Day 6
11/12/16
Trying to indulge in Hampi! Trying to be a
part of the town
It was Sunday and
most of us decided to stay back in the hotel and relax. Somehow I felt that now
I need to talk to the locals to understand what is Hampi now? I went to Hampi
with few of my classmates. And I roamed in the town all by myself. I knew the
lanes in Hampi, I knew the places now. I went to the Hemakuta Hills and sat in
one of the temples there. That place was beautiful and one could see all the
area of Hampi in one glance, sitting there. I sat, I drew, I wrote, I observed.
Sometimes spending some time alone for yourself and recalling, interpreting of
your experience is a good learning process. Practically, tried to take the
essence of the place.
My desire was to talk to people that day. I had a contact
number of a person who was a guide but was living in Hampi since his birth. So I
thought he must know about Hampi far more than just the history. It turned out
to be true as he had lot of to share. He cherishes the memories of his
childhood when Hampi really was a lively place according to him. There was no
UNESCO intervention; it was not a world heritage site. It was just a holy place
for them. A lot changed when UNESCO took over the place. They want Hampi to be
protected, restored and clean. That meant displacement of the houses and shops
around the main temple. Displacement of people. For the locals this is still
like a nightmare. Now they feel that Hampi has lost its glory, its religious
importance. They even state that the number of tourists is decreasing.
I noticed the conditions of Hampi from the point point of
view of the locals. And that was fascinating. I felt that now people should be
my focus.
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