saw large groups of teenagers lugging sizeable vessels and provisions. They were going up to the mosque to cook and donate the food in charity to guests who were also expected to trudge up the daunting path.

Throughout the trip, since it was what Satish (the driver in Hampi) called `un-season’ or as we know as `off-season’, it was neither congested nor chaotic. End-August seems like the best time to be touristy. Hotels are less expensive. Traffic is manageable. The weather is fantastic – a cool breeze followed us wherever we went; there were hardly any torrential downpours, and we even got mild sunshine. In one word, PERFECT!

Day 6. Badami to Dabolim. Under 7 hours. 275 kms.

The last day of any trip could be a bit glum. But Music has always been our omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent Ally. Chand churake laya hoon, Jadugar tere naina, Bahon mein chale aao, Raah pe rehte hain…

Happy Travels to You, too! Dil Dhoondta hai..Fursat ke…raat din

Until the next time!

Sangita