I am in a Picasso desert: Hampi. This place invokes another era and another planet entirely. Dozens and dozens of ancient temple ruins from the 14th and 15th century are situated between enormous hills that consist of giant stone and boulder. It seems as though gods really do tread this land. Centuries of erosion have created such unusual rock formations that, along with the numerous ruins, temples and sculptures, make for a landscape that is metaphysical.
This evening I climbed one of the highest peaks in Hampi. There is an antediluvian temple on top and together with a couple of Germans, a Brit, a few Indians, and four monkeys, I watched the sun descend. Hampi is a very dry place and it is surprising to see lush green valleys between the orange-brown, earthy terrain that rises in perpetual, panoramic peaks. Few times in my life has the sun felt so close. As it spilled over the bazaar, the valleys, and the weathered geography of this part of the world, I felt its orange profile imprinted between my eyes. Surely that star is one of the most brilliant manifestations of God.
Well...as India would have it, I tried to charge my camera yesterday and the battery blew. So unfortunately no pictures of that stunning sunset. I blame this on the discrepancy of voltages between the US and India. And I blame myself for not being prepared with an extra battery. Consequently, I have had to really practice nonattachment while the most spectacular scenery, coupled with the incredible sunsets and vantage points, go undocumented and unshared. It is a real shame because this landscape is just so immensely powerful and dramatic. These are the things that happen here though. And it is really quite trivial, I suppose. Now I have a mission to find another HP camera battery.
