The Hindu : Karnataka News : A walk through time

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 07, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

A walk through time

‘I could walk through the heritage site, touch and feel the monuments’

WHISPERING WALLS: A view of ‘queen’s bath’, which has Indo-Islamic architecture.

Rakhee Pujari from Mumbai was among a 12-member group which took a heritage walk organised by the Hampi World Heritage Management Authority, as part of the Hampi Utsav in Hampi.

“Walking through the rocky wilderness, you suddently come across a temple with amazing art and architecture. And the delicious lunch served at an ancient temple adds to the excitement,” said an enthusiastic Rakhee.

The five km walk that takes the tourist through the cultural landscape of Hampi, once the seat of power of the Vijayanagar empire, has received a good response from tourists with over 100 people showing up for it. The walks will be on till November 10.

“It is an ever memorable experience. I could walk through the heritage site, touch and feel the monuments,” Charles Hopkinson, a tourist from Chicago said. This walk takes the tourist through the historic pathways of the ancient site showing the city’s defence, irrigation and water systems, and historical settlements like Krishnapura, Achyuthapura, and Vittalapura. A part of the heritage journey is by coracle in the Tungabhadra between the royal enclosure and Vittal temple complex. Each group has a qualified guide. The charge for the walk is Rs. 500, which includes lunch. The heritage walk commences between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. and passes through the monuments in the Royal Enclosure, queen’s bath, stepped well, aqua duct, Mahanavami Dibba, secret chamber, kings audience hall, horse stables, and the royal passageway to Hazara Rama Temple.

After this set of monuments, the group takes another ancient path that leads to Achyutpura and the huge complex of the Achyutraya temple.

“In the wake of very good response to the heritage walk, which was organised for the first time, we now plan to organise such walks throughout the year,” Arvind Srivastav, Deputy Commissioner and Chairman of Hampi World Heritage Management Authority, told The Hindu.

M. AHIRAJ IN BELLARY

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