Overview
Earlier
known as Vatapi is a historic town (taluk) situated in Bagalkot district of
Karnataka. Once served as the capital of Chalukya Kingdom (between 6th century
AD to 8th century AD), Badami is now a quaint town and draws discerning tourists,
religious mind people, historians, art lovers and architect lovers. Badami is
the place where the Chalukyas started a new type of architecture called
Dravidian architecture ((a blend of older South Indian temple construction and
the Nagara style of North India) that later became a source of inspiration for
architectural styles of the region.
Besides
Chalukyas, Badami was ruled by many dynasties whose rulers built several forts,
temples and impressive monuments. Badami abounds with major attractions like
magnificent cave temples, ruined fortresses, beautiful carvings and much more. A
trip to Badami virtually takes you back to old era and offers a chance to see
the unique architectural and sculptural styles. The wonderful location of
Badami in a tranquil valley at the base of a rugged, red sedimentary outcrop
surrounding Agastya Lake, and excellent shopping opportunities of local
handicrafts and sandalwood items altogether makes a holiday in Badami a
memorable experience.
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| Badami Cave Temples |
Fast Facts
Main Languages: Kannada
along with English and Hindi.
When to Go: The
climate of Badami is characterised by four seasons, namely winter (November to
January), spring (January to March), summer (April to June) and monsoon (July
to October). During the summer season the mercury level remains over 40 degree
Celsius most of the time, while the winter and spring seasons are quite
comfortable. November to February is the best time to visit Badami.
Local Transport: Rickshaws
and tongas are the modes of local transport in Badami.
Currency: Indian
Rupee (INR) 1 USD is approximately 48 INR
Voltage: 230V /
50Hz
Time Zone: Indian
Standard Time (UTC +5:30)
Location: Bagalkot
district in Karnataka
Nearest Metropolis: Bangalore
– 450 km away
Eating
Don’t
expect about luxurious restaurants at the small town of Badami. The eateries
and food stalls in and around Badami serve traditional South Indian dishes at
cheap rates. You may also find North Indian and other Indian cuisines at some
eating joints.
Shopping
Although
there are no huge shopping malls or shopping centres in Badami, but the town
offers delightful shopping experience to visitors. The town of Badami is dotted
with many small shops that mainly deal in handicraft items and rugs. Explore
the shops and see a beautiful collection of attractive objects made from
sandalwood and rosewood. Take your pick from a variety of items that you can be
a souvenir for your near and dear ones. Jewelleries, handlooms, sandalwood
sculptures, paintings, inlay work, wood carvings, metal lamps, perfumes,
sandalwood oil and incense sticks are some of the must buy in Badami. Most of
the shops in Badami offer a little bit of haggling, so don’t hesitate to ask
your desired price.
Sightseeing
Because
of its historic connection, the tourist attractions in Badami mainly revolve
around ruined fortresses, massive gateways, amazing cave temples and beautiful
carvings. Begin your sightseeing expedition in Badami from the massive cave
temples that can be reached by taking a climb of about 2000 steps. Actually
carved out a hill, the three caves represent the Brahmanical faith, while the
fourth cave represents the Jain faith. Lord Shiva as Nataraja with 18 arms is
the presiding deity of the first cave. The second cave shows Lord Vishnu as
presiding deity, who is portrayed as a dwarf form of Trivikrama. Lord Vishnu is
the holy deity of third cave and shown in various forms. The fourth cave is
dedicated to Jain Thirthankaras.
Further
visit the 18th century Tipu’s Fort, situated atop the same hill in which the
cave temples had been carved. While heading towards Tipu’s Fort, you can see
some exquisite carvings. Next pay a visit to noted temples of Badamai, namely
Bhootnath Temple and Banashankri Temple. A brilliant masterpiece of South
Indian temple architecture, Bhootanath Temple actually comprises two temples
both dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temples are situated against magnificent
backdrop along the lake and have impressive sculptures and Jain figures.
Just
5 km away from Badami is Banashankari Temple that deserves a visit. Believed to
be constructed in the 17th century by the Chalukyas of Kalyan, Banashankari
Temple houses the black stone statue of Goddess Parvathi seated on a lion. Every
year during the Hindu months of Pusha - Magha (January – February) the car
festival is organised at Banashankari Temple, which draws large number of
devotes and common people.
