Saturday February 4 - Hospet to Badami

Today was another beautiful, hot and sunny day. The sky is relatively clear in this part of the country I suspect due to lack of industrialization. Badami was once capital of the Chalukuyan Empire which ruled much of central Deccan between the 4th and 7th centuries AD. But the town of Badami today would be unrecognizable to its former inhabitants. It is a skeleton of a town; gray, undistinguished, and possibly the dustiest place I've ever been to. I now understand the value of having yards and yards of sari material to pull across your face to screen out smoke and dust particles. But more about dust later on.

In the morning we drove to the countryside to see four cave temples cut into the sandstone hillside in the early 6th c. The cave temples run along the right side of very large water tank. Cave 1 is reached by climbing 40 steps, has Shiva in his manifestation as Nataraja with 18 arms and seen in 81 dance poses.  Cave 2, on a higher level, has reliefs of Varaha and Vamana and Cave 3 is dedicated to Vishnu. According to a Kanada inscription unique to Badami, this cave was excavated in 578 AD and has numerous sculptures including a huge reclining Vishnu.   Cave 4 is the only Jain cave and was possibly excavated 100 years later.

Many women washed clothes in the water tank. We admired interested large patchwork quilted prices drying on the steps. Lakuma explained that they are used as sleeping mats. The women were also washing pots, pans, plates and cups in the tank. We circled the vast tank making stops at small temples and at a museum. At one point we heard a yelp and discovered that the women had run away because of an "attack" of makek monkeys who were attracted by the pots and pans and who were looking through them hoping to find food. Monkeys know that pots and pans mean food!

In the afternoon we had quite an adventure going to a temple. Lakuma bought a sari last night that she wanted to have blessed by a priest before giving it as a gift to her mother in law. She also wanted us to see a special gathering of people who come together for a celebration once per month. On the one hand it was a photographer's dream; colors, stalls selling temple items, accoutrements for bullock carts and vehicles, food, cooking items, pseudo-antique statues and devotional items. On the other, it was perhaps the filthiest, dustiest, most fly-infested place I've ever been to and it was hard to put my fan down long enough to photograph. I'm not sure why this particular place was so thick with flies, both inside the temple and out, because we've been to many and this place was unbelievable.

Thanks to Lakuma's help I did acquire a wonderful temple trinket: a small Shiva Linga that devout Lingites (a sub-sect of Shivites) keep with them at all times as a kind of cyanide pill. In the old days (centuries ago) if a Lingite was captured by an enemyand about to be killed or even if they had lost a philosophical debate about their religion, rather than fail in the eyes of Shiva they would swallow this small linga and commit suicide. The area around the Shiva temple contains 100s of large linga under portals used by visitors to have lunch and rest.

Saw a group of history teachers and students sitting in a circle on the ground having lunch. It was interesting to see men sitting on one side and women on the other. Lakuma says this separation stems from the tradition of women serving guests first, then elders, then men, then children and last themselves. We saw a water tank within the temple complex where young boys learn to swim. I videoed fathers teaching sons to swim and boys showing off their swimming and diving abilities.

Afterward we walked through the choking, dusty streets of Badami to see the market area. It was late afternoon and so not many villagers were shopping but shopkeepers were still hard at work. My favorite was a chili grinding shop that smelled wonderful and another that mixes chili powder with other spices and pounds it into a masala. It was interesting to see a large electronic mortar and pestle at work. Chili dust wafted down the street and we sneezed and coughed. Returned to the fabric shop to pick up purchases.

Moon over Badami.

Dinner with Lakuma. She introduced us to a delicious appetizer of peanuts with onion, chili and lime. Ate gobi, vegetable curry, lemon rice, dahl fry, papadum.

