Hampi: Where heritage meets nature

Most people associate Hampi with mesmerising ruins, ancient temples, adrenaline pumping rock climbing or spending a quaint weekend in the picturesque rural setting by the banks of the Tungabhadra river. But only a few are aware about the other side of Hampi - a world hidden from the popular imagination of the tourists.

The dry lands of eastern Karnataka present an unimaginable amalgamation of history, culture and nature. These dry lands form an excellent dry deciduous habitat for a number of dwindling populations of unique wild animals and birds. What is interesting is the fact that the famed ruins of Hampi cover only around one-tenth of the massive landscape, the remaining is wilderness that provides shelter to wildlife.

But the region around Hampi has managed to hold on to a unique ecological bastion. The Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary, which lies just adjacent to the ancient town of Hampi, offers a unique opportunity for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts to witness scrub forest species. Make no mistake, this dry scrub landscape may not be a UNESCO world heritage site like its acclaimed neighbour, but it is surely a gem of a natural habitat for mammals and birds. Leopard, sloth bear, monitor lizard, pangolin, star tortoise, mongoose and otters thrive here. It is a heaven for bird watchers, especially if one is on the lookout for ground dwelling birds like the bush quail, francolin, spurfowl and junglefowl.

If one is extremely lucky, you may also come face to face with the much elusive painted sandgrouse. Other enigmatic birds such as the eagle owl and yellow throated bulbul may also welcome you with their charisma if you look deeply and patiently enough. Birds like silverbill, shrike, bulbul, swallow and tern are found aplenty here. Due to this, Hampi and its surroundings are recognised as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) by BirdLife International.

But Hampi has more charms up its sleeves, especially for wildlife enthusiasts who search the forests for large carnivores; and soothing enough for the bird watcher who finds solace in observing birds for long durations without any disturbance. The landscape dotted with scrub forest lies midway from mega cities of Bengaluru and Hyderabad and the silence of the landscape may be overwhelming at first sight but once one assimilates the serene environment, the landscape becomes a part of his consciousness.

Rich heritage

The ruins of Hampi are popular among travellers from all over the world. Whether it is the Anegundi or Kishkinda, associated with the birthplace of Lord Hanuman and the site of the fight between Bali and Sugreeva; or the virupaksha temple, Hemakuta temple, the main Hampi bazaar, the Vithala temple, or the Matunga hill, these places are the ones that hardly any traveller would miss. But, while one enjoys the ancient architecture and rich history, it would be really unwarranted to miss the poetic natural heritage of Hampi. The villages here are typically rural with small hamlets surrounded by large stretches of lush green farmlands.

Patient wildlife spotters can even get lucky with leopards prowling around gigantic boulders of the rugged countryside. Another lucky sighting would that be of a mother bear piggy-backing her cubs in search of food for the family! The ground dwelling birds are a treat to watch especially their antics while they are feeding, breeding or taking a bath in a puddle of water. The ground dwelling birds can adapt very well in farmlands as well but increasing farmlands around the area does put them at a certain disadvantage.

Whether it is the large group of small birds like the jungle bush quail who are perfectly camouflaged in the scrub forest or the painted spurfowl couple who are taking a stroll on the forest floor- one is certain to enjoy their head bobbing walking pattern, looking all around with alertness and curiosity. Then there are the long-necked birds like the grey francolin who can give a delightful call upon seeing you; and of course, the once abundant and elegant painted sandgrouse, who welcomes only a few lucky ones as it has become rare over a period of time due to degradation of its habitat.

Most of these fearless birds are categorised under the order galliformes, consisting of heavy-bodied ground-feeding birds that includes turkey, grouse, quails, partridge, pheasant, francolin, junglefowl and peafowl. Galliformes face numerous threats from anthropogenic activities like hunting, deforestation, habitat destruction and climate change.

Hidden from the glamorous world of tigers and elephants, these shy but resilient denizens are quietly scripting their own story, in this mystical landscape. The landscape and its birds may not be as colourful as the canvas of a rainforest but they have their own qualities to enthral the viewer and fill one’s life with colours for eternity!

(Dutta works in the field of conservation and climate crisis; Sharma is a faculty at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru)