Bijapur to Humpi - 1991

Once my husband who is a Cardiologist was invited to give a lecture at Bijapur Medical college. To get there we went by train to Sholapur. On reaching we spent sometime in the market. Than we took a taxi to drive to Bijapur. 

This memory evoked my mind to think of all that we saw in Bijapur and places we visited from there onwards.

Bijapur is in northern  Karnataka, on the Deccan plateau. Next day we went around to see famous monuments in this city.

It was ruled by The Adil Shahi dynasty (1490–1686)

What makes them special:

• Great builders and patrons of art

• Remarkably tolerant for their time

• A culture that blended Persian, Turkish, Deccani, and local Indian traditions

Bijapur was not just a political capital — it was a cultural one.

The monument we saw : 

 Gol Gumbaz (completed 1656)

• Mausoleum of Mohammed Adil Shah

• One of the largest domes in the world

• No supporting pillars — an architectural marvel

The Whispering Gallery

• Runs around the interior base of the dome

• A whisper spoken at one point travels clearly across the gallery

• Even small sounds are amplified and echoed many times

This happens because:

• The perfect curvature of the dome

• The smooth plastered surface

• Circular sound-wave reflection

Bijapur mattered historically

Bijapur was:

• A strong rival of the Mughal Empire

• A major player in Deccan politics

• Involved in alliances and conflicts with Vijayanagara, Ahmadnagar, Golconda, and Bidar.

Eventually:

• In 1686, Aurangzeb captured Bijapur

• It was absorbed into the Mughal Empire

• The city slowly declined in political importance

But its buildings remained — quietly defying time.

Other remarkable sites in Bijapur

• Ibrahim Rauza: Often called the “Taj Mahal of the Deccan”. Elegant, balanced, and refined — many believe it inspired the Taj Mahal itself.

• Jama Masjid: One of the largest mosques in South India, unfinished but majestic.

• Bara Kaman: An ambitious, unfinished mausoleum meant to surpass Gol Gumbaz — ambition frozen in stone.

• Citadel & water systems: Advanced hydraulic engineering, stepwells, and aqueducts — essential in the dry Deccan climate.

A little history

• Built in the early 17th century (around 1626)

• Commissioned by Ibrahim Adil Shah II

• The tomb houses Ibrahim Adil Shah II and his queen

• Designed with extreme refinement — almost jewel-like compared to the vastness of Gol Gumbaz

If Gol Gumbaz overwhelms you with scale,Ibrahim Rauza wins you over with elegance.

One last gentle check

• Gol Gumbaz → single massive domed structure.

• Ibrahim Rauza → two graceful buildings side by side.

From Bijapur onwards we had a long journey passing thru small towns and vilages. We went through the Badami–Aihole–Pattadakal circuit. These three are often visited together after Bijapur, especially on long interior journeys.

1️⃣ Aihole

Aihole is often described as an open-air laboratory of temple architecture

Why it feels like a “college”:

• Over 120 small temples

• Built between 6th–8th centuries

• Different styles, plans, experiments — all in one place

• No single grand monument, but many learning attempts

Historians believe:

• Architects of the Chalukya dynasty tested ideas here

• What worked was later refined elsewhere

 It genuinely feels like students tried out designs before graduating to bigger projects

2️⃣ Pattadakal

Pattadakal was:

• The ceremonial site of the Chalukyas

• Where kings were crowned

• Where architecture reached perfection, not experimentation

What makes it special:

• Temples in both North Indian (Nagara) and South Indian (Dravida) styles

• Standing side by side, harmoniously

• A calm riverside setting (Malaprabha River)

If Aihole is the classroom, Pattadakal is the final exam result. Because it is orderly and balanced, it often doesn’t lodge as sharply in memory as Aihole or Badami — but historically, it is the crown jewel.

3️⃣ Badami Cave Temples:

• Carved into red sandstone cliffs

• Overlooking a tranquil tank (Agastya Tirtha)

• Rock-cut caves dedicated to:

  • Shiva

  • Vishnu

  • Jain traditions

Many people remember 

• Climbing up to the caves

• The vast landscape below

• A sense of ancient stillness

Badami was also:

• The capital of the Chalukyas

• Older and more dramatic than the other two

Putting it all together

• Bijapur → Islamic Deccan grandeur

• Aihole → architectural experimentation

• Pattadakal → architectural maturity

• Badami → rock-cut spirituality and landscape

It’s actually one of the most intellectually rich journeys in India, though it looks quiet and rural on the surface.

After that we reached -  Hampi. After Badami – Aihole – Pattadakal, most interior routes naturally lead toward Hampi. Hampi is very famous. Its a township, not just one monument. Situated right beside a large, important river

It is Overwhelming in scale and history. Even people who forget names remember the feeling of Hampi — the rocks, the ruins, the river.

The river: Tungabhadra:

The Tungabhadra River flows gently past Hampi.

It was:

• The lifeline of the Vijayanagara Empire

• A natural defense

• A sacred presence

Many visitors remember:

• Coracle boats

• Wide riverbanks

• The contrast between water and the rocky, almost lunar landscape

It’s a river that doesn’t shout — it anchors.

Why Hampi feels unforgettable

Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire (14th–16th centuries), one of the richest and most powerful empires India has known.

Foreign travelers wrote:

• “Streets full of jewels”

• “Markets where diamonds were sold openly”

• “A city larger than Rome”

And yet today:

• Ruins scattered across hills

• Temples, bazaars, royal enclosures

• A silence that feels earned

That contrast stays with people.

We will end here for the time being. But this knowledge of what I had, has given me great pleasure.