Exploring Badami: A Hidden Gem of Ancient Splendor

 When we hear the name ‘Badami’, we naturally think of one color. But today I will tell about another ‘Badami’.

Badami (ancient name Batapi) in the Baglakot district of present-day Karnataka was the capital of the Chalukya dynasty from 540 to 757 AD, which can also be called the paradise of medieval stone architecture. The way these regions have excavated the mountain walls and built various beautiful temples is not seen elsewhere in India except at Ajanta and Ellora in Maharashtra. Around the 6th century Chalukya king Pulakesi I started construction of the cave temple of Badami, later his son Kirti Varman and later Pulakesi II completed the construction of the temples. 

Sculpture at Badami Cave Temple

Badami's key places are: 1. Bhuthanath Temple, 2. Mallikarjuna Temple, 3. Archaeological Museum, 4. Upper Shivalaya Temple, 5. Lower Shivalaya Temple, 6. Badami Fort, 7. Malgatti Shiva Temple, 8. Dattatreya Temple, 9. Yallamma Temple, 10. Badami Cave Temples (4).

A huge reservoir, Agastyakund, was excavated during the Chalukya rule between the two mounds of brown sandstone. And the famous Badami cave temples are built on the nearby hills. The Badami Caves mainly contain statues of Hindu deities and Jain Tirthankaras, there are four mountain caves, the first three of which have various forms and avatars of the Gods Vishnu and Maheshwar (Shiva) and the last one has statues of 24 Jain Tirthankaras and various Jain relief works. Also in 2015, some cave temples were discovered at a distance of 500 meters from the main cave temples, which contain Buddhist relics. Almost every temple has wonderful sculptures as well as numerous cave paintings that give a lot of insight into the lifestyle and religious beliefs of that time. 

Agastya Kund and Bhutnatha Temple

On the hill directly opposite the Badami cave temples are two-thousand-year-old Shiva temples. Lower Shivalaya is a Shiva temple built in Dravidian style and Upper Shivalaya is at the very top of the hill from where the settlement below, Agastyakunda and the Badami caves on the opposite hill appear very beautiful. ASI Archaeological Museum is located below this hill. The famous inscription of the Chalukya king Pulakesi II on the rock is preserved next to the museum. A little further along this road are the North and East Bhutnatha Temples. There is also a Jain inscription on the hill next to it. 

Cave at Badami, Agastya Kund, Upper and Lower Shivalaya

It is assumed that there was a population in Badami even during the megalithic period. Because in this area, many contemporary artifacts (which are kept in the museum) and several ancient tombs or dolmens have also been found. Along with these prehistoric monuments, the ruins of the Badami Fort built during the reign of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan can be seen here.

You can easily reach Badami by car/bus/train from Bangalore via Hubli. The best time to visit Badami of Karnataka is Winter or Spring seasons. At other times of the year, it is quite hot here. A visit here should also include historic Hampi, Aihole and Pattadikal, which are equally interesting.

Badami is a wonderful blend of natural beauty and unique architecture that lingers in the mind for a long time.