Climb Asia

An introduction to bouldering in Hampi, India
by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , Apr 2009



Much has been written, said and published about India. Many pictures have also been used to describe this continent. Raise the familiar tourism tagline “Incredible India” and many travellers and locals would instantly be able to share much about the activities, people and numerous festivals that are strongly associated with the world’s second-most populous country.

“Bouldering” and “climbing”, however, does not seem to be one of them. Not in Southeast Asia, at least. Amidst our vertical-preferring crowd, it seems that India's bountiful climbing opportunities have remained largely unpublicised.

Following the release of successful climbing videos from India, possibly the most famous being Chris Sharma’s “Pilgrimage” (from BigUP Productions circa 2007), as well as the gradual exploitation of their vast local eco-tourism opportunities, India has certainly started opening up her colourful cultural doors to foreign attention.

As if spurred by this wave of development, sport climbing has seen some healthy developments since the 1990s. There are now opportunities for climbing in and around the main Southern city of Bangalore as well as lesser known but majestic boulder scapes in the heritage town of Hampi (State of Karnataka, South India).

At present, the following climbing areas are available in South India:
• Ramnagar : Granite lead climbs sport routes
• Savandurga – Multi pitch slab Granite 350m Monolithic (Must Visit)
• Kolar – Boulders Granite and boulders of which only 0.1% climbed so far
• Madurai –Boulders granite with good cracks Boulders
• One night journey from Bangalore
• Badami – One of the best climbing spots in India but not known much –Lead and boulder routes single pitch, trad and sport routes -Sand stone  (Must Visit)

Through my internet research, I became intensely intrigued by the strange co-existence of abundant, timeless bouldering set in an UNESCO World Heritage Site. What an exotic combination! No ropes, no draws; just shoes and a crash-mat in a mystical and picturesque small town.

Hampi was once the cultural capital of the Hindu post-mugul empire of Vijayanagar in the mid 14th Century AD. So vast was the empire that it covered several of India's present-day southern states, and so devoted were its line of monarchy that they had built thousands of temples and religious monuments across its 24 square kilometer capital townscape.

These buildlings now lay in ruins, following the decline of the empire and an invasion by rival religious groups and kingdoms, safe for a few key temples and establishments like the Virupaksha Temple. These ruins and monuments are worth a visit, accessible by rented bicycles, official and unofficial guided tours or foot in and around the climbing sites. Tours of choice may last up to half a day or a full day; my advice is to take your time -- there's plenty for the eyes and mind to soak up.

If you make a trip to Hampi in the first week of November, you may even catch the annual cultural festival, where tourists, pilgrims and locals converge on the sleepy town to celebrate diversity, heritage and convert the townscape into a potpourri of music, cheer and colour for 3 days or more. Be amazed and inspired by the festival's diversity and scale, but more importantly, be touched by the locals' hearth-warming reception to all tourists and new faces.

Bouldering sites lie largely North of the town centre of Hampi, across the Thusngabgadra River which runs along next to the ancient Virupaksha Temple, the most prominant landmark of the town. Transport across the river can be made by boat or the traditional boats ("oracles"), typically costing 25.00 INR per foreign traveller, and 35.00 INR if there is additional baggage.
Just across the river, there are chains of reasonable guest houses and rooms. Prices naturally vary with the travelling season. Each location will usually be served by an attached food and beverage outlet. Beer, international and local cuisine can be found on almost of their menus -- take your pick!

From your accomodation, you should be able to see the beginnings of some auburn-coloured rock features. However, nothing can prepare you for the sight that greets once you trek out from your accomodations, past padi fields and into the boulder wonderland. In stark contrast to the perpetual busy Bangalore streets, these rolling fields of sun-soaked granite boulders reflect a serenity that seems to envelope the entire town in a surreal magic.

Local Hindu legends have it that eons ago, the mythical army of Lord Hanuman (also known to many as the "Monkey King") had plucked up rocks and boulders from the earth and hurled it down upon the lands around Hampi in a demonstration of their strength. When faced with the majestic beauty of these boulder fields, logic offered little resistance and I was keen to surrender myself to this tropical paradise.

These boulder fields contain a huge variety of boulders, some within walking distance of the main access road, while other require climbers to trek for up to 10 minutes. Locals estimate that it would take at least a whole week to fully explore the entire expense of the boulder fields without any climbing. Local climbers estimate climb difficulties range from 6A on up, and only about 20 to 30% of the boulders have been thoroughly explored and climbed. So wide and limitless are the possibilities for bouldeirng here,  that no topos or climbing guides have yet been created.

However, new climbers be warned -- the most granite boulder surfaces are fairly abrasive, and the weathered rock surfaces are likely to provide a high-friction and crimp-tastic (i.e.: painful) climbing experience. Seasoned climbers are likely to love the freedom, tranquility and unmatched beauty this place offers. Climbing can take place throughout the day if it doesn't rain or if the site is in the shade. Morning (6.30 am to 9.30 am) and evening (5.00 pm to 6.45 pm) tend to provide much cooler acitivty windows if your climbing sites are in the open. Temperatures in the sun are likely to go well above 30 deg C -- HOT!

If you are tired of the typical South East Asian climbing destination, or hunger for a more exotic climbing experience -- better yet, if you are game for an adventure; consider planning a trip to Hampi. You will not regret it, I am sure. If you think that you've seen India, allow Hampi to open your eyes to a fresh perspective of Indian culture and be mesmerised by its magic.