Lord Hanuman – the Monkey God, the epitome of Bhakti (undivided devotion to Lord Rama) and Shakti (Courage to singlehandedly take on entire Lanka) is a central figure in the Epic Ramayana. Also referred to as Anjaneya, Vayuputra, Kesarinandan, Maruti, Sanjeeva and many other names, it is believed that Lord Hanuman was born to Anjanadevi atop this hill known as Rishyamukha Hill or Anjanadri Hill.
The name Rishyamukha is derived from two words – Rishi (a sage) and Mukha – the face. When looked from the front, the boulders of the hill do have striking resemblance to a bearded sage, hence the name.
Reaching Anjanadri Hill
Anjanadri Hill is across the river Tungabhadra from Hampi. It is not exactly in Hampi town limits, it falls under Anegundi town limits of Gangavathi Taluka in Koppal district. Yet, the most majestic view of the Hill can be obtained from Hampi across the river at various spots including from Kodanda Rama Temple and Vijaya Vitthala Temple.
There are multiple ways to reach Anjanadri Hill from Hampi.
- Virupaksha Temple route – A short boat ride from the bank of the river Tungabhadra at Virupaksha Temple will take you to Virupapura Gaddi. From there, you get motorbikes and scooters on rent (self-drive). You can rent one such suitable vehicle and drive up to the foot of Anjanadri Hill. This route is certainly not all-weather proof as the river could swell during rainy season and the boats may not be ferrying. Also, Virupapura Gaddi might become an island and not have any easy route from the island to the other side. Hence, this route should be explored only if you are solo, adventurous, know how to drive a two-wheeler, have appropriate driver license and the weather is cooperative!
- Bukkasagara Bridge route – River Tungabhadra has a bridge at a place called Bukkasagara. It is a modern-day bridge at about 11km from Kamalapura Museum. If you are visiting Hampi by a car or any other vehicle, this bridge route is most suitable. Anjanadri Hill is about 6km from Bukkasagara Bridge on Gangavathi-Huligi road (State Highway 130).
- Gangavathi-Huligi route – Buses plying between Gangavathi (Taluka headquarters) and Huligi (another religious place of importance on National Highway near Hospet/Munirabad) do pass through Anjanadri Hill and will make a scheduled stop or a requested stop. For people going by own vehicle from Bangalore/Chitradurga side or from Ilkal/Hungund side, the most convenient route would be to head on National Highway up to Huligi and take a diversion near Huligi towards Sanapur and Gangavathi. The drive on paved state highway with lush green paddy fields and boisterous boulders is definitely worth enjoying.
Climbing Anjanadri Hill
At this juncture, it is imperative to remember the following lines from American poet Robert Frost’s poem titled “The Road Not Taken”:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
The reason why we are recalling the poem here? Because that thought will cross your mind.
The temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman is atop Anjanadri Hill. To climb the hill, there are two routes, both require you to climb approximately 500-600 steps to reach the top.
The first route is the one that is more trodden. It is a series of steps right in front of the hill and you would be lured into climbing right away taking Bajrangbali’s name. The route has a roof structure to protect the devotees from sun and rain but at times passes through very small spaces and navigating through these paths might require better coordination among the devotees who are constantly moving in both directions. There would be one or two lay-byes along the way where you can step aside and rest for a while before continuing further.
The second route goes around the hill by motorable mud road to the back in a counterclockwise direction. The road heading in the right direction along the irrigation canal will take you behind the hill to a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva named Sri Bande Shiva Temple. The pathway leads to the foot of the flight of steps that are not just better placed in terms of distance but are also laid out more evenly and spacious for simultaneous ascent and descent. This route is generally less known because it is a newer path and not very obvious. The number of steps is less on this route but keep in mind that there is no shelter over your head and might be difficult during the sunny or rainy days if protection measures are not taken.
What to Expect?
The temple is at the pinnacle of Anjanadri Hill and is a relatively smaller shrine compared to other grandiose temples of Hampi. There is a large platform for devotees to move around, drinking water filters and basic restroom facilities are available. The temple may serve prasad to devotees on select auspicious days. You may be required to carry your offerings including coconuts and flowers from the foot of the hill as there aren’t any shops above.
The temples in Hampi generally have lot of monkeys and Anjanadri Hill is no different. Pack your valuables carefully and carry the offerings such that they do not attract the monkeys’ attention.
There is very little shade or shelter atop the hill but the 360-degree views are stunning. You get a majestic view of Hampi’s landscape with the tower of Virupaksha Temple on one side to the Stone Chariot and Vijaya Vitthala Temple’s courtyard on the other. The rough terrain of boulders strewn without any pattern and the turbulent Tungabhadra river gushing over these rocks forming its own way and whirlpools along form the climb worth the effort!
Other Important Temples in or around Hampi
Given below are a list of temples that are active as places of worship in or around Hampi.
Yantroddharaka Anjaneya Temple, Kodanda Rama Temple, Huligemma Temple, Virupaksha Temple & Malyavantha Raghunatha Temple.