Hampi ground report: At serene Sanapur, Israeli tourists flock, but danger lurks

Hummus trail

Over the years, it has also become a pitstop for Israeli visitors, who usually haunt places like Kasol, Dharamshala, or Goa, on what is famously called the Israelis' 'Hummus Trail' in India.

The Hummus Trail refers to the customary route young Israelis take in India as they backpack to places like Manali, Kasol, Rishikesh, Goa, Gokarna, Pushkar and Hampi. As they journey through India, they find joy in meeting other Israelis and nosing out restaurants that offer Israeli dishes, such as hum­mus (chickpea spread) and falafel.

Sanapur with its water bodies fed by the Tungabhadra dam, scenic rustic beauty, has been attracting Israeli tourists in large numbers for many decades. The Israeli tourists flock straight here, while European and American tourists are found in other places near Hampi, say locals.

This year, however, most Israeli tourists, who usually participate in the celebrated Holi festival in Hampi on March 14, have packed their bags in a hurry and left.

What has caused this exodus is the brutal rape of two women and the murder of an Indian tourist in the village, which has shaken and paralysed Sanapur, which has a small population relying largely on the tourist economy.

Hampi horror

On the night of March 6, a homestay owner and an Israeli tourist were raped and two men, which included an American, were badly injured, and a young man from Odisha was killed by three drunk miscreants. The 29-year-old homestay owner had taken the tourists to a quiet spot by the Tungabhadra canal (waters from the Tungabhadra dam nearby flow by this village) to watch the stars at night, when they were attacked. The homestay owner, who hails from neighbouring Tamil Nadu, comes to Sanapur only during the tourist season and leases a compact homestay to host foreign tourists.

Also read: Hampi rape: Cops suspect accused were under 'influence of illegal substances'

Great shame

Villagers are upset over the incident, which has brought them “great shame” and impacted their lucrative tourist business.

At Sanapur, everyone from the coconut and fruit vendors on the streets to tourist guides, resort and homestay owners depend on these foreign and Indian tourists for their livelihood. The other sources of income come from working in the fields or the few steel factories in the area.

Sanapur was also in the news last month when a 26-year-old doctor, Ananya Rao, from Telangana, drowned after she jumped into the river from a cliff without any proper supervision. This rape and murder has now brought the spotlight on this village once again.

Also read: Karnataka minister vows tighter security at tourist spots after Hampi incident

Tourists flee

A Sanapur local and resort owner, Ravichandra M, admitted to the visiting team from The Federal that most tourists have left and moved on to Pushkar, where the Holi festival is celebrated in a big way as well.

“Tourists are cutting their trips short and cancelling reservations. While the season typically ends by March, visitors are leaving earlier than usual. Some are scared and rattled by the recent incident. We’ve dealt with leopard attacks and bear encounters before, but this kind of violence in Hampi is unprecedented. It’s inhuman and a dark stain on our reputation. We host the world here, so we know how to treat our guests,” he said, adding that since childhood they have seen tourists around them and grown up learning to treat them like family.

His resort, The Tranquil, in Sanapur, offers a rustic, shack-like ambience paired with breathtaking views of lush green paddy fields and the iconic boulder-strewn landscape that dot the region.

At the resort in Sanapur, we spot a few Israeli women relaxing in lounge chairs, one of them engrossed in painting. Pointing to them, Ravichandran said that they were the few who stayed back.

“Israelis love it here. After a couple of years of military training, they come here to just relax, participate in some water sports like cliff jumping, swimming or bouldering (rock climbing) and just chill. India is cheaper than other countries for them,” he said. The Israeli women seem friendly but politely refused to talk to us about the horrific crime that has shaken the village.

Best place after Israeli army

However, two Israeli boys, Adi Guggenheim and Asaf Edut, in their early 20s, were ready to share their experiences in Sanapur. Brushing aside the rape and murder as a “one-off” incident, they gushed about Sanapur.

“This place is amazing, we love it here for the nature, greenery, sunsets, and water bodies. After our rigorous military training, Hampi is heaven,” said Guggenheim, who is a coffee maker back home. He has been here along with his friend Asaf Edut since February 25.

“Hampi helped me to calm down, no other place has done that,” said Asaf, a gardener, who has also visited Goa. Comparing the two destinations, Guggenheim said, “Hampi is the best place to be after the Army stint. Goa is dirty with a lot of garbage everywhere. It is tranquil here and the resort and homestay owners treat us like family.”

However, Asaf and Guggenheim said they were heading off to Pushkar that evening despite proclaiming their love for Sanapur.

Also read: Karnataka minister vows tighter security at tourist spots after Hampi incident

(These figures have been supplied by the Archaeological Survey of India in Hospet)

Peace and yoga

However, Paulien Vandaele, a 27-year-old Belgian tourist, who is staying at the Sunrise Guest House in Sanapur, seems unruffled by the “ruckus” in the village, with police checks and road barricades after the rape and murder.

