Silent Witnesses Of The Bygone Ages
Aju Mukhopadhyay
21 May 2008, 02:47Lotus petal shaped Lotus Mahal, abode of feminine beauties
Lotus shaped fountains sprouted perfumes over many such bodies.
Queen’s Bath was kept apart like a stone Chariot majestic
Alone on the courtyard, wheels of which are not really static,
Once it was a vehicle of the royal passengers. The whispering air
Still flows in the palaces, through the abandoned corridors of power.
The musical chime fills the air when struck. Each of the
56 pillars of the Vijaya Vithala temple become blithe.
Made of a huge monolith, Kadela Kalu Ganapathy;
Most simple yet full of artistic profundity.
Seated on a 7 hooded snake is huge Lakshminarasimha.
The walls of the Hazara Rama announce the story of Ramayana.
A landscape strewn with boulders, dry with dust,
Alongside flows the river Tungabhadra, steady and fast.
Stoned memorials, though not stone-cold, of the bygone days
Tell the tales of kings queens merchants and wardens
Of festivals diamonds courtesans war and victory;
Take us back to the 14th century
When Hukka and Bukka founded the Vijayanagara dynasty-
From 1336 to 1565 C.E. through many ups and downs it existed;
Alas, at last by the Deccan Sultanate to be completely routed.
We are shocked to read what historian Sewell wrote:
‘Never perhaps in the history of the world has such havoc been wrought,
and wrought so suddenly, on so splendid a city. . . .
in the full plenitude of prosperity
one day, and on the next seized, pillaged and reduced to ruins
amid scenes of savage massacre and horrors beggaring description.’
It was done by one of the barbaric groups who brought to ruins
India for more than 1000 years, with a sense of exultation.
Lord Virupaksha in his temple, among the silent witnesses of time,
Is still worshipped, had been there before the Vijayanagar regime
In his seat. The ruins at Hampi, 500 years old,
Remind us of coliseum and other Roman ruins, 2000 years old.
But physical ruins are not the only basis of history
Images of truth of other bygone days are shrouded by mystery;
Life styles of different ages through symbolic story
Come to us supported by epics and mythology.
Anagundi before Hampi was the capital of the other kingdom
Of ancient kiskindha, Sugriva’s platform.
The beauty of the nearby Pampa Sarovara
Made Rama passionate, enamored of abducted Sita.
It is believed that in the neighborhood, in Anjanadri hill
Hanuman was born and near to it is the Durga Devi temple.
Beneath the Matanga hill is the temple of Kodanda Rama,
Where after killing Vali, he crowned Sugriva.
Relics of nothing made by men, of the mythical age, remains
But the same flowing river, same hills and dales and lakes
Carry the memory of the dramatic personae, their presences.
The dry and rocky region, with ancient memories is replete
Makes us pine for what is not, makes us nostalgic.
Lovely article. It brings back memories in vivid detail. Hampi was one of the most amazing places I have ever visited.
— Rohini Gupta · May 23, 21:05 · #
Visited Hampi in 2002 and still have the odd dream about it, vivid and stark, full of history and slightly sad. Magical.
— Mark Traill · May 30, 19:17 · #