Road Trip Log:: Badami-Pattadakal-Aihole-Hampi

Road Trip Log:: Badami-Pattadakal-Aihole-Hampi 

This is a 'raw' log of our road trip, which may help others to plan their trip.

(This is not a travelogue/ ideal itinerary/ comprehensive list of places to visit. Also, the trip log will not be able to cover the details of monuments, architecture, history and stories)

      

This trip was on our bucket list for years.. The purpose was to immerse ourselves into the glorious history and architectural remains of Chalukya and Vijayanagara dynasties that created magic on the deccan plateau. 

      

0] Day 0: Sat 04-Nov. Pune - Solapur. 263 km.

- Started from home at 4 pm. Not a fan of night driving, but had to take an exception on this day (Saturday being the last working day at school before Diwali vacation for my girls - wife, daughter)

- Faced bad traffic till Manjari, but later it was an excellent Highway. There were intermittent sugarcane trolleys popping up, but not much nuisance.

- Vada Pav, Idli and chai break at Vithal Kamat Yavat

- Chai halt at Deshpande Veg Indapur

- Stay at Kyriad Solapur. Highway proximity. Decent hotel and food. Peaceful sleep.

1] Day 1: Sun 05-Nov. Solapur - Badami.

- 630-1045 am: Solapur to Badami (225 km, good Highway, with last 25 km country road)

- Checked in at KTDC Mayura Chalukya Badami

- Lunch: Sri Veerabhadreshwar lingayat khanavali. Authentic yummy local food with Jowar Bhakri, Dal, Brinjal subji, chautneys and sambhar rice. Very basic ambience, but clean. Nice people. 

- Rented an auto ₹600 for 5 hours of (not for distance to be covered, but for maneuvering through tiny messy lanes of Badami. Don't think of taking your car)

- ASI museum: ticket ₹5. Mega sized beautiful both sided Makara Torana, Exquisitely carved Lajja Gauri sculpture)

- Badami fort: Petra-like experience of a superb pathway through mega sized red boulders. Took a diversion to crawl through a narrow passage to visit Lower Shivalaya. Visited Upper Shivalaya on the fort top. 

- Visited Bhootnath temple next to serene Agastya Lake. Ignore the local people washing clothes. Enjoyed coconut water.

- Located 700 CE arabhatta inscription beneath Badami fort cliff. Again the surrounding area is dirty.

- Moved to Badami cave temples. A 6th century earliest known example of Hindu temples in the Deccan region. Mesmerizing sculptures - Cave 1 (dancing Shiva as Nataraja), Cave 2 (Hari Hara, Ardhanari shiva, Mahishamardini), Cave 3 (very rare Anant Vishnu, Varaha with Bhudevi, Harihara, Narasimha in standing posture, great image of Trivikrama and Virata Vishnu) and Cave 4 (revered figures of Jainism). Monkeys are a nuisance. Lots of crowds and school trips. 

- Later around 730 pm, visited Banashankari temple (Shaktipeeth Shakambhari Devi). Superb fulfilling darshan, where we were lucky to enter the innermost cell next to the deity. No crowd ahead of temple closure at 8 pm.

Stay: Hotel Mayura Chalukya Badami. Good room and peaceful sleep.

2] Day 2: Mon 06-Nov. Pattadakal. Aihole.

- Simple quick breakfast at KTDC

- Drive to Pattadakal. 22 km. Lots of farmers were using the tar road to process their farm produce, mainly corn.

- Hired a very good local ASI guide at ₹600 to visit a complex of 7th and 8th century Hindu and Jain temples on the bank of Malaprabha river - unparalleled beauty of UNESCO World Heritage site

- The Pattadakal monuments reflect a fusion of two major Indian architectural styles, one from north India (Rekha-Nagara-Prasada) and the other from south India (Dravida-Vimana). Virupaksha Temple is particularly beautiful. 

- Travelled to Aihole. Checked in at a premium heritage property - Wada1 Hotel (a Chalukyan Desai wada converted into hotel)

- Took a 10 km detour to have lunch at Shri Vijaymahantesh khanavali, Amingad. Shopped Karadant sweets at Vijaya Karadantu (they have many branches, one being next to Aihole temple)

- Visited Aihole Durga temple complex which is another Unesco World Heritage site. Took ASI guide ₹400. ASI ticket ₹25. Marvelous and unique temple with the design combining north and south Indian ideas on architecture. Exquisite sculptures of Mahishasur-mardini, Varaha, Narsimha, Harihara and so on.

- Awesome premium stay, food and hospitality at Wada1

3] Day 3: Tue 07-Nov. Aihole to Hampi

- Revisited Durga temple to experience it in the early morning sunshine. Such a beauty! Other sites - Sri Hucchimalli Gudi (Kartikeya sculpture on the ceiling) and rock cut cave of Ravana Phadi (not to be missed) are magical. Ravana Phadi has stunning artwork of Lord Shiva in Nataraja incarnation with several others Ganesha, Parvati and Sapta Matrikas.

