Today I explored Hampi. Hampi is a large archaeological site (i.e., ruins) of a 14-16th century city in South India. The site is huge, about 26km2 One day is definitely not enough to see this site. Sadly, that's all I had. The contemporary historical writing regarding Hampi during it's hay day describe an exceedingly rich city. It is even compared to ancient Rome. For years it was the imperial city of several south Indian kings. It was then attacked, conquered and then systematically looted and destroyed over a four or five year period. It was never re-built and at that point sort of just faded out. As a result, even though there is great damage, Hampi feels like something of a time-capsule. Pottery fragments litter the ground. Some building still even have their plaster. Walking though Hampi it's easy to imagine what it must have been like. Even though the only buildings that remain are the solid stone structures their number is so vast that one cannot realize that it must have been a bustling city. My head was about to explode. Seriously. I mean, like many times during this tour, I was hit by this "I'm touching a thousand year old carving. People used to use this." Of course, in this site nothing is quite a thousand years old, but you get the idea. Hampi is a city. It was a city that for 250 years was comparable to Rome in wealth and sophistication. (Aqueducts, public baths, etc.) It's like you can feel the people who once lived there as you walk though it.
If you are going to tour south India, I highly recommend you see Hampi.
There are clay pot fragments everywhere.
"Queens Tank"
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