I knew little about Hampi when I boarded the bus leaving from Hospet’s bus terminus. Seated in the bus among chirpy young school students in their starched white shirts and dark green shorts I was beginning to draw a picture of the shape of things to come. Cognitively drawing upon the information in my guidebook, the photographs in it. Relieved at one level of having made this bus at the very last moment, on the run. At another level my senses were on high alert, my eyes scanning everything around me. Taking it all in. The landscape on both side of the road was starting to change into a fascinating display of prcariously positioned boulders and the odd prehistoric structure which looked like temples. And then it was getting obvious, these boulders were everywhere as far as the eye could see, the ancient structures started appearing more frequently. It was indeed getting interesting. Felt like I was entering into an unreal world of a forgotten era.

The apprehension and doubt started to fade away. The effort I put to make it here was going to be worth it…I mean eight hours of bus journey from Bangalore city, my Granta and the occasional blurry windmill smeared terrain on the outside for company and the feeling of being forever lost…