CITY OF THE CHALUKYAS

Badami is well known for its rich history and ancient architecture. It was the ancient capital of the early Chalukya kingdom. A number of richly carved monuments and caves belonging to Chalukyas, dating back to the 6th and 7th centuries can be found here. The Chalukyas laid the foundation of a unique style of architecture, which is a fine blend of North Indian Nagara style and the South Indian Dravidian style of architecture. The architecture and sculptures created in Badami during the time of the Chalukyas inspired later-day architectural and sculpting traditions. A number of places of historical importance are situated near Badami.

LOCATION

Badami is located in the northern part of the state of Karnataka, in the southern region of India. It is situated near a red sandstone ridge. The climate of Badami is temperate with summers (April-June) being moderately hot while winters are cool and pleasant (November-February). It is 550 km from the city of Bangalore. It experiences southwestern monsoon rains in the months of June and July.

VISITING TIME

The best time to visit this small historic town is from October to February, when the weather is cool and pleasant.

THE PAST

The rich past of Badami is closely linked with the ancient Kingdom of Chalukyas. It was founded in the 6th century AD by Pulekeshin I, the great Chalukya ruler, and was the capital city of the Chalukyas from AD 540 until AD 757. A number of temples and monuments belonging to the Chalukya period can be found in and around Badami. The Rashtrakutas overthrew Badami, and, after its fall, it witnessed anarchy and strife and was successively overrun by a number of rulers. It was also ruled by the Chalukyas of Kalyan (a separate branch of Chalukyas), the Kalachuryas, Yadavas of Devangiri and the Vijaynagar Empire. In the latter medieval period, Adil Shahi rulers of Bijapur and the Marathas ruled it. Badami was finally taken over by the British, who made it a part of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency.

TOURIST SPOTS

Badami is famous for its rock-cut cave temples. These temples have been carved out on the red sandstone hills that surround the town. There are four cave temples at Badami. These temples date back to the 6th and 7th centuries AD and ornately carved with figures of Hindu deities. Three temples are dedicated to Hindu gods. The fourth one is a Jain temple and was built much later. Near these caves lies the 5th-century Agastyatirtha Tank, dotted with Bhuthnath temples, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The archeological museum is located near this tank, which in turn is near the historic Badami Fort.

SITES NEARBY

A number of historical spots lie around Badami. The historic village of Pattadakal is 20 km from Badami. It was the second capital of the Chalukyas and important state functions during the reigns of the Chalukyas were held here. It has many temples dating back to 6th and 7th centuries AD. Aihole, 46 km from Badami, was an important place during the Chalukya period and has a number of richly carved Hindu temples dating back to 6th to 8th century AD. Mahakuta Temple and Naganath Temple are about 10 km east of Badami (on the way to Aihole), while Banashankari is 5 km southeast of Badami (on the way to Pattadakal). Gulegud (24 km) and Lakkundi (82 km) are other important historical places.

FAIRS AND FESTIVALS

A number of annual temple festivals are held in towns near Badami. The annual temple festival, held at Banashankari, in the month of January-February is worth visiting; so are the Virupaksha Temple Car Festival and Mallikarjuna Temple Festival held in Pattadakal during March-April.

HOW TO REACH

There is no airport at Badami. The nearest airport is at Belgaum, 150 km away. The nearest railhead is at Badami, which is 4 km from Badami town. The trains that stop here are mainly second-class passenger trains running between Gadag and Bijapur. One can also catch trains from Bijapur (163 km) and Hubli (128 km), which are well connected by road to Badami. The main bus stop is at Station Road, which is the main road of the town. The town of Badami is connected by road with Hubli, Bijapur and Bangalore (550 km). It takes 4 hours to reach Bijapur and 3 hours to reach Hubli and 12 hours to reach Bangalore.

PLACES TO STAY

Badami offers economical accommodation to the tourists. Most of the hotels are within walking distance of the main bus stop on the Station Road.

PLACES WHERE TO EAT

Tourists can have food in any of the several hotels that dot the station road. Though Badami does not offer any special cuisine to the tourist, one can easily get regular Indian, Chinese and fast food.