Badami Cave Temples, Badami In Karnataka

Badami is truly famous for its Badami Cave Temples that date back to the 6th and 7th centuries. Located at Badami in Bagalkot district of Karnataka, Cave Temples represent the fine architectural style of the ancient times. The nearest airport to Badami is located in Belgaum.

About Badami Cave Temples :

Badami is a small town located in Karnataka. It is known for rock sculpture and temple architecture. The town was originally known as Vatapi and was the seat of government of the Badami Chalukyas in the 6th century AD. The name Vatapi has its origins in a mythological tale of the Ramayana.

Badami is a little town situated in the northern part of Karnataka, best known for its beautifully carved cave temples. Hewn out of soft sandstone at the drop of a hill, these temples, believed to have been built around the 6th and 7 th century, display a wide range of beliefs followed by religious sects prevailing in the country over time. Of the total four temples, three of those belonging to the Hindu faith are man made caves while the fourth one, also the only natural cave in the vicinity belongs to the Jain religion.

Attractions Of Badami Cave Temples, Badami In Karnataka :

The Badami cave temples are a complex of temples located at Badami, a town in the Bagalkot District in the north part of Karnataka, India.The Badami cave temples are composed of four caves, all carved out of the soft Badami sandstone on a hill cliff in the late 6th to 7th centuries.

The Badami cave temples are composed of four caves, all carved out of the soft Badami sandstone on a hill cliff in the late 6th to 7th centuries.The planning of four caves is simple. The entrance is a verandah (mukha mandapa) with stone columns and brackets, a distinctive feature of these caves, leading to a columned mandapa – main hall (also maha mandapa) and then to the small square shrine (sanctum sanctorum, garbhaghrha) cut deep into the cave.[3] The temple caves represent different religious sects. Among them, two (cave 2 and 3) are dedicated to god Vishnu, one to god Shiva (cave 1) and the fourth (cave 4) is a Jain temple. The first three are devoted to the Vedic faith and the fourth cave is the only Jain temple at Badami.

The cave temples date back to 600 and 700 CE. Their architecture is a blend of North Indian Nagara Style and South Indian Dravidian style. As described above each cave has a sanctum sanctorum, a mandapa, a verandah and pillars. The cave temples also bear exquisite carvings, sculptures and beautiful murals.[5] Important part of historical heritage at Badami cave temples are inscriptions in old Kannada script

History :

According to mythology, Vatapi and Ilvala were two demons. They used to eat beggars alive by tricking them. Vatapi would pose as red meat which Ilvala then offered to the beggars. Before the beggars could digest the meat, Ilavala would call out Vatapi’s name and he would rip through the beggars’ body.

Ilvala had a boon of calling back people from anywhere by just calling out their name. However, once, Sage Agastya ate and digested Vatapi before his elder brother could call out his name. Thus, Vatapi’s life was brought to an end.

Historically speaking, Badami was the Chalukya Dynasty’s capital from the 6th to 8th century AD. The city was founded by a Chlukya ruler named Pulakesi in the 6th century. The Chalukyas are credited with building many cave temples here between the 6th and the 8th centuries.

After the Chalukyas, the city was taken over by the Pallavas and the Hoysalas in the 8th and the 10th century respectively. The city is known for many inscriptions, some of which hold historic significance. A total of 18 inscriptions have been identified so far in Badami. It includes an inscription in Sanskrit using the old Kannada script, which dates back to the 6th century.

There is also an inscription of Kannada poetry which has been identified in Badami. Tourism is the main source of revenue of the region. Badami attracts a lot of tourists every year for its cave temples and its architecture.

The Badami Cave Temples Architecture :

Badami is famous for its four cave temples – all carved out of sand stone on the precipice of a hill. They all share the same plan – a veranda with columns and brackets leading to a main hall, the pillared maha mandapa which in turn leads to the small sanctum which houses the sculpture.

Legend has it there were two demon siblings Vatapi and Ilvala, who had a trick by which they could kill and make a meal of mendicants passing by. Their tricks worked until Agastya muni came by and counter-tricked them and brought an end to Vatapi’s life. Two of the hills in Badami are supposed to represent the demons Ilvalan and Vatapi.

The four cave temples represent the secular nature of the rulers then, with tolerance and a religious following that inclines towards Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.

Location :

Badami is truly famous for its Cave Temples that date back to the 6th and 7th centuries. Located at Badami in Bagalkot district of Karnataka, Cave Temples represent the fine architectural style of the ancient times. The nearest airport to Badami is located in Belgaum.

Best time to visit :

The best time to visit these cave temples is between the months of October to February when the weather is pleasant enough to explore these caves temples.

Trivia :

The interesting fact about these Cave Temples is that the carvings in Cave Temple 2 has 16 spokes, made thousands of years ago and these spokes are carved out in fish form that leaves everyone astounded.

There are also four swastikas inside the cave temple and the interesting part about these swastikas is that it can be drawn without lifting the pen.

Timing :

The cave temples of Badami, remains open from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.