Former
capital city of Chalukyan empire, Badami is well known for its ancient caves
and temples. Picturesquely situated between two rocky hills, the city has a
rich history and a unique style of architecture which is a blend of North
Indian Nagara Style and the South Indian Dravidian style of architecture.
The beautiful sculptures and exquisite carvings on the monuments in Badami
will leave all visitors awe – stuck.
Location :
Formely known as Vatapi, Badami is located in the northern part of the
state of Karnataka on the red sandsone ridge.
Best Time & Climate :
The climate of Badami is temperate with summers being moderately hot while
winters are cool and pleasant. The best time to visit Badami is from October
to February, when the weather is cool and pleasant
How to reach thee ?
» By Air - The nearest airport is Belgaum (150 kms).
» By Rail - Badami is on the Hubli-Sholapur rail
route. The nearest railhead is at Badami, which is 4 km from Badami town.
» By Road - Badami is connected by road to Hubli
(128 kms), Bijapur (132 kms) and Banglore (550kms).
Must Visit :
» Cave Temples - Badami is famous for its four caves
which are carved out of red sandstone on the palisade of the hill.
Flamboyantly carved with figures of Hindu deities, these temples date back
to the 600 and 700 A.D. Two of the caves are dedicated to Lord Vishnu, one
to Lord Shiva and the fourth is a Jain temple.
» Bhutanatha Temples - The two lakeside Bhutanatha
temples lend their name to the lake just beneath the cave temples. The two
Shiva temples deify him as Bhutanatha, God of Souls.
» The Archeological Museum - The archeological
museum houses some of the finest examples of sculpture collected locally is
worth a visit.
» Aihole - 43 kms from Badami, this village, was the
Chalukya region capital between the 4th and 6th centuries. There are over 70
monuments in and around the village.
» Pattadakal - 16 kms from Badami, Pattadakal was
the second capital of the Badami Chalukyans. The most interesting monument
here, is the Virupaksha temple or the Lokeshwara, is an enormous structure
with episodes from Hindu epics and the social life of early Chalukyans. The
other temple Mallikarjuna – has sculptures depicting scenes from
Bhagvad Gita, the story of Lord Krishna.
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