Last Updated on July 6, 2024 by admin
After having spent 2 days in Belgaum, I wanted to explore a place nearby. While I googled one-day trips from Belgaum, the options were endless. While I shortlisted places based on adventure, heritage, architecture, and nature-based, I kept coming back to a friend’s suggestion about the heritage monuments of Badami, Aihole, and Pattadakal.
Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal form a well-known travel circuit and often covered together. I knew that a one day trip to these places would be hectic but then I only had a day to spare. So I hopped into a car with my cousins and decided to make the most of my day. I followed the Badami to Pattadakal to Aihole circuit.
This is a quick guide to all the heritage monuments of Badami, Aihole, and Pattadakal. I will be writing in detail about each of them soon.
Table of Contents
An introduction to the heritage monuments of Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal
Uttara Kannada or North Karnataka is a treasure when it comes to historical sites and monuments. While Hampi is the most popular choice, the smaller towns of Badami, Pattadakal, and Aihole are equally mesmerizing. While Badami has a group of temples, caves, and lakes, it also serves as a gateway to the nearby towns of Aihole and Pattadakal. All of these monuments are a testament to standing through so many centuries and there for amazing architecture from the Chalukya era.
I started on the 160 km journey from Belgaum to Badami to make the most of it.
Badami Cave Temples
After Hampi, Badami is probably the first choice of tourists, and rightly so. Badami was earlier known by the name Vatapi, which is believed to be related to the legend of the demon Vatapi, associated with Sage Agastya. According to another legend, Badami got its name from the Badam (almond) color of the sandstone.
Badami was the centre point for the ancient kingdom of the Chalukya Dynasty in the 6th and 7th centuries. Due to their nature of architecture, Badami cave temples are also known for their rock-cut architecture.
Badami Caves are a group of 4 cave temples. These intricately carved caves overlook the Agastya lake and the town of Badami. From the highway, all one can see are tall cliffs. In closer proximity too, it is difficult to imagine that these cliffs would be having caves, each one with stunning carvings. Recently, the fifth cave with 27 rock carvings has been discovered at Badami by a team of archaeologists.
Each cave is separated by elevation that needs to be climbed. There are steps to reach each elevation. The first 3 caves are dedicated to Hinduism and the fourth cave is to Jainism. Every cave has exquisite carvings done on walls, pillars, and ceilings with motifs and statues of Indian gods and goddesses.
Other than these caves, Badami also has Agastya Lake, Bhutanatha temple, Northern Hill, and Archeological Museum that are worth visiting.
Ideally, Badami needs an entire day to cover everything in detail with a guide. Read in detail here: Badami Cave Temples of Karnataka
Badami Caves entry fee: INR 25 for Indian Nationals and INR 300 for Foreign Nationals
Badami Cave timings: 9 am to 6 pm
Pattadakal group of Temples
Pattadakal is a village 22 kilometres from Badami settled on the banks of river Malaprabha in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka. Pattadakal also called Pattadakallu or Raktapura hosts a Group Of Monuments that are a cluster of Hindu and Jain temples and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Built in the 7th and 8th centuries, the Pattadakal temples are a classic representation of Chalukya architecture. In the earliest times, the coronation of the kings used to take place here. A group of ten temples together form the Pattadakal temples and all the Pattadakal temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva. Although all temples have an inner sanctum (garbhagriha), with Shivling, worship happens only in one temple called the Virupaksha temple.
Unlike Badami, Pattadakal’s exterior, as well as interiors, are equally fascinating. The symmetry with which each carving is made on pillars and exterior walls is spell-bounding.
The exterior walls of each temple form into a tower in the shape of a pyramid that reminded me of the Angkor Wat Temples.
The time required to visit Pattadakal is approximately 2-3 hours. It may require more time if you hire a guide.
Pattadakal entry fee: INR 40 for Indian Nationals and INR 600 for Foreign Nationals
Pattadakal timings: 9 am to 6 pm
Aihole
The next monument to visit was Aihole. Pattadakal to Aihole distance is 15 km and takes about 20 minutes to reach by car.
Aihole, known to be rich in history, was once the capital of the Chalukya Dynasty. Known to be the cradle of Hindu temple architecture, Aihole has more than 125 temples in and around the town built between the 4-8th century. Unlike Pattadakal the monuments in Aihole are scattered through the village. The sites here are again a mix of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain origins.
The most important monument in Aihole is the Durga Temple. Spread across a manicured garden, the contrast of greens with the sandstone colour is pleasing to the eyes. The temple has an oval-shaped base through which runs a pillared corridor. The inside of the temple is even more beautiful with its walls, pillars and roof of the porch having elegant carvings all over.
Just across the temple is another garden with statues and an exhibition hall. The main Aihole complex houses the Lad Khan temple, Gaudara Gudi and many others across the water tank that are interesting to visit.
Aihole temple complex requires 3-4 hours with a guide. In case visitors want to visit other complexes, it may require more time.
Aihole entry fee: INR 35 for Indian Nationals and INR 300 for Foreign Nationals
Aihole timings: 9 am to 6 pm
Do’s and Don’ts to plan a trip to the heritage monuments of Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal
- The entire Bagalkot area where the heritage monuments of Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal are located is extremely hot and humid during the day. I visited in Mid-September which is monsoon and yet it was not pleasant. It is best to carry a cap/hat/stole and sunglasses.
- Wear clothes that are loose, comfortable and sweat absorbing.
- Wear a pair of comfortable shoes as one will be walking a lot and there is even climbing involved in Badami. I logged 8500 steps that day!
- Carry a bottle of water everywhere you go to keep hydrated. Carry some snacks too as there are not many options for meals. There are some stalls outside Pattadakal by the local community which serve home cooked hot food. It was delicious, clean and cheap.
- Paying for entrance fees at any of the heritage monuments by debit or credit cards comes with a discount as against cash.
- Photography and videography using drones or tripods is strictly prohibited at all these sites so do not lug them with you while visiting.
Sustainable tips for Aiholes, Badami and Pattadakal
- Being an ancient world heritage site which is already dwindling with age, respect the structures by not sitting on them. If you are tired, sit in the garden outside the temple.
- Do not harm the structures by carving or writing on it.
- Do not enter places which are closed off, there’s a reason why they are closed.
- Dispose of garbage in the dustbins located at the entrance of each temple.
- Treat these monuments with respect and do not use them for picnics.
Read More posts from Karnataka
- Aihole – The ancient temple town
- Mahakuta temples of Karnataka
- Rock-cut Badami cave temples
- All about Belgaum
- Things to do in Nirvana Beach, Kumta
- Coracle ride at Talakadu Beach
- Shivanasamudra Falls
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