An Addiction Named Hampi

The white tendrils of smoke were spiraling up like graceful ballerinas in harmonious unison and then breaking into chaotic frenzy, as if soulful ballet had given way to mad stampede, and then finally petered away into the air.

As I watched the smoke rising out of the ash-tray, I wondered how long I had been following it. Was it ten minutes, an hour or two hours? To me it seemed like I had been sitting there for ages. It’s not that I wanted to leave, because I didn’t; I loved every moment of it. It’s not often that I get to ignore the watch and stop keeping track of time. I could sit there for ages more and watch cigarette smoke snaking out of the ash-tray.

I was lazing on the mattress at a food joint in Hampi. After a sumptuous meal of German schnitzel laid out on a low table in a courtyard that had been converted into a restaurant, I was trying to catch a nap right there. I was on a run-vacation to Hampi. Yes, you read me right; I had travelled to Hampi for a run. With a couple of friends that I had made on my journey, I had a blast of a time.

Go Heritage Runs, an initiative of GoUNESCO, arranges fun runs across heritage sites to build awareness and familiarize people with these sites and their rich heritage. Popularizing heritage sites goes a long way in garnering public attention and support towards their conservation efforts.

Personally it was a day of achievement for me, I had stretched beyond my perceived capability and completed in decent time, a twelve kilometer run that I had enrolled for. Five kilometers was the longest distance that I had run till the previous day. I had traveled to Hampi hoping to run six kilometers without stopping and then walk away the distance that remained. But I had doubted I could do that either, because a week earlier I had injured the sole of my right foot. There was a constant niggle, that I had managed to keep at bay by not running the entire week building up to the run. Thankfully, I did not feel any pain as I warmed up for the race early that morning. Not only did I reach my six kilometer goal, but I was so exhilarated that I stretched that to nine kilometers without breaking pace. It was at that point when the pain in my foot re-surfaced and I had to hobble over the remaining distance that was mostly unpaved road and rocky terrain.

The amazing weekend at Hampi had started with a hike up the Matunga hill, the day before the run. The summit provides a breath taking view of Hampi and the surrounding country-side. A world heritage site spread over an area of twenty five square kilometers, Hampi consists of remnants from the powerful ancient empire of Vijayanagar. Hampi was the flourishing capital of this colossal empire. The ruins strewn across the sites speak aplenty of the art, culture, lifestyle and majesty of this ancient capital. It is wonderful how rural life has thrived around these ruins over the centuries and how history has dovetailed itself into co-existence with the day to day lives of the locals.

Hampi is not only ruins and history. The country side is just as impressive. As we had experienced on our moped expedition across Hampi and adjoining Anegundi, the countryside is crisscrossed with rocky terrain and lush green cultivated lands. The unending Banana plantations add green vibrancy to the landscape in contrast to the brown color of the bouldery hillocks. And in the midst of this rivalry of colors, the Tungabhadra keeps flowing by.

I had been to Hampi before, and had seen it all. But this is not ‘all’ of Hampi. What attracts travelers to Hampi most is the slow rustic life. Time is not important in Hampi. The lure of a really laid back vacation attracts city dwellers like me. For once it had seemed that time had stopped. Where else in my busy life would I get to sleep in a cozy rustic shack, awake to the sound of chirping birds, zoom around the country side on a cheap rented moped, sit on a boulder beside a lake and pass the day away as listlessly as possible? Apart from this, the food shacks of Hampi are the meeting grounds for all sorts of foreign cuisine. Food is good, priced reasonably and what’s more, awesome to taste. The waiters never disturb you, unless you call them, and you are welcome to stay as long as you wish. If you still want more, join the jamming sessions that often happen in the evenings. Enjoy the music and feel one with the people of different creeds, colors and nationalities all around you.

To me Hampi had seemed like Neverland, where life was all play with little or no work. I had heard people saying that Hampi is an addiction. I had understood why they said so, as I had slipped into a slumber beside my lunch table.

Late in the afternoon, as I had set out on my return journey, I had looked back at Hampi and the beautiful setting sun and I had promised myself, “I will come back again and again and again”.