GOPS CREATIV :: REDISCOVERING MY LOST PASSIONS
Dec 05
by GOPAN NAIR in Indian architecture & Heritage, travel 17 comments tags: ancient, anegondi, anegundi, art, birth, blog, boulder, bukka, burial, cave, chamber, dolmen, gopan, gopan g nair, gops, gops photography, gops.org, Gudda, hampi, hire benekal, hirebenekal, hirebenkal, india, karnataka, Mane, Moryar, Onake Kindi, paintings, rock, rock art, ruins, tungabhadra

HIRE BENAKAL : VALLEY OF THE DEAD !

You have seen the ruins of a great civilization at Hampi. And travelled back in time with me to witness the co-existence of myth and history at Anegundi. We have also discussed about the traces of early human settlement in the region, studied the primitive cave paintings at Onake Kindi. Let me take you further into the past to the mysterious ‘valley of the dead’, where history of ancient human habitation rests in peace. Hire benakal (also called Hirebenakal or Hirebenkal ಹಿರೇಬೆಣಕಲ್) is a little peaceful village next to Anegundi, situated around 50 Km from Hampi. It is one of largest megalithic burial sites (Necropolis) in Karnataka, India, estimated to be 3000 years old. Known as ‘Elu Guddagalu’ in Kannada language, which means ‘Seven hillocks’, this site consists of around 400 megalithic structures (dolmens) built between 800 BCE to 200 BCE  (that falls between Neolithic and the Iron Age periods ). The first reports about this site got published in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society by Philip Meadows Taylor in 1835 during the British rule. Though Archaeology Survey of India (ASI) took over the possession of the site in 1955, not much of effort has been made to […]
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Jun 01
by GOPAN NAIR in Indian architecture & Heritage, travel 8 comments tags: achyutharaya, ancient, anegondi, anegundi, Anjanadri, Bali, birth, blog, boulder, bukka, cave, dynasty, Gagan Mahal, gopan, gopan g nair, gops, gops photography, gops.org, hakka, hampi, Hanuman, Hazararama, hill, india, karnataka, Kishkinda, Kishkindha, krishnadevaraya, mathanga, Onake Kindi, paintings, Pampa Sarovar, photography, place, Ramayana, Rishimuka, ruins, Shabari, Sugreeva, Sugriva, temple, tungabhadra, Vali, Vali Quila, Vijayanagara, vittala

THE RIVER AND BEYOND… ANEGUNDI

Let’s embark on a time machine… It is going to be a journey back into the past to witness history spanning 5000 years or more. The story begins with river Pampa (Tungabhadra),  the lifeline of a great civilization that existed in the southern state of Karnataka in India. Anegundi is a peaceful little village situated just opposite to Hampi, on the northern bank of river Tungabhadra; a place where evolution, history, mythology and folklore co-exist.  Anegundi (or Anegondi, ಆನೆಗುಂದಿ/ಆನೆಗೊಂದಿ) is a Kannada word which means “Elephant pit”. It was the early  capital of Vijayanagara empire, before it got shifted to Hampi. It was probably named after the king’s elephant stables originally located here. Read more about Hampi & Vijayanagara empire here >> As per earth scientists, the rock formations in this area could be 3000 Million years old, making it one of the oldest plateaus on our planet. That means it was one of the first places to get solidified during earth’s cooling process. Traces of early human settlements have been located in certain parts of Anegundi. Neolithic (Stone-age) burial grounds and primitive cave paintings found here attract research students, historians and geologists alike. You may please go through my blog […]
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