Hampi Expedition

 

Deep in the heart of Karnataka, lies the ruined city of Hampi-Vijayanagar, the once fabulously wealthy capital of the Vijayanagar Empire, a Hindu kingdom which, from 1336, ruled for 200 years over a vast swathe of peninsular India stretching from Orissa in the north, to Sri Lanka in the south. In the early 16th century, when the Vijayanagar capital was at its zenith, it was said to be “greater than Rome”.

Now a Unesco World Heritage Site, Hampi-Vijayanagar is spread over an area of 26 square kilometres along the river Tungabhadra. As the most important capital of the Deccan between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries, Vijayanagar attracted thousands of artisans, poets, sculptors and scholars. Their houses, together with the ruins of royal palaces, temples, elephant stables, open air pools, and fortifications lie scattered in a surreal – and highly photogenic - landscape of huge granite boulders, lush sugar cane and banana plantations.

The enormous rocks are so absurdly placed that their existence has been attributed to the actions of the Monkey Gods who inhabited this ancient site in its mythological origins, when this was the kingdom of Kishikindha. Now little known outside of India, the magnificent remains of this ancient capital whose name means ‘City of Victory’ present outstanding photographic opportunities across a range of subjects.

Home to the one of the holiest religious sites in India, Hampi attracts scores of Hindu pilgrims who come to worship at the Virupaksha Temple, whilst many sadhus (ascetics) find shelter in the dilapidated edifices and the surrounding rock crannies. The combination of opportunities to photograph the magnificent landscape and architecture, as well as people and their rituals, makes Hampi-Vijayanagar an extraordinarily rich subject for photographic exploration.

 

Dates: 19 - 31 October 2008
This Expedition begins and ends in Goa, India. Dates refer to actual days on the ground (12 nights).
Expedition Leader: Dariusz Klemens
Participants: 6-8
Cost: £2100
Includes: Tuition. 12 nights accommodation, on twin-share basis, with breakfast daily. Transfers by private, air-conditioned minibus between Goa and Hampi. Translator and local guides. All entrance fees.

 

Notes:

The group will meet in Goa and move to Hampi, Karnataka on day 2 of the Expedition. After seven days of shooting in and around Hampi-Vijayanagar, we will return to Goa for a chance to relax, edit and discuss the images captured in Karnataka.

Although the choice of accommodation in the village of Hampi is fairly limited, its proximity to the ruins of Vijayanagar makes it the most convenient base for our explorations. Accommodation in Hampi is clean but basic; we think this is a small sacrifice for the privilege of enjoying easy access to the Vijayanagar site. The Expedition includes a four nights stay in luxury accommodation in northern Goa.

Participants should note that a considerable amount of walking is involved in this expedition and that to reach some of the vantage points around Hampi requires walking across rough terrain and some steep inclines.

 

For a sample of images from the area please visit our Hampi Gallery.

For any further information please email us through our Contact page.