ON THE WAY TO HOSPET NEAR HAMPI
Leaving Igatpuri, we began the last leg of our journey towards southern India. The first stop was to be Kishkinda - today known as Hampi. The long journey was broken for a much needed early morning break at a small town of Hemke Hubli in Dharwar district, on the banks of Mallaprabha river.
The buses stopped at the road and we walked with a change of clothes for about 2 kms along a small village mud track that wound through green foliage all around and wet fields. The track we found led us to a beautiful small Narasimha temple maintained by Madhavas, on the banks of the river Mallaprabha. A small temple with huge courtyard - that was the first impression. It is beautifully maintained and absolutely clean. The large courtyard with shady trees that made the place a haven for us wearied travelers. The temple though small had an idol that was very appealing and beautiful.
There were many rest room around the courtyard that made it easy for us to change. The river itself was slow moving and had lot of grass growing in it. A quick refreshing bath and we were ready to begin our prayers at the temple. Thats when I noticed an elderly local wiping each stone of the huge courtyard with a wet cloth, one at a time. The hurried tired city bred creatures that we all were, the temple was just a stop over for us. But for him, it was his life's penance and shraddha - he was aghast to find many of my co-yatrikas walking across the haloed courtyard with footwear on. His pleas and ours fell on deaf ears! To my utter amazement he gave a loud cry pleading in Kannada with all to not wear footwear and did shashtanga namskaram - he fell flat on the floor and refused to get upbefore all footwear was off the courtyard. His devotion and anger that stemmed from it, moved me and yet made me feel ashamed at what our 'civilised' urban socialising had done to all of us. How had we managed to make a routine of an act that was in essence one that should have purified our thoughts and heart. How cut off we had all become from everything that did not require us to move from our comfort zone! Anyhow, after making due apologies to the holy man, we went to the temple for darshan.
The image of the Lord was small and yet beautiful. Lakshmi Narasimhar in all his splendour and beauty sat there to bless our day as we moved towards Hampi after a simple breakfast.
To view photos of Hemke Hubli in Rama Anu Yatra click on:
Leaving Igatpuri, we began the last leg of our journey towards southern India. The first stop was to be Kishkinda - today known as Hampi. The long journey was broken for a much needed early morning break at a small town of Hemke Hubli in Dharwar district, on the banks of Mallaprabha river. 
The buses stopped at the road and we walked with a change of clothes for about 2 kms along a small village mud track that wound through green foliage all around and wet fields. The track we found led us to a beautiful small Narasimha temple maintained by Madhavas, on the banks of the river Mallaprabha. A small temple with huge courtyard - that was the first impression. It is beautifully maintained and absolutely clean. The large courtyard with shady trees that made the place a haven for us wearied travelers. The temple though small had an idol that was very appealing and beautiful.
There were many rest room around the courtyard that made it easy for us to change. The river itself was slow moving and had lot of grass growing in it. A quick refreshing bath and we were ready to begin our prayers at the temple. Thats when I noticed an elderly local wiping each stone of the huge courtyard with a wet cloth, one at a time. The hurried tired city bred creatures that we all were, the temple was just a stop over for us. But for him, it was his life's penance and shraddha - he was aghast to find many of my co-yatrikas walking across the haloed courtyard with footwear on. His pleas and ours fell on deaf ears! To my utter amazement he gave a loud cry pleading in Kannada with all to not wear footwear and did shashtanga namskaram - he fell flat on the floor and refused to get upbefore all footwear was off the courtyard. His devotion and anger that stemmed from it, moved me and yet made me feel ashamed at what our 'civilised' urban socialising had done to all of us. How had we managed to make a routine of an act that was in essence one that should have purified our thoughts and heart. How cut off we had all become from everything that did not require us to move from our comfort zone! Anyhow, after making due apologies to the holy man, we went to the temple for darshan.
To view photos of Hemke Hubli in Rama Anu Yatra click on:
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