Our trip was primarily to visit three ancient cities. With family and friends, we departed from our workplace city, Sangli in Maharashtra, at 7 AM, heading towards Badami, Pattadakal, and Aihole in Karnataka by road. There are many roadside eateries along the way that serve Karnataka and Marathi dishes such as pav bhaji, vada pav, idli, sambar, etc.
We also enjoyed these delicacies. Enjoying the journey and having fun along the way, we covered the 200-kilometer distance in 5 hours. At 12 PM, we reached our hotel located in Badami. After a bit of rest, we set out to explore Badami, which is detailed below:
➥Badami
Badami is a tehsil in the Bagalkot district of northern Karnataka. The nearest airport is in Hubli, which is 105 kilometers away from Badami. Badami also has a railway station. You can easily reach here by road from places like Kolhapur, Pune, and Bangalore. Badami is one of the important historical places in the country. Its ancient name was Vatapi, and it served as the capital of the Chalukya kings from 540 AD to 757 AD.
The city was founded by Chalukya king Pulakeshin I after performing the Ashwamedha Yajna on the banks of an artificial lake named Agastya. In the year 608 AD, Pulakeshin II ascended the throne. Pulakeshin II was a very good ruler, and during his reign, Badami/Vatapi was at the height of its glory. In 642 AD, Pallava king Narasimhavarman attacked Badami and ended Pulakeshin’s rule. Narasimhavarman took control of the city and looted it extensively. The battle between the Chalukyas and Pallavas continued later as well. Later, in 750 AD, the Rashtrakutas took control of the city.
Badami attracts tourists for its caves, temples, and forts. The caves include temples constructed in both Hindu and Jain styles. There are four main caves on a large hillside, out of which three are associated with Hinduism and one with Jainism.
Cave Number 1: This cave is dedicated to Lord Shiva’s Nataraja avatar, featuring a beautifully carved 5-foot-tall statue performing the cosmic dance of Tandava. Alongside Nataraja, there are also sculptures of Nandi and Goddess Parvati.
Cave Number 2: This cave is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, depicting his Varaha avatar through sculptural art.
Cave Number 3: In this cave, there are sculptures of various avatars of Lord Vishnu along with images of Lord Shiva. Additionally, an inscription in Kannada language dating back to the Chalukya King Mangalesha was found in this cave.
Cave Number 4: This cave is dedicated to Jain Tirthankaras, featuring sculptures of several Tirthankaras.
On the other side of the hill where the caves are located, near Agastya Lake, stands the Bhutanatha Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. This temple is an unparalleled example of Chalukyan art, showcasing influences from both South Indian Dravidian architecture and North Indian Nagara style.
We spent approximately 3-4 hours within the precincts of these magnificent cave temples in Badami, capturing numerous photographs and recording videos. After exploring, we returned to our hotel. The next morning, after having breakfast, we set off for our next destination, Pattadakal, as described below.
➥Pattadakal
Located 18 kilometers away from Badami on the banks of the Malaprabha River, Pattadakal was an extremely important city of the Chalukya Empire. During the 7th and 8th centuries, the Chalukya kings built several temples here. Due to its magnificent sculptural art, it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Pattadakal is renowned for its historic temples and early experiments with Indian architecture. It is often referred to as the “City of Temples”. While Badami/Vatapi held the status of the political capital in the Chalukya Empire, Pattadakal was famous as its cultural capital.
Here, there are a total of 10 temples, including 4 in the South Indian Dravidian style, 4 in the North Indian Nagara style, 1 in a mixed style, and 1 Jain temple. The most prominent temple here is the Virupaksha Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple’s doorways feature beautiful sculptures of door guardians.
Inside the Virupaksha Temple, scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata are carved on the pillars, depicting major events such as the churning of the ocean, the abduction of Sita, Cheer Haran of Draupadi, and the burning of Lanka by Hanuman. Every year in January, a classical dance festival used to be organized in this temple, attracting artists from all over the country.
Apart from these, the Sangameshwara Temple is also very famous. However, due to unknown reasons, this temple remains incomplete. Nearby, the Mallikarjuna Temple at Ellora resembles the Kailash Temple. The Virupaksha Temple and the Mallikarjuna Temple were built by Queen Lokamahadevi in honor of her victory over the Pallava dynasty of Kanchi, during the reign of Vikramaditya II. The flowing Malaprabha River near these temples seems to narrate the story of its ancient glory.
We spent about 3 hours in Pattadakal. Since this place holds historical significance, we took a guide along for information. The guide shared detailed and fascinating information about all the temples in the temple complex. After thoroughly exploring the temple complex and taking some photographs, we descended the stairs to the banks of the Malaprabha River.
Dipping our feet in the clear flowing waters of Malaprabha relieved our fatigue. Near the exit gate of the temple complex, there were stalls selling fresh coconut water, buttermilk, lemonade, and fruits. We enjoyed fresh coconut water and then proceeded towards our final destination of Aihole on this trip.
➥Aihole
Aihole is known as the cradle of temple architecture, Badami as the university, and Pattadakal as the university. Aihole was the oldest center of sculpture and architecture. It is located approximately 35 kilometers from Badami. Its association dates back to Chalukya King Pulakeshin II. The main attraction here is the Durga Temple, famous for its unique architecture resembling a parliamentary building.
This temple is built in the Dravidian style. There are various beliefs regarding the name of this temple. Many believe it is named after Goddess Durga, while others think it is named Durga because of its proximity to a fort (durg).
The village of Aihole is filled with hundreds of ancient Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist temples. Towards the northern side of the village, there are marks on the rocks along the banks of the Malaprabha River. It is believed that Lord Parashurama washed his axe here after slaying the Kshatriyas. Visiting these temples, created by various dynasties with their ancient heritage and exquisite architecture, certainly provides a wonderful experience.
In Aihole, we spent 2 hours exploring. The guide provided detailed explanations about all the notable buildings and temples. After touring the entire complex, we took photos with the whole group to capture memories of these beautiful places and headed back towards our hometown.
**************************
➝ Don’t forget to do these in Badami, Pattadakal, and Aihole: Guide, drink coconut water, photography.
➝ How to reach Badami, Pattadakal, and Aihole: Badami in Karnataka is closest to Hubli Airport, 105 kilometers away from Badami. Badami also has a railway station. It is easily accessible by road from places like Kolhapur, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and others.
➝ Best time to visit Badami, Pattadakal, and Aihole: Although these places are open throughout the year for tourism, the best time to visit is from October to March. Since all the temples and caves are made of stone, mornings and evenings are ideal as it gets quite hot during the afternoon.
➝ Estimated time to explore Badami, Pattadakal, and Aihole: 1 night / 2 days.
Information Source: Authentic information sources available on internet, Various Articles and books on the subject & Interaction with local public.
For more information & feedback write email at : ikanchan2024@gmail.com