1. India is home to some of history’s richest treasures dating back to thousands of years. A
lot of them are found in our own state of Karnataka. An excursion to Bijapur, Hampi and
its surroundings was organized for the students of Class 6 . It was a trip of discovery to
some of the magnificent portals to the past, to a place showcasing the finest in
architecture and sculpture.
Gol Gumbaz in Bijapur is the impressive
mausoleum of Mohd Adil Shah. It houses the
world’s second largest dome, unsupported by
pillars-an acoustic and architectural wonder. The
visit to the amazing ‘Whispering Gallery’, which
distinctly echoes the faintest whisper eleven times,
is an unforgettable experience. Ibrahim Roza,
which is said to have inspired the Taj Mahal, is a
palatial mo
sque and tomb. The jewel of Adil Shahi architecture is the Jama Masjid, with its graceful
arches, aisles, halls, intricate designs and large crowning onion dome. The Koran is
written in priceless gold and carefully preserved here.
We also visited the Malik –e-Maidan, where a 55-ton cannon is perched on a platform.
The head of the cannon is fashioned in to the shape of a lion whose jaws are trying to
devour an elephant. Legend has it that if you touched the gun and made a wish, it would
come true! The other famous monuments
which we drove past were Mehtar Mahal,
Gagan Mahal, Jala Manzil, Bara Kaman, Upli
Buruj and Taj Bawdi.
The next day we travelled to Badami which is
situated at the mouth of the ravine between
two rocky hills. The exquisite sculptures in the
rock-cut temples of the rust red sandstone
cliffs of Badami, tell many a tale of yore. The

2. view of the town from atop is absolutely breath-taking!
The next destination was Pattadakal . The
beautifully chiselled temples in the World
Heritage Site on the banks of the
Malaprabha river bear testimony to the
richness of Chalukyan architecture. The
last place we visited in the region was
Aihole, a tranquil village acclaimed to be
the cradle of Hindu temple architecture.
The region has hundreds of temples , the
most impressive one being the Durga
temple .
Then we drove to the glorious city of Hampi, home to the Vijayanagar Dynasty . The
outskirts of the city are filled with the ruins of monuments .The King’s Palace is the
largest enclosure and it includes two
major platform structures , an
underground chamber , which must have
served as a treasury or private audience
hall, several other platforms , double
fortification walls and several other
interesting architectural elements.
Mahanavami Dibba is a massive structure
where the kings once sat on gem-studded
golden thrones and watched processions
pass by.
The Queen’s Bath has a very plain exterior but the interior is stunningly ornate , with
graceful arched corridors , projecting balconies and lotus-shaped fountains that used to
spout perfumed water for the ladies of the court. The Lotus Mahal is a visually-appealing
structure with natural cooling systems built into it. The Elephant stables are imposing
buildings with arched entrances and many domes. Pushkarni, the stepped water tank ,
excavated in the mid-80’s is a beautiful tiered structure crafted from rectangular slabs of
granite. The Hazara Rama Temple was a royal temple reserved for ceremonial use. The
entire temple is embellished with bas reliefs depicting scenes from the Ramayana. The

3. Virupaksha Temple , dedicated to Lord Shiva and His consort Pampadevi, is the only
temple where worship is carried out.
The students got a glimpse into our past and learnt valuable lessons from History. All in
all , it was a thoroughly rewarding and enriching experience for each one of them.