HOSPET- GATEWAY TO HERITAGE CITY HAMPI, KARNATAKA , #konakonakotak

Last October, we had been to Hampi, Badami and other North Karnataka places  as a family vaccation . Actually,  I was thinking of writing my complete travelogue of the trip here and sharing with you all . Though many months have passed since then , I am yet to sit and write. Blame me for laziness . Yesterday , I happened to stumble upon ” Kona Kona Kotak Campaign “, initiated by Kotak Mahindra . As many might be aware  that ING Vysya Bank is now Kotak Mahindra Bank . With this move, Kotak has now made it’s home in many cities and towns across India. With the” Kona Kona Kotak Campaign ” , Kotak intends to explore the heritage,culture, food, things to do etc of various Indian villages and town . Hmm .. doesn’t that sound interesting . I was actually excited & spent a long time seeing the pics few people had posted in the campaign. I thought why don’t I join the campaign  #konakonakotak …Can I ask a better platform to promote my State’s Tourism…? So here i share about Hospet , Karnataka … 

ABOUT HOSPET : 

North Karnataka nicknamed as “historical, cultural destination” has many places with historical interest, ageless monuments, world heritage sites , sculptural marvels ..where the architecture of the Deccani kings comes alive with a smattering of arts and crafts .

Hospet is one of the famous town in in Bellary District , North Karnataka that is well connected with several important cities in India . It is the former capital of Vijayanagar Empire . The world famous Hampi is also just 12 km from Hosapete. Apart from being a gateway to Hampi , Hospet acts as a base for popular tourist destinations like Badami , aihole ,pattadkal,badami, chitradurga etc. From Bangalore Hospet is 325 km and as you enter the town , the huge Tungabhadra river welcomes you. .

HISTORY

The city was built by Krishna Deva Raya in 1520 AD, one of the rulers of Vijayanagara in memory of his mother Nagalambika. While the city was named Nagalapura, people referred to the city as Hosa Pete meaning New City. Source Wiki

ACCOMODATION IN HOSPET :

There are a variety of accommodations in Hospet to choose from . You can get various hotels according to your budget in trip advisor , Make my trip , clear trip etc . Some of the famous hotels are Pai groups , Royal Orchid Central Kireeti, Hotel Malligi, Krishna Palace, Shanbhag Towers International, Hotel Priyadarshini etc .Almost all the hotels have online booking , so it is advisable to book prior during peak season .

FOOD :

Hospet is well known for its special local cuisine Jolada rotti – Ennegayi palya. Tourists visiting Hospet not only enjoy its tourist spots but also its delicious traditional food . So when you are in Hospet , don’t miss relishing Jowar roti ( jolada rotti ) ,Stuffed brinjal ( ennegayi ) , and various accompaniments that comes in the thali . These thalis are typically available in local eateries called “Khanavali” . You can find many khanavalis , in every nook and corner of Hospet . Other than these khanavalis , there are many other good veg & non veg restuarants serving South Indian , North Indian and continental dishes .

BEST TIME TO VISIT :

September to February is an ideal time to visit this city as you get pleasant atmosphere and view most of the sightseeing in the city. Rest of the months ,the place will be too hot.

PLACES OF INTEREST : 

There are so many places in and around Hospet that one can visit making Hospet as base camp . Some of the famous places are …

Tungabhadra Dam , Hospet 

The picturesque Tungabhadra Dam, set up across river Tungabhadra, is one of the chief attractions of the town of Hospet.There is a garden in the Japanese style at the base of the Dam which is a popular travel attraction . The colorful musical fountain show happening every evening in TB dam is surely something that you wouldnt want to miss .

Hampi: 

Hampi ,an  UNESCO World Heritage centre has  attracted the attention from all over the world for its sculpture,art and wealth . Situated just 13 km from Hospet its actually  ruins of the medieval Vijayanagar Empire . Hampi has  many places to see , The Virupaksha temple , elephant stable, lotus mahal , sasive kalu ganapathi , the monolith Lakshmi Narasimha Statue, Vithala Temple Complex , the famous stone chariot . One would need minimum 1 whole day to cover Hampi .The region is also famous for the annual Vijayanagar festival called ‘Hampi Utsav’, organized by the Government of India in November.

Other tourist destination around Hospet include A
negundi , Aihole, Pattadkal ,Badami ,Bijapur ,Chitraduga, Harihara …

With so many tourist destinations around , Hospet is indeed a wonderful place to visit and enjoy a peaceful holiday in Karnataka. Karnataka tourism actually promotes historical city tours of Hospet where tourists can enjoy a myriad glimpse of history .

With Kotak Mahindra coming up in Hospet , now you need not worry about your transactions, money transfers , ATMs etc … i am sure Kotak is going to make your experience simple & trouble free .

If you also want to join the campaign #konakonakotak and share with everyone about your hometown / your favorite destination/ your travelogue , about any town / village in India… do check out  http://on.fb.me/1Dhdb2Z , Fill your details , write your story ,share pictures of famous monuments, landmark , famous food,, anything that you love about your city ..

Thanks Kotak Mahindra for the ” Kona Kona Kotak Campaign ” , now we can see India in its various colors , flavors , traditions,cultures and much more.. PROUD TO BE AN INDIAN !!!