Hallucinating Hampi- Chapter 4

#5

Times have changed, Days are getting closer. Her transition has already started how long before it gets difficult for her to distinguish between the real and unreal.

Surprised, were the crowd who had gathered to see the usual slothful performance of the kids

Twenty Dancers on the stage did their Mangalam at the end of their performance, as everyone gathered there rose to their feet in respect for the dancers and their new teacher. It was then, the kids invited their teacher to the stage. Ramu, who was standing among the crowd jumped in excitement to wave his hands. Unlucky Ramu did not understand the freaky looking young girl has already become part of their land and is working to bring back the richness and fame of the region.

Sahasra offered her pranamam to Chinna Devi who was sitting alongside Raja Krishnadevaraya. She guided their students to offer their pranamam to the royal family and the crowd. Perplexed children did not waste time, but obeyed their teacher and offered their pranamam bowing towards the Gopura of Virupaksha temple.

She chose to ignore about the developments in infrastructure, transport and technology when Ramu offered to become her tour guide in return for nothing but as a token of appreciation for helping the native kids to outperform the dancers from major dance schools. Her silence forced Ramu to misunderstand that that she got carried away by the appreciation and so did not bother to ask again.

It was not late before Sahasra called Ramu back, to ask him to narrate about Hampi's tourist interests better. There were eight days left and she had chosen Achutraya Temple premises to be a practice ground while she will rest her back in Virupaksha.
As a token of gratitude, the authorities accepted to her request.

                                                ***

There are 13 major sites of tourist interests and each of it has an interesting story of its own

1.  Virupaksha temple
2.  Achutraya temple
3.  Monolithic Bull
4.  Matunga hills
5.  Hampi Bazar
6.  Hemakuta hills
7.  Vittala temple
8.  Krishna temple
9.  Lakshmi Narasimha temple
10.The king's Balance
11.The Royal CourtYard
12. Rama Hazare temple
13. Underground Shiva temple
Situated in a distance of 35 km radius, Hampi bazar was the major point of access.

                                                ***

Ignoring the present day luxury she chose to walk, she chose to walk to every place. She woke up in the early hours, practiced and choreographed her performance. The deserted Achutraya temple was busy only when the tourists visited between 9 am - 5 pm. The Isolated premises of the temple in the early hours added more to her hallucinating dreams that she was not seeing Chinna Devi alone but every portray of sculptures on the walls of the temple projected in front of her as real life characters.

Now, it started becoming a conflict between her real time and projected characters. It was very unsure to say if she would be able to distinguish between the character's existence.

Chinna Devi fascinatingly looked at the feet of Sahasra moving according to the rhythm and beat of the music standing at a distance. She came forward and appreciated Sahasra for the effort she took in grooming the kids to be better dancers. She was already a superstar in the hearts of the native residents as the tourist crowd started pouring in to celebrate Dusserah in Hampi after coming to know about the unusual performance by the kids.

A town which was depleting in economy had started booming now and Dusshera had become a real festival. Sahasra, could now see the ruins of markets in front of all the temples in Hampi crowded with people as the roofs made of thick cotton fabric were erected. She was happy each time the shopkeepers thanked her for her contribution.

The looks of 21^st century markets crowded with people was something more different from that of the 15^th century. The attire, language and behaviour were different.

In her eyes plastic chocolate wraps on the floor were withered leaves, Tarpaulin sheets on the roofs were cotton fabrics, Vehicles parked at the centre of the ground were little bullock carts. She was at a stage when there was nothing that could not distract her. Remember?, only a strong distraction could bring her out of her hallucination.

She walked to Virupaksha in the afternoons and would groom her kids to give their best performance, the dance programs were between 6.30 p.m in the evening after the arti and 10.00 p.m before the temple doors closed for the day.