Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
NORTHERN KARNATAKA
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Badami
08357 / POP 26,000
Once the capital of the mighty Chalukya empire, today Badami is famous for its magnifi-
cent rock-cut cave temples, and red sandstone cliffs that resemble the Wild West. While the
dusty main road is an eyesore that will have you wanting to get the hell out of there, its
backstreets are a lovely area to explore with old houses, carved wooden doorways, an occa-
sional Chalukyan ruin and flocks of curious kids.
History
From about AD 540 to 757, Badami was the capital of an enormous kingdom stretching
from Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu to the Narmada River in Gujarat. It eventually fell to the
Rashtrakutas, and changed hands several times thereafter, with each dynasty sculpturally
embellishing Badami in their own way.
The sculptural legacy left by the Chalukya artisans in Badami includes some of the earli-
est and finest examples of Dravidian temples and rock-cut caves. During Badami's hey-
days, Aihole and Pattadakal served as trial grounds for new temple architecture; the latter is
now a World Heritage Site.
Sights
Cave Temples
(Indian/foreigner ?5/100, video camera ?25; 6am-6pm)
Badami's highlight is its beautiful cave
temples. Nonpushy and informed guides ask ?300 for a tour of the caves. Late afternoon is
the best time to visit. Watch out for pesky monkeys and don't carry food on you.
Cave one
, just above the entrance to the complex, is dedicated to Shiva. It's the oldest of
the four caves, probably carved in the latter half of the 6th century. On the wall to the right
of the porch is a captivating image of Nataraja striking 81 dance moves in the one pose. On
the right of the porch area is a huge figure of Ardhanarishvara. The right half of the figure
CAVES
