Badami - Gheos Worldguide

Badami

Between the 4th and 8th centuries AD the central Deccan was ruled by the Chalukyan Empire and the first time the empire's capital of Vātāpi appears in historic records was in 544. In 642, the city was ransacked by the Pallava army.

Later, several Hindu and Muslim kingdoms ruled the region and they built temples and rock-cut caves that were inspired by Chalukyan's Dravidian ones.

The city was later renamed Badami.

Points of interest

There are numerous cave temples in Badami and they are all hewn in the red sandstone hills and are interconnected with flights of steps. Most of the temples feature beatiful carvings. Some of the most insteresting temples include:
- The Bhutanatha Temple.
- The Badami Shivalaya.
- The Jambulingesvara Temple.
- The Yellamma Temple dates from the 11th century.
- The Agastya Teertha (Agasythya Tank) was constructed in the 5th century.
There are also several rock-hewn artificial lakes.
Not far from Badami are the interesting towns of Aihole and Pattakadal, where more Chalukyan temples can be seen.

Accommodation is available in Badami and there are also several restaurants. Badami is located in a ravine at the foot of a rugged, red sandstone outcrop that surrounds Agastya Lake, some 1,390 km (864 mi) south of Delhi.

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