School Friends planned for a visit to Hampi, a World Heritage Site.
Chennai to Hampi a Photo Walk.
Chennai to Hampi travel distance is around 700 kilometres, by road it will take around 14 to 16 hours journey. We planned to go by train to Hospet town, near by Hampi. We had planned for 2days visit. However, it may take 4 days’ time to cover all areas in Hampi.
Hampi is an ancient village in the south Indian state of Karnataka. It’s dotted with numerous ruined temple complexes from the Vijayanagara Empire. On the south bank of the River Tungabhadra is the 7th-century Hindu Virupaksha Temple, near the revived Hampi Bazaar. A carved stone chariot stands in front of the huge Vitthala Temple site.
We planned to go to Hampi, several months ago but we could not make it, due to some practical issues to reach Hampi. There are no direct transport facility from Chennai to Hampi.
After making so many studies and research we found there are 4 routes to reach Hampi. One is Chennai to Bangalore and Bangalore to Hospet and Hospet to Hampi, this route takes 19 hours journey. The second route is Chennai to Renigunta and Renikunta to Hospet and Hospet to Hampi. This route takes a total of 16 hours’ journey. The third route is Chennai to Gooty and Gooty to Hospet and Hospet to Hampi, this route also takes 16 hours journey.
The fourth route is Chennai to Dhone and Dhone to Hospet and Hospet to Hampi, this route also takes 16 hours journey.
You can prefer the 2nd route. It is the best option for an onward journey.
In return journey, you can choose fourth route - Hambi to Hospet and Hospet to Dhone and Dhone to Chennai will be the best route, this route also takes a 16hours journey.
We planned this trip 45 days before and booked train tickets as per 3rd route option. That time We don’t know that we had chosen the difficult route and we are going to face problems during the journey.
On that journey day December 13th, all 3 friends are arrived around 4.30 p.m. at Egmore railway station, before moving the Kacheguda express train we took some photos.
As per the plan, Kacheguda express train should reach Gooty Junction around 1’o’clock early morning and we should catch a connecting train at Gooty junction around 2 'o’clock early morning.
But when train reaching Renigunta, it was already late by an hour, later the train reached Kadappa almost 90 minutes late. We lost our sleep and worried a lot whether we can reach Gooty junction on time.
Rail yathri apps help us to see the correct position of where is my train. Finally, we reached Gooty junction with one hour late. At the same time our connecting train also 1 hour late. Outside Gooty railway station, we felt the very chill climate there
More than an hour waiting, at last, our connecting train came to the station. We board the train around 3.20 a.m. From gooty junction, we traveled another 3Hours journey and reached Hospet junction around 6.45 a.m. At the time I cannot control my sleep.
The train reached Hospet junction but I am in deep sleep, one of my friend Elango promptly wake up me and he helped me to bring my bags and luggage to get down from the train, that’s why I am suggesting Chennai - Renigunta - Hospet - Hampi is the best onward journey route.
From the Hospet railway junction, we took one Share Auto to reach the Hospet Bus stand around 7’o’clock. The autowala charged Rs.10 per person. We enquired about bus frequency in the inquiry counter, we came to know Buses are available every 30minutes to reach Hampi Outside Bus stand we have seen Krishna Bhavan Hotel, we decided to drink Filter coffee in that hotel, and then we drank Good Filter Coffee.
After that again we came to Bus stand and waited a few minutes to board the Bus, finally, Bus also arrived, no rush at that time, around 25 persons are boarded on the Bus.
Hospet to Hampi travel distances will be around 13 kilometers and it will take 30 to 40 minutes time. Around 7.45 a.m. we reached Hampi Bus stand. After touching the soil of Hampi, so many auto drivers are surrounded by us to take an auto, but we avoided them, by walk we went to nearby street because Hampi is a small village, there are only a few main streets, we just walked into the Opposite side Street of Bus stand, there we found few hotels, But all hotels have their standard check-in time & checkout time is 9.00 a.m. At the same time, One auto man followed us, He informed us, he will show some homestay in the village, there we can check-in immediately.
We also decided to go to the village and saw some homestay rooms. But due to poor cleanliness, we avoided homestay and return again to Hampi Bazzar Street. On courtesy, we booked that auto man’s auto to visit local sightseeing for Rs.750/- and informed him to pickup us around 10.30 a.m. Thereafter we booked a room in Ranjana Guest House, the room and guest house is maintained very well by Mr.R.V.Doss. My rating is 4 stars to Room and service.
After 9.30a.m, we checked in. After the shower, we got ready one by one.
After that, we had breakfast in a nearby vegetarian hotel namely Geethanjali. We made order Idli, Poori Masal, & Masala Dosai with sambar & chatni, all ordered food items are regular food only, but it was Karnataka taste.
After breakfast, more than 20 minutes, we have waited for our booked Auto in Auto stand, after long waiting the auto man took us to Vitthala temple parking area. From there to reach the Vitthala temple, we should walk around 1.5 Kilometers, On the way, we can see Mandabam, Pushkarani & Temple Bazzar.
Vitthala (Vishnu) temple was developed and built in the 15th century by King Krishna Devaraya period, One of the biggest temples in this area. The main attractions of this temple are Stone Chariot, single stone Top roof, Musical pillars, 100 pillars Mandabam, Kalyana Madabam, Uthsava Mandabam, Narasimha Mandabam, Sabha Mandabam, and Garuda Sculpture.
After seen all these places and sculptures again we walked around 1.5 Kilometres to reach the parking area. The Auto man was not thereafter we made a phone call to him, he replied to wait for 5 minutes and we came to know that he was dealing with the other 2 tourists like shuttle service.
After 5 minutes he came to the parking place to pick up us. Next, we went to Royal Enclosure, there we took a guide to get details. We have seen Main Doors of fully made in Stone, Maha Navami Dippa, Secret Chambers, Saraswati Temple, Public bath tank, T shape Tank, Meals plate made by stone and Yaga Salai.
After that, we went to the Hazara Rama Temple. Here we have seen the finest sculptures of Ramayana stories and Balakrishna stories.
Then we visit Lotus Mahal, Elephants stable, Museum, Queens Bath, Underground Shiva Temple, Lakshmi Narasimhar temple, Jalagandeshwarar temple, Sasivekalu Ganesha temple.
Finally, we decided to view the sunset point in the nearby hill. Last few minutes only there, but we managed to hike the hill.
There we took some photos and we take some rest there, after some time, we got down from the mountain via Virupaksha temple. There we seen a huge crowd in the temple.
In Virupaksha temple there was an engagement function between Sivan and Parvati. Every year surrounding area, people are participating in the function with their families. Finally, we finished the first day of Hampi’s visit around 7.p.m. With a very happy note.
This is my second write up, please put your comment and encourage us and don’t forget to like us. In the future, if you are interested, you can also join us.