Set
at the foothills of the northern hill, Badami Museum is another must visit
place which was established in 1979. Badami Museum has four galleries and
encompasses a fine collection of pre-historical stone equipments, sculptures
and other interesting items dating between 600 AD and 1600 AD. You can also see
impressive exhibits of Lord Shiva and Vishnu inside the museum. Badami Museum
is open all weekdays (except Fridays) from 10 am to 5 pm.
Activities
Leisurely
walk is the most popular among the visitors to Badami. In fact, you have to
cover the popular destinations of the town on foot. The red sandstone cliffs of
Badami offer excellent opportunities for leisure activities like climbing and
bouldering. Badami has more than 150 bolted routes and multiple routes that are
ideal for free climbing.
Events
The
people in Badami and nearby areas celebrate a number of festivals and events
every year. Hindu festivals like Dusshera and Deepawali (October / November)
are celebrated with great pomp and gaiety. Some specific local (temple)
festivals are also celebrated in Badami. Banashankari Temple is the venue of
annual temple festival (January – February) that showcases massive festivities
including huge processions. Vinayak Chaturthi (September) is also an important
festival of Badami. Almost all the festivals and events in Badami provide a
fine glimpse of the old traditions and customs. Plan a trip to Badami during
noted festivals and events, and become a part of the traditional festivities.
Nightlife
Badami
is a small temple town and offers nothing special to do in the night. If you
wish, you can ask your hotelier to arrange a bonfire within the hotel premises.
Excursions
After
exploring the tourist hotspots of Badami take excursions to cover nearby
attractions. Pay a visit to the town of Aihole, situated in the western side of
Badami. Renowned as the birthplace of Hindu stone architecture, Aihole is home
to around 125 temples that are noted for their unique construction styles. A
UNESCO World Heritage Site, Pattadakal is about 30 km away from Badami and
thronged by visitors in large numbers. Set on the left bank of Malaprabha
River, Pattadakal is home to attractions like Virupaksha Temple and
Banashankari Temple. Hubli (100 km), Bijapur (135 km), Amboli (200 km) and Goa
(210 km) are other famous tourist destinations close to Badami. You can combine
your Badami tour with state capital Bangalore (460 km) or the city of Mangalore
(450 km).
Getting There
Air: Belgaum Airport, approximately
150 km away is the nearest airport from Badami, but currently the airport is
not served by scheduled flights. Dabolim
Airport in Goa (200 km approx) is the nearest major airport, which is served by
many flights from various parts of the country and few international
destinations as well. From Dabolim Airport hire a private vehicle (taxi / car)
to reach Badami. Bangalore Airport (460 km) is another option, from where you
can reach Badami by taking a taxi or bus.
Rail: The nearest major railhead is
located in Hubli, about 100 km away from Badami. Hubli Railway Station is
connected by express trains to many important cities of the country. There is
also a small railway station close to Badami, which is just 5 km away but has
very few trains.
Road: KSRTC (Karnataka State Road
Transport Corporation) and private operators offer bus service to and from
Badami at frequent intervals. Tourist buses also ply daily from many cities
like Bangalore and Mangalore to Badami.
Driving directions: From Bangalore –
Start from Brigade Road and proceed towards NH 7 (Shri Chowdaiah Road).
Continue till you reach CV Raman Road (NH 4) and take a right on NH 13 at
Chitradurga. Further take a left on SH 30 to reach Badami (460 km, 12 hours
approx).
Recommended for:
Top 5 Must See
Cave
Temples: Pay a visit to amazing cave temples that are carved out from a hill.
Bhootnath
Temple: Actually a group of two temples, Bhootnath Temple is a fine specimen of
South Indian Temple architecture.
Banashankari
Temple: Built in the 17th century, Banashankari Temple has mythological as well
as architectural significances.
Tipu’s
Fort: Situated at the top of a hill that fort provides a breathtaking view of
the surroundings.
Open
Air Museum: Established in 1979, the museum has a vast collection of ancient
sculptures and equipments.
Art
lovers, architect lovers, historians and temple lovers.
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