At a glance Cradle of temple architecture.This erstwhile capital of the Chalukyas is in Bijapur District, at the southern extremity of the Deccan Trap.
About the city Either the roads have been laid wrongly, or the hills. For it's only when you are almost at Badami that you suddenly notice the twin orange-hued soapstone hills, with a ravine running through. The stupendous caves, rock-cut temples, forts and sculptures of this glorious former Chalukya capital, occupy the ravine. The initial disappointment at the discovery that one's daydreams of an almond-shaped town or hill, were indeed just dreams, quickly vanishes. Badami was founded by the mighty Chalukya King Pulakesin I in the 6th century. The artistes of his kingdom evolved a highly sophisticated style of temple architecture with their matchless carving skills, that continues to draw connoisseurs of fine art and heritage from across the world in the modern era. Gazing at the vast open-air museum that is Badami, you did think those Chalukyan artistes could have converted the soft stone hills soft enough to carve, tough enough to endure the wear of centuries into any shape of their choosing. The sheer quantum of fine art in varying stages of completion scattered across Badami and its sister Chalukya towns of Aihole and Pattadakkal nearby, get you thinking. The Chalukyas must have been very ecologically sensitive and tried to use as little paper as possible. Whenever the muse hit them, they just took up their tools and started chiselling their thoughts and dreams into stone. And there was plenty of space to store their records. Their musings still live in the vast open-air museum that is Badami. The staggering number of temples in Badami leads one to believe the Chalukyas were immensely spiritual as well. That said, you don't have to be an expert on heritage to cringe at the acute squalor surrounding this rich artistry. The idle tourist too is appalled by the neglect of so rich a legacy. The mighty capital of a region that once stretched from Orissa in the east to Kanchipuram in the far south is now just a dusty taluk headquarters. We thus urge you to visit Badami, Pattadakkal and Aihole before their ruin is complete. For the locals, the art of the past is, understandably, now just a major source of livelihood, so patience with pesky guides is indeed a great virtue here. The rest of the people here seem almost too humble, perhaps paying for the arrogance during the hey days of this erstwhile capital, which lasted over centuries. Hope the power hungry people in Delhi take notice.
How to reach Road: A long drive from Bangalore, taking nearly 11 hrs, so leave as early as possible. Watch out for trucks after Gadag En route halts Hotel Aishwariya (Tel: 08194-431823-25) near the RTO office in Chitradurga is a clean place with good food and a bar Bus: A better option on a weekend might be the Ultra Deluxe Bus from Majestic, Rail: Nearest railhead: Hubli (97 km/ 1 1/2 hrs) Best option TO Rani Chennamma Express (dep: Bangalore City 9 pm; arr: Hubli 5.30 am). Taxi to Badami costs Rs 1,500 Best option FROM Rani Chennamma Express (dep: Dharwad 9.04 pm; arr: Yeshwantpur 6.55 am, Bangalore City 7.40 am) Journey Time Road: 11 hrs Rail: 8 1/2 hrs + 2 hrs by road Getting Around: If you have travelled to Badami by train, which you need to for a quick weekend trip, head west past Banashankari for Badami. En route, you will pass NH218 to your left, which leads to Hubli. The Mayura Hotel and Tourist Office is on this road. Continue straight and you are on Badami's main road. At Badami, turn right at Laxmi Vilas Hotel for the Agastya Tirtha Tank, at the very heart of the town. To the right of the tank, on the edge of a hill, are the cave temples. To its left is the Bhuthanatha temple and a footpath that leads to Mahakuta. To get to Mahakuta, Aihole and Pattadakkal by road, go back to the main road and turn right at Laxmi Vilas Hotel. Aihole, Badami and Pattadakkal require just one entry ticket to see all the sights in each town. Most of the monuments, maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India, are open from 6 am to 6 pm. A few open later at 9 am.
Distances 502 km North West from Bangalore From Bangalore NH4 to Hubli via Chitradurga, Davangere and Haveri NH218 to Kulgeri via Navalgund State road to Badami
Best Seasons The only time it is possible to visit Badami is between September and February. Summer in this region has only two phases: intensely hot and severely hot. Badami can radiate only fatigue and despair at this time, instead of its elegance when the weather is cool.