- Traveled to Ilkal for 35 km on a great highway. Managed to reach one of the oldest Ilkal saree shops 'P K Guled Ilkal Saree Manufacturers'. This is not a regular shop, but a home located deep inside weavers' vasti. The approach to reach is something that not everyone may like. Reasonable rates, great variety, awesome owner and nice sarees. To reach, find Aco School on google map and then search for PK Guled. 

- Drove 93 km to reach Hotel Malligi in Hospet. Checked in for 3 days' stay.

- Visited Sanapur lake that boasts a beautiful landscape. Coracle rides are not operational here nowadays.

- Moved to Sanapur IB road coracle boat ride. A small fun ride for ₹ 500 taking swirls in the river.

- Climbed up some 575 steps of Anjanadri hill. Crazy monkey attempted and failed to steal my wallet from the back pocket of the jeans. Beautiful view of Hampi remains, stone-led hills, Tungabhadra river and paddy fields. Superb light and colors in the sky.

 

     

4] Day 4: Wed 08-Nov. Essential Hampi.

- 6-730 am: Ascended Matanga hill for sunrise, over some steep and slippery steps. Had a grand panoramic view of Hampi.

- Virupaksha temple: Large beautiful Gopura. Lakshmi elephant darshan. Paintings on the ceiling of mantapa are beautiful. Behind the temple, locate the room to watch the inverted image of Gopura with a pin-hole camera image mechanism - something not to be missed. Not a good experience with one ASI guide (₹300), who kind of rushed our trip after getting a call from another party with a full-day guide assignment. 

- Fortunately we engaged with a new ASI guide Srinivasa Kulkarni (+91 94820 06390), who turned out to be an extremely awesome, passionate and knowledgeable guide. ASI guide fees of INR 2500 for a full day may appear steep, but are worth paying - if you get a good guide. 

- Took our own car across Hampi locations and didn't hire an auto; no issue to drive on the raw narrow roads as there was a limited crowd. Visited Kadalekalu Ganesha, Hemakuta hills, Jain temples, Saasivekaalu Ganesha, Balakrishna Temple. Mesmerized with the 22 feet Ugra Narasimha - something we relate Hampi with for years. Large Badava Linga - Jal Kantheshvar, Prasanna Virupaksha temple filled with water

- Zenana Enclosure. Good toilets. ₹40 ticket which also works later with Vijay Vithala temple. Lotus Mahal - natural AC (aka Chitrangai Mahal), watch towers. 

- Hazara Ram temple: Kudos to the guide Srinivasa for showing us this temple the right way - a total of 30 min non-stop Ramayana story through sculptures  

- Visited Royal audience. Mantralaya equivalent. Queen's bath.

- Mesmerizing Vijaya Vithal Mandir with the iconic chariot 

Day 5. Thu 09-Nov. Hampi ancient route trail.

- Decided to revisit Vijaya Vithal temple at leisure, as we loved it the most

- First took an ancient trail walk to Achyutaraya Temple for 1.25 km. Hot temperature.

- Visited Kodandaram temple, which has Shriram, Laxman, Seeta and Sugreeva idols. Hanuman idol outside.

- Raw trek over Tungabhadra rocks to find Kotilinga and Vishnu Avatara ruins

- Authentic South Indian lunch and filter coffee at restaurant Naivedyam at Hospet. Superb!

(Celebrated Mango Tree restaurant is temporarily closed. Originally planned Tungabhadra dam visit cancelled as we got immersed into the beauty of Vijaya Vithal temple)

Day 6. Fri 10-Nov. Hospete to Kolhapur. 375 km.

- Hospet to Hubli: Superb Highway. Mostly without any restaurants on the way.

- Hubli to Dharwad: Single lane Highway, with many slow moving trucks and reckless cars

- A much deserved stop at 'BIG Mishra Cafe' Dharwad on highway. Nice newly opened food mall. Lovely Kunda and Pedha sweets. Authentic filter coffee and snacks. Clean restrooms.

- Road till Kolhapur: Too many diversions. Not enjoyable drive

- Enjoyed Rajabhau oli bhel in the evening

- Satvik dinner at Swaroop Lakshmi bhojanalay

Day 7. Kolhapur to Pune.

- Absolutely fulfilling darshan of Shri Ambabai at 6 am.

- Mandatory yearly visit to Laxmi Misal 

- Drive back home - sweet home. 

Overall, simply awesome and fulfilling trip to Badami and Hampi. Many times, disappointed looking at the ruthless destruction done by the Bahmani Sultanate. Clocked 1503 km on the odometer. Enjoyed yummy food. Feeling blessed to witness the architectural marvel and creation of our ancestors.