Friday February 3 - Hospet, Aihole, Pattadakai, Badami

Today we had a very long and bumpy ride as we made our way to Badami. We passed many water buffalo and teams of bullock carts as we drove. Bullock carts aren't decorated here in the wonderful way they are in the southern part of Karnataka.  Here it's the John Deere tractors that are festooned with brightly colored tinsel, flashing lights, tassels, and painted designs. I'm desperately trying to get decent photos of them.

We stopped in the morning at a colorful village market. Saw Lambodi (Deccan) women dressed in bright, multi-colored clothes decorated with mirrors and coins. Silver hair ornaments hung from (what appeared to be) strands of hair on either side of the face. They reminded us of tribal women we've seen in Gujarat. I particularly enjoyed the spice vendors with bags of marvelous smelling spices in every color imaginable. As we walked we came across a man (obviously some kind of performer) whose cheek, painted with yellow and red stripes, had a huge dagger piecing through it.

Our first historical site was Aihole (pronounced eye-ho-lay), a Chalukyan Dynasty capital dating from the 5th century. Aihole is regarded as the birthplace of Indian temple architectural styles and the site of the first built temples, distinct from those carved out of solid rock. Gopurum design shows how this early period influenced architecture seen at Halebid and other Hoysala Dynasty sites.

Most of the Aihole temples were originally dedicated to Vishnu but later became Shiva temples. It was amazing to see how facile artisans were using stone so many centuries ago. Some temple roofs looked as though they were made with wood; many had beautiful pierced windows, each in a different design; ceilings were adorned with circular motifs containing fish, nagas, and sacred flowers. Next we visited Ravanaphadi, a rock-cut Shiva shrine from the 6th century where inside we saw a tall dancing Shiva.

Pattadakal, a gorgeous temple on the banks of the Malaprabha River, is the second capital of the Chalukyan kings between the 7th and 8th c. It is the city where kings were crowned. The architecture of the vimana (the tower above the "inner sanctum' where the temple's deity is housed) reminded us of styles we'd seen in Orissan temples. On both the exterior and interior of the temples are beautiful carvings of figures of the gods. All but one of these temples are dedicated to Shiva.

At Pattadakal we saw a portion of a wedding ceremony quite different from our experience the other day. This time the young man (about to be a groom) underwent preparatory prayer and spiritual cleansing. He circled a temple prostrating himself again and again. There was a musical group preceding him, a person who ran placed the sari on the ground for the man to lie on, and a procession of men and women trailing carrying offerings such as coconuts to the gods.

Arrived in Badami, a small, dusty rural village and checked into our hotel.  What it lacks in decor and modernity our hotel makes up for in service. We sat outside for a hour on the grass near the pool. While we relaxed a group of Tollywood (Tamil Hollywood) movie people arrived, creating much excitement for Lakuma, Cliff and Cathy who knew them all.  We've been people watching ever since.

At dusk we took off as a group of five in an auto-rickshaw to look at textiles in town. Riding in the auto-rickshaw (aka 'tuk-tuk') was fun; Cliff and I sat in the back, laughing hysterically as we went over bumps and pot holes and hanging on for dear life. Lakuma took us to a nice textile shop and everyone else bought lovely cotton cloth and ordered shirts to be made. Cliff tried to find wi-fi in town, to no avail. I don't think there's internet anywhere in Badami. Took the auto-rickshaw back home. The restaurant at the hotel has delicious food and service is very nice.

Thursday February 2 - Hospet / Hampi

The morning school bus.

Hampi is a World Heritage site and I have been eager to come here ever since reading about it in guidebooks. It's a special destination and takes a full day to tour. The archaeoligal site is spread out over a huge distance and we walked quite a long way in the hot sun. We began the morning at Hemakuta Hill on the southern side of the village of Hampi which has temples dating from the 9th and 10th centuries. 

Then walked down to the Temple Complex of Virupaksha. This is not an active Shiva temple but you wouldn't know that from the crowds and number of wedding ceremonies taking place inside. Lakuma said this is a special place to be married. We stood for a long time watching a ceremony where the family and friends, priest and bride and groom were seated on the ground. The wedding ritual involved coconuts, spices, string, leaves, oil and incense and much more. I took a video which I plan to post on the blog once it's edited down. Monkeys frolicked around the periphery and climbed up statues.

