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The Vaishnodevi Experience 2023

My first trip to Vaishnodevi was unimpressive. Climbing was hard, and it only served to highlight how badly out of shape I was, while my in-laws managed to cope so much better. Further, I hadn’t quite realized that the cave experience wouldn’t be the same as I had imagined, since the original cave was only opened at certain times a year, and that we only entered a newly created tunnel, one far easier to access, and hence more manageable with the crowds that thronged the mountain shrine. The resulting experience at the shrine, for barely a fraction of a second, hardly compared to what I had expected / imagined / heard about. So, for me, Vaishnodevi was like any other temple, nothing to write home about, something that was reflected (though not explicitly mentioned) in the blog post I wrote then.
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Hampi Part 5 - The Hampi Bazaar


Hampi was well known for its bazaars in the days gone by, when merchants from all over the world collected here to show off their wares. From gold and diamonds to horses and cows, the markets boasted of a variety which impressed even visitors from foreign shores! These marketplaces weren’t like our roadside shops, but well planned and well laid out areas, paved with stones, with residences for the merchants as well stables for their mounts! Nothing much remains of these bazaars except the  pathways and the water tanks which mark their boundaries. Today, the name ‘Hampi Bazaar’ signifies a row of shops outside the Virupaksha temple, selling the sort of stuff which appeals to tourists…..

Like these dolls made of clay…..


Musical instruments….


Figures of the Gods and replicas of the Hampi ruins made in stone…





A closer look….


We loved this autorickshaw….


And especially this one of Krishna stealing milk from a cow….


There were a few useful stone products…


Garlands of beads….. and stones of course…


But did we buy any? No! they were terribly expensive….. and targeted at the foreign tourists. The shopkeepers didn’t even pay us Indians much attention, because they knew we wouldn’t shell out so much for these things! And when I asked one of them if she or her family had made these, she stared at me as if I was mad, and replied, “They come from a factory somewhere! Nobody here makes these things anymore!” 

This post is part of the Lonely Planet Blogsherpa Travel Carnival - The Marketplace - hosted by Kiran Keswani of Indian Bazaars.

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Location: Hampi, Karnataka, India

Comments

  1. suma bJanuary 19, 2012 at 2:01 PM

    Hey nice write up. We have missed many place in Hampi & Anegundi coz of Lack of time. Felt good to read about them through ur blogs... My  Hampi Blog...
    http://relivingmyfavouritemoments.blogspot.com/2012/01/hampi-part-1-hemakuta-hillshampi-bazzar.html

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownFebruary 29, 2012 at 12:40 PM

    Actuall al vil post the monumnts of hampi. But u posted the market n how d ppl wil be.. Ya i really liked ur blog.

    Sir/Madam, me also created first weblog.
    so follow this link :
    http://basavaraj16291.blogspot.com

    here you can see the most beautiful snap from World Heritage Site Hampi. So please visit to my Blog and Add your Expression through your Valuable COMMENTS.
    Thank You.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJuly 31, 2018 at 11:33 AM

    The handicrafts looks amazing!

    ReplyDelete

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