Places in and around The Cave Temples The four famous caves of Badami are on the edge of the hills, reached by a long flight of steps. Of the four caves, the first three are Vedic caves reserved for Shiva and Vishnu while the fourth contains several Jain deities and a huge idol of Parshwanatha. The Chalukyas were Vaishnavites, or worshippers of Vishnu. But their religious and sect-wise tolerance was quite unlike the present gladiators of Ayodhya. The Chalukyas ruled for 600 years, barring a brief reprieve in between, when they were humbled by the Pallavas. They regained their supremacy but in the process had seen the mortal nature of life and turned spiritual. They then invited the Shaivites and Jains to build temples too. There is a delicately handled Ardhanareeshwara, the Shiva-Parvati combine, in the first cave. The right portion of the sculpture resembles Shiva and the left portion is shapely, like the body of his consort. Another combi shows Shiva and Vishnu sharing a body. There's also an exquisite Nataraja with 18 hands. The guide uses his handkerchief effectively over this carving to reveal 81 different poses of dancing Shiva. The second cave temple has some of the best sculptures in Badami, though the third cave is the undisputed star of the complex. Cave Two is dedicated to Vishnu, portrayed in his varaha and Trivikrama avatars. The sculpture of the varaha (boar) was the emblem of the Chalukyas, perhaps the reason why this is among the most striking of the sculptures here. When you step out the second cave and head towards Cave Three, you will find a flight of steps that lead up to Tipu's Fort. Cave Three is also dedicated to Vishnu, and has sculptures of Shiva, Brahma and Indra. Such an auspicious combination of the Hindu trinity and the king of the gods has ensured Cave Three carries the crown of housing the best sculptures. Cave Four was the one allotted to the Jains, and unsurprisingly has stunning sculptures of the tirthankaras, including the first, Adinath. The caves are clustered together, 2 km from the bus stand. There are plenty of signs to guide you to them. Entry fee Rs 5, foreigners Rs 100 Timings 6 am to 6 pm The Bhuthanatha Temple Exit the caves and you will see the Bhuthanatha Temple below, on the opposite hill across the tank. The Agasthya Tirtha tank looks particularly picturesque from this angle. You rush down enamoured by its sylvan looks. Do it by all means to see the temple, its classic style and the backdrop of the hills, which you have just visited. Don't go near the lake, even if the guide tells you that a dip used to cure many diseases. It might, but who knows what other germs you might catch as well. The water is a pathetic combination of green and emerald hues. Water, the textbook says, is a colourless, odourless and tasteless liquid. Timings 6 am to 6 pm Tipu's Fort In the 18th century Tipu Sultan visited Badami. Unsurprisingly, he liked what he saw and promptly built a fort on top of the Badami Hills. Magnificent cannons were placed at vantage points to fight the Marathas, says the guide. If he notices an apprehensive look on your face, he will say to fight the British. A bit of freedom with dates and interpretation of historical facts is okay as many great scholars have not yet been able to agree on the real year of birth of Lord Rama and Lord Krishna. The cannons are a beauty sleek, smooth and hard. Tipu's Fort is atop the hill into which the cave temples were carved. The path to the fort leads up past caves Two and Three. En route, you will pass a natural cave which houses some Buddhist carvings. The climb up is worth it for the view of Badami. Open-air museumTo get a sense of the splendour of all three towns, visit a natural National Museum in Badami. This is no display hall in a brick building, but an area where the high school students tried out everything rock cut steps, caves and incomplete idols tried out as a first draft are cordoned off here. The site has been declared a museum. Timings 9 am to 6 pm Banashankari Temple Even if you think you have had your fill of temple architecture and sculpture, Banashankari, 5 km from Badami, does not bore you. The pond next to the temple, the Harischandra Tirtha, has an interesting mythological history. Goddess Banashankari converted herself into a pond, either to beat the heat or the stuffy atmosphere. Now, for the first time in 100 years say the guides, the pond has gone dry. Some other guides insisted the gap was only 70 years. Water or no water, this is one of the most ancient shrines in Karnataka. They come in thousands for the Van Poornima fair in January, which lasts for two months. The popularity of this fair is gauged by the number of touring tent cinemas that are pitched here around during this time: 13. Timings 6 am to 8 pm, puja thrice daily Jatra fee Rs 2