p.r.bullen - travelogue

temple complex Like most of south India, Hampi is largely unnoticed by most foreign tourists, who largely restrict themselves to Agra for the Taj Mahal and to Rajasthan. It's an amazing World Heritage site, politely policed by nattily uniformed security guards and very well maintained (all no doubt paid for by UNESCO, and money well spent, if you ask me).

The whole thing is carved out of granite, available locally in great abundance, and many of the buildings (and carvings) are quite large (perforce, to get any detail into the granite carvings). Those pillars in the background are musical, as we've seen elsewhere: give 'em a good rap with your knuckles, and they'll ring like a bell. One pillar even had a huge dent, where it had been worn away by many a rap. The guards don't let you do it anymore, though.