Kingdom of Dwarfs: Moryar Gudda | Evolve Back Hampi

Some myths and legends live right next door. Moryar Gudda or the Hill of Dwarfs is one of them.

A short drive from Evolve Back Hampi and a strenuous trek later we were walking among the most mysterious megalithic structures of Karnataka. The ancient granite hills of north Karnataka have witnessed waves of many civilisations. But long before the modern kings had built their elaborate palaces and temples, a different kind of people had already left their mark on these lands. My journey through Onake Kindi, Hire Benakal, Chakratirtha and Mallapur was unlike any wildlife expedition I had undertaken before. There were no “sightings” to wait for. No “targets” either. I tore my eyes away from the birds that I spotted on the trail. Instead my ears savoured the stories that every weathered boulder, dark rock shelter and towering monolith whispered, from a world beyond.

Scattered across the undulating and seemingly barren hills rests one of the largest megalithic sites in India. Hire Benakal was indeed nothing like anything I had seen before. Different structures, different shapes but it was evident that these were created by the same community. For a moment I paused to compare these with the several other similar sites across the world - they had so much in common! Almost all of them are designed to align with constellations, built in a typical orientation and use nothing but a meticulous stone-setting method. Yet they endure for centuries!

I was standing among nearly 400 dolmens spread across the landscape. Locally known as Moriyara Mane, or "the houses of the dwarfs." If you climbed on a hill in the distance these stone structures would look like miniature houses abandoned by an ancient civilization. Perhaps that led to the legend of the Dwarf Tribe that magically built these as portals to another world? They say the mysterious creatures appeared after sunset and retreated to their hideouts before sunrise.

Archaeologists believe these were built during the Iron Age - they could be about 3000 years old. But locals say they were handed down the lore across generations. It is a timeless tale, apparently.

The name Hire Benakal comes from Kannada Hire meaning "big" or "great," and Benakal (is believed to derive from Benne Kallu), meaning "butter stone," a reference to the smooth, rounded granite boulders. I was pleasantly surprised to discover this because the name carries a direct reference to a large boulder atop the site. The enormous “kettle drum” near the dolmens is believed to be one such butter stone which rings out musical notes that travel up to a kilometre when struck hard enough. My mind raced to logical conclusions. Was it a ceremonial drum or stone bell meant to mark the beginning or end of rituals? Or is this merely a coincidence? One can only speculate.

A closer look at the “houses” revealed rather intriguing features. Each dolmen was constructed from three gigantic granite slabs carefully erected to form an open chamber. It was capped with an equally massive roof stone, which made it look more like a hut than a burial mound. Some of these roof-slabs could weigh several tonnes! My fellow hiker and I stood gauging the scene - if indeed these were built by dwarfs, how did they lift such heavy stones or erect them? To add to my wonder we also found several “huts” with perfectly carved circular portholes cut into one of the upright slabs. Archaeologists believe these could have served ritualistic purposes. Were these a window to another world? But I kept gazing at how smooth the edges were! What chisel and which hammer could have produced such impeccable results?

Absolute silence enveloped the area. For many motionless minutes we could hear only the wind whistling. All around us several monoliths towered like silent sentinels, their weathered silhouettes dominating the skyline. My fellow hiker read my mind and responded intently, “They say no human remains have ever been found here. Did the wild animals take them away? Or were they not burial sites at all?” We both turned to look at the dolmens again. This time from a different perspective.

A few hikes to nearby caves further added to the mystery. Red ochre cave paintings dotted the area and bore evidence of an even older chapter of human history. Some of these prehistoric paintings could have been from later periods - made in white - with depictions of common sights like hunting or cattle grazing.

Later in the day we found ourselves exploring another site - Chakratirtha, also popular for its rock art. I attempted to sketch them in my journal but gave up on it after a couple of failed experiments. It was incredibly interesting to note that these were not alphabetical or numerical, but picture-words that communicated daily life overall. It made me wonder if they had a language at all. Or did they communicate by whistles, taps and knocks? A closer examination of some of the paintings revealed how the “artist” incorporated the cracks and curves of the rocks into their composition.

Our final stop at Mallapur completed this remarkable journey through prehistory. Here the depictions were mostly of animals - the graceful deer, mounted hunters, processions of human figures and a few abstract motifs. They could have been made by successive generations. Painting for them could have been the equivalent of journaling perhaps?

Looking out from these shelters across the vast Deccan landscape, it became clear why generations returned here. The elevated ridges offered commanding views of the surrounding plains while providing secure refuges during changing seasons. I realised that these landscapes are far more than archaeological sites—they are living archives of our ancestors.

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