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India: Hampi

The Tungabhadra River
The placid Tungabhadra River gently flows past the ruins of Hampi

A night-train ride northwest of Bangalore, Hampi seems to exist in a sphere of its own, a self-contained combination of timeless natural wonder and historical human impact. Here the ruins of ancient civilisations pepper the rocky landscapes while restaurants pander to the requirements of the tourist classes, and all the time the slow turbulence of the Tungabhadra River meanders along the valley floor, only months away from the raging tumescence of the monsoon.

Ruins in Hampi
Hampi is surrounded by exquisite ruins of the ancient Vijayanagara kingdom
Sunset over the main drag in Hampi
Sunset over the main drag
A rangoli
The women of Hampi decorate the front steps of their homes with rangolis

Images of Hampi

The Vitthala Temple
The columns of the Vitthala Temple make music when they're struck

As with all fairly long stays, I happily slipped into the lifestyle. In Hampi the mañana ethos is stronger than in most places, and yet again I found my plans slipping gently away. Highlights of my lounging in Hampi follow, in no particular order:

And to cap it all, I was lucky enough to be in Hampi for the Holi Festival, and I can't think of a better place to spend it...