Badami:- Badami is located in the Bijapur District of Karnataka, at the southern most point of the Deccan Trap. The capital of the famous Chalukyas, Badami is picturesquely situated at the mouth of a ravine between twin orange-hued soapstone rocky hills. Famous for its cave temples carved out from soft sandstone hills, Badami is popularly regarded as the cradle of Temple Architecture. Tourist spots Notable tourist spots here includes The Cave Temples, among them the largest and most ornamental is the temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The temples are full of beautiful sculptures of animals like varaha (boar). Also a must see is the Bhutnatha Temple which lends its name to the lake beneath the cave temples. The Archaeological Museum is another tourist attraction, which houses some outstanding sculptures of the by gone era including the remarkable Lajja-Gauri images of fertility cult. In the near by Jain temple you can find a large figure of Parshwanatha. A lake situated in the vicinity of temples is popular for a belief that a dip in the waters of this lake can cure leprosy as the water is said to have healing properties. Tipus Fort also attracts your attention in Badami. Situated on a hilltop, it provides you a beautiful glimpse of Badami. How to Reach There Airport: The nearest airport is Belgaum about 150 km. Other important airport near Badami is Bangalore about 500 km, the place is well connected by Indian Airlines flights to most parts of India. Rail: Nearest rail-head is Hubli about 130 km and the place is well connected by rail line to Bangalore and Hyderabad. Road: Buses are available from Badami and regularly ply between Badami to Belgaum, Hubli, Bijapur and many other destinations. South India Tours Hub offers tours to Badami, a memorable journey to history of the Chalukyas Temple architecture. For more information or to book a Badami tour please enter your query in the form below. This town used to be called Vatapi and was the capital of the early Chalukya rulers in the 6th and 8th centuries. The Agasthya-tirtha tank, an artificial lake east of the village, was built in the fifth century. The rock-cut temples are famous. Badami is a convenient base from which to visit Aihole and Pattadakal. The railway station is 5km from town. To get to town a tonga is Rs 25, an auto-rickshaw Rs 40, and a taxi Rs 60. Cave Temples and South Fort There are four elaborately carved cave temples and one natural Buddhist temple. You have to walk up about 200 steps to get to them, because they are partway up a cliff. To get here from the bus stand, turn right on Station Rd. When you reach the statue of Dr Ambedkar, you turn left. Admission Rs 2. Cave 1, late 6th century, is dedicated to Lord Siva and has an excellent sculpture of Nataraja (dancing Siva) to the right of the entrance. Inside on the left is a panel of Harihara (half-Vishnu, half-Siva) and their consorts Lakshmi and Parvati. On the right is Ardhanariswara (Siva as half-man, half-woman). On the altar is a Siva-linga. This cave is about 15m (50 ft) up the hill. Cave 2, late 6th century, is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. On the left is a sculpture of Varaha (boar incarnation of Vishnu), and on the right is Vamana (dwarf incarnation). On the ceiling is a carving of Lord Vishnu riding his bird carrier, Garuda. Cave 3, 578 AD, has sculptures of Vishnu, Narasimha, Harihara, Trivikrama, and others. Some of the sculptures are about 3m (10 ft) high. It is the largest cave. Cave 4 is a Jain cave and has a statue of seated Parswanath. There are carvings of the tirthankaras both standing and sitting. Between Cave 2 and Cave 3 is a Buddhist temple located in a natural cave. It overlooks Agasthya Lake. There is a stairway between Cave 2 and Cave 3 leading to the top of the hill and the South Fort. From there you can get a good view of Badami. East of the fort is a panel of Vishnu lying on the serpent Anantadeva (Adi Sesha). From here you can proceed east and descend to the lake. North Fort and Temples There is an Archaeological Museum on the north side of Agasthya Lake with a good collection of sculptures from Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal, and other sites. Open daily except Fri 10 am to 5 pm. Behind the museum there is a long stairway going up to the North Fort where there is another set of temples. There is a cannon at the south end of the fort, placed there by Tipu Sultan. You can get a good view of Badami from here. The Upper Shivalaya Temple is an early Chalukyan temple. There are scenes from Krishna�s pastimes on the base of this temple. Other Places The Malegitti Sivalaya Temple (late 7th century) is worth seeing. There is a pillared hallway and statues of Vishnu and Siva on the outer walls. The interesting Bhutanath Temples are near the eastern bank of the ancient Agasthya-tirtha Tank (also called Bhutanath Lake). Behind the Bhutanath group of temples is a cavern with a sculpture of Lord Vishnu sleeping on Ananta and attended by Lakshmi. Within the town is the Jambulinga Temple (699 AD), originally dedicated to Siva, Vishnu, and Brahma. It is near the rickshaw stand, near the west side of Agasthya Tank. Nearby, the Yellamma Temple (11th century) is the best late Chalukya temple in the town. Mahakuta In Mahakuta, 5km from Badami, there are two dozen Chalukyan shrines dedicated to Lord Siva. These temples, dating from the late 7th century, have both northern and southern influences in their design. Located around the tank are the Mahakuteswara and Mallikarjuna Temples, which are especially interesting. There is a large, stone-wheeled festival chariot near the Sangameswara Temple. The Naganatha Temple (2km away) is also worth a visit. It is a pleasant walk to Mahakuta from Badami. The path begins near the Museum. You walk past some ruins and then walk across a flat area. There is a marker that reads �RP.� From there, go down a paved stairway to the temple complex.

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