It was a hot and sunny and we walked through what looked like the ruins of a Roman city but with Hindu temples. I read that at one time over 100,000 people lived in the ancient town of Vijayanagara which was spread over 700 acres. The Vijayanagara empire (15/16th c) posted dated the Palava, Chola and Hoysala Dynasties. We walked along the lovely Tungabhadra River for about an hour (very hot walking along huge boulders in the blazing sun) and arrived at a magnificent temple dedicated to Vishnu, Vittala Temple, dated to the 16th c.

Inside was a beautiful monolithic carving of a chariot.

Then to a temple dedicated to Krishna, Krishnadeva Raya, from 1513. Saw a 22 ft statue of the 4th incarnation of Vishnu with the face of a lion - in the anger pose - called the Narasimha. In the late afternoon we visited an aqueduct and newly discovered water tank. Climbed to the top of a structure to see the sunset.

Returned home completely drenched and exhausted. Vodka never tasted so good!

Copied from our itinerary: "Hampi which lies 13 kms east of Hospet, was once the seat of the great Vijayanagara Empire and the center of Hindu rule for 200 years from its foundation in 1336. The Vijayanagar city ruins near the village of Hampi are one of the most fascinating historical sites in south India.  The superb ruins are set in a beautiful landscape - a hill country with enormous boulders.  Extremely wealthy, greater than Rome, they held a monopoly of trade in spices and cotton.  This site was chosen for strategic reasons, but the craftsmen excelled in adopting an ingenious style to blend in architectural masterpieces with the barren and rocky landscapes.  Most of the sites are 16th century and built during the 20-year reign of Krishna deva Raya."

Wednesday February 1 - Hassan to Hospet

Typical South India Scene

Makeshift Public Transportation

Left the hotel at 8 for a full day of driving to reach Hospet, the overnight point for our sightseeing destination of Hampi. In the morning Lakuma told us a highly abridged version of the Mahabaratha, an 18 volume tale, about the rivalry between princely brothers who end up (after many side stories) facet-to-face on the battlefield. The hero, Ajuna, has Krishna on his side. Krishna tells Ajuna the morals of the Bagavagita as he urges him to fight the against evil pitted against him.

High Technology

Beautiful downtown Chitradurga (or is it Hospet? So hard to tell the difference)

At lunchtime in the small town of Chitradurga we were reunited with Cliff and Cathy who will continue with us for the remainder of our trip. They were delighted to see Lakuma again and we are all eager to hear about their adventures in northern India.

As we continued our drive in the afternoon we happened upon a village celebration that to us was rather exotic. We saw a goat being brought out for sacrifice and the men of the village dancing in the middle of the street (technically a "highway") with swords on the top of long sticks. Some men held axes. They danced in unison moving right then left and after awhile they jumped up and down in the air. Lakuma explained that once a year the village has a special ceremonial day rather like our Thanksgiving when they sacrifice a goat and chicken. There was such a throng of people in the middle of the road that it was impossible for us to continue driving so we just observed. I stayed in the van because I had a great view from slightly above the crowd. I videoed the men dancing and then the parade of people as they moved toward the temple. Women, who processed behind the men, carried saris, blankets and fruits as offerings to the gods. If I can figure out how to do so, I will post a clip.

Checked into our hotel at 6pm after what felt like a very long, VERY bumpy ride. Today's ride, perhaps because we were driving at a faster speed in a larger vehicle and on many roads under construction, felt the bumpiest of any of our rides. Went directly to the bar for our habitual vodka no ice and then to dinner. Had a chance to catch up with Cliff and Cathy and learn more about their Rajasthan experiences at the Jaipur Literary Festival.

Tourists much?