Hampi Diaries

Hampi is a town located in the eastern part of central Karnataka along the Tungabhadra river. It was the capital of the erstwhile Vijayanagar empire and played a very signficant role for close to two centuries.

Hampi is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. The unearthed ruins at Hampi serve as a testament to the exemplary skill, exceptional planning and amazing grandeur of those times. A place that was very prosperous, wealthy and a major trading hub attracting people from far and beyond.

Hampi has been fascinating me ever since I first visited the place back in 2015. Post that, I have had multiple opportunties to visit the place and have had some amazing encounters and experiences that are etched in my memory. Hampi still has its calling for me. There is so much more of the place that I am yet to revel in.

This post is an attempt of mine at showcasing the inimitable beauty of the place and a few of its wonderful denizens (the wildlife).

First off, a big thank you to my friend good friend and guide, Pompayya Malemath, for his unlimited energy and support during all my travels there. Pompayya is more like one in my family. His place, a beautiful Eco farm, where I stay everytime I visit Hampi is a little oasis amidst the vast expanse of the rocky outcrop.

Disclaimer: Have to confess that during my many visits to Hampi my focus has been predominantly on Wildlife, more specifically, Birding. Hence, you might notice that this post is quite heavy on bird images. Haven’t been able to spend the required amount of time on the other aspects for which Hampi has a lot to offer, namely, landscapes, architecture, people & culture. May be sometime in the future 😃

Some Landscapes

The very unique rocky landscape dotted with rivers, streams and lakes make for some wonderful imagery.

The temples and the ruins take you back in time…

Hampi is well known for its amazing sunrise and sunsets. It is almost a ritual for everyone visiting Hampi to be at any of the multitude of spots to enjoy a mesmerizing sight. Mathanga and Hemakoota hills are few of the crowd favourites.

Every once in a while the sunsets turn out to be magical and dramatic with some amazing play of colors in the sky. I got very lucky on one such instance. A canvas splashed across with a motley of hues by the setting sun.

Evenings are a great time to catch people in action too, an opportunity to make some lovely images.

Wildlife

Hampi is very rich in its biodiversity as well. It’s rocky hills, scrub jungle, mighty Tungabhadra river, lakes, irrigation canals and fertile farmlands are home to more than 230 species of resident and migratory birds – making it a great birding destination. It has also been recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA).

Apart from the wonderful avian life, Hampi and the adjoining Daroji Wildlife Sanctuary is home a wide variety of mammals namely, the Sloth bears, Jackals and Leopards too.

Birds

Starting with the unmissable candidates, the Asian Koel and the Indian Peafowl.

The unmistakable calls of the Grey francolins echo through the rocky and scrubby terrain.

Painted spurfowls are one of the flagship species of Hampi. Beautiful birds that move around in pairs. You have a lovely couple in the image below.

Quails & Sandgrouses thrive in the habitat. Painted Sandgrouse is another of the flagship species of Hampi.

Yellow-throated bulbuls are also a highlight of Hampi, mostly sighted around the rocky ruins.

The scrub jungle and the rocky embankments along the Tungabhdra canals are home to the majestic Indian Eagle Owls, the Indian Nightjars among many others.

A short drive away from Hampi lies the Magadi lake which attracts the beautiful and the high-flying migratory birds, the Bar-headed geese. Every year, these amazing birds descend to the place in thousands, nothing short of a true spectacle.

Reptiles

Diverse reptilian life also thrive in this scrubby, dry landscape.

Mammals

A wide variety of mammalian life call Hampi and the surrounding jungle their home.

Leave you with a few images of the omnipresent characters of Hampi, the Bonnet Macaques & the Gray Langurs.

Hampi has so many dimensions to it, catering to Architecture & History lovers, Landscape photography enthusiasts, those interested in People & Culture and no less, those passionate about Wildlife & Wildife photography.

Hampi should definitely be high on your list of places to visit. Plan your next trip there 😃

You can find more of my Hampi posts here - Posts from Hampi

Hope you enjoyed reading through. Please do share your thoughts by dropping in a comment below. See you on the next one.