Vandaele, returning from a yoga session, told The Federal that she has not had any unpleasant experiences and ''loves being here''.

“It is a quiet place, I don’t go to isolated spots and don’t step out in the evenings on my own to be safe,” she said. Vandaele shared that her mother and brother had been pleading with her to return home to Belgium after the incident.

“They saw it in the Belgian newspapers and are worried about me,” she shared. But, Vandaele seems confident about her safety since she is cautious and does not step out at night or talk to strangers.

A typical day in the village starts with a yoga session with a local teacher, and then she either goes swimming or sightseeing. In the evenings, she stays in her local guesthouse. She has come here to think about her next career step, she shared.

“This is my second visit. I first came here with my friends after touring Sri Lanka. It's so quiet and peaceful here. I went back to Belgium, quit my job at a finance company and came back here to figure out my next step in life,” said the pretty tourist. She pays ₹1,300 per day at her guest house and will leave after her visa expires on March 22.

Also read: 2 women, including an Israeli tourist, raped near Hampi; 2 arrested

She has heard drugs are easily available here but claimed she has not had any brush with drug peddlers.

Safe, serene Sanapur?

Many locals and the police The Federal team spoke to said Sanapur is an incredibly “safe” place. Few locals, who preferred to be anonymous, however, confessed that drugs, especially hashish, is easily available in the area.

According to young Indian tourists, traditionally, the Hampi area is popular for Lysergic Acid Amide (LSA), a psychedelic drug, taken in seed form, which is allegedly grown here. Locals also admitted that it is unsafe to move around after dark at the tourist spots in the village since they are isolated and lack proper infrastructure like lighting and security guards.

The Koppal police, meanwhile, said they regularly conduct random checks using Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances kits and have filed 12 FIRs last year and 10 FIRs in 2023 arresting people in the area for drug use.

Authorities also pointed out that they cracked down on the popular tourist spot Hippie Island, where "illegal" activities were rampant. In 2020, acting on a Supreme Court decision, the Karnataka government demolished 21 commercial establishments on the island on grounds that they were illegal.

The island still continues to flourish, said Kumar, a local (not his real name).

Also, he added that several homestays have sprung up in the Koppal region and surrounding areas, where owners service tourists visiting the ancient Hampi monuments. "These homestays do not have permissions and without any proper regulatory authority overseeing their activities, they indulge in many illegal activities. There is a lot of money to be made from these homestays after all as they charge as much as ₹5,000 and more for a night during the tourist season - November to March."

Illegal homestays?

Most homestay and resort owners have not obtained functioning licenses from the Hampi World Heritage Area Management Authority (HAWAMA), under which Sanapur village falls, Kumar pointed out. One of the challenges that face the homestay and resort owners is that the tourist department, local gram panchayats, and the local district administration are also involved in giving permissions. There is no clarity on the situation, admitted a high-ranking Koppal official.

However, in his view, the focus now should be on getting justice for the victims and not on issues about illegal homestays and blaming the homestay owner for taking the tourists out at night to a lonely spot to “stargaze”. “This is similar to asking why Nirbhaya went out at night when that incident happened in Delhi,” said the official angrily. Government officials are under severe pressure to crack down on illegal activities in the area.

Meanwhile, as the rape and murder stirred up a storm, the Koppal police moved swiftly and arrested the three accused – construction workers – one of them a married man, who is currently in judicial custody. The police have to file a chargesheet within 90 days, but Koppal SP Ram Arasiddhi is "confident" that the three accused will get convicted.

Patriarchal mindset

The Indian woman, who was brutally gang-raped along with the Israeli tourist, has filed a detailed FIR on what transpired that ill-fated night. Her homestay is located in Anegundi, where the famous Hanuman Temple is located.

Gabriel, a teacher from America, was meant to check into the same homestay run by the victim. Talking to The Federal, he admitted to being shocked that a fellow American was hit on the head with stones and pushed into the canal. "It could very easily have been me," he said.

Reacting to the incident, Gabriel, who was sight-seeing at the Virupaksha temple in Hampi, added, "I am not surprised that victim shaming has started and people are blaming the homestay owner for taking the tourists to the spot at night. That is completely unacceptable to me. It is the patriarchal mindset at play here.”

Interestingly, his American girlfriend flatly refused to accompany him to India this time. "She is afraid and I understand her feelings. The news of rapes here has affected her. This incident has also made me understand that I cannot take my safety for granted in India,” pointed out Gabriel.

There are multiple factors at play in this seemingly peaceful tiny tourist hub of Sanapur.

But what is clear is that Sanapur and surrounding villages seem to have morphed into a hub for illegal activities without proper regulation, as people have rushed in to make a fast buck on the back of thriving tourism in the area.