**ruins Of Hampi: A Tribute! Poem by RAJ NANDY

THE RUINS OF HAMPI:
A TRIBUTE!

Hampi, that wondrous seven hundred year old
city,
On the southern basin of the Tungabhadra river,
From 1336 till 1565, remained the capital of
the mighty Vijayanagar Empire!
The city now mostly in ruins, had witnessed the
golden age of an empire*, -
Form 1509 to 1529, under Emperor Krishna
Deva Raya!
A time when foreigners came from near and far, -
To trade in exotic spices and rare gems in its
colonnaded bazaar!
Art and culture thrived along with architectural
grandeur and beauty,
With poets like Purandara Dasa and Telani Rama
Krishna, composing excellent poetry!
Now scattered over some 26 square kilometers lies, -
Countless granite boulders, rocks and stones, -
Which dominate the landscape with its grey, ochre,
and pink colored tones!
The Tunghabhdra river traverses the Hampi landscape
flowing north east,
Cutting a narrow gorge through the granite hills that
hem the river, -
To merge with the eastward flowing Krishna river!
Hampi, that legendary abode of Lord Shiva, -
With the ‘monkey kingdom’ of Kishkenda located
near by, - as per the epic Ramayana!
In 1689 the Moguls sacked this historic city,
And in 1780, the Nizam of Hydrabad annexed the
capital city!
Hampi today is an UNESCO World Heritage Site; -
With its famous Stone Chariot, carved and musical
pillars and dancing figures;
With its statutes of deities, gods and goddesses carved
out in stones;
Larger than life size!
A poetry composed in stones trying to defy time!
Standing in solitude amidst these ancient ruins,
The silence gradually begins to converse with me!
High up I caught the silvery glint of an aeroplane, -
Streaking across the azure blue sky,
Trailing its white contrail puffs of smoke behind!
One day I too shall become a part of history, -
To blend with phantom time!
-Raj Nandy
07 Apr 09
New Delhi
(Facts & figures taken from various articles.
*During its Golden Age the empire had covered
present day Karnataka, AndhraPradesh&Maharhastra!)