Karnataka’s Badami caves are a proposed UNESCO world heritage site

India is a treasure house of spectacular architectural sites, most of which display craftsmanship and sculptural brilliance and whose beauty cannot be described in words. Many a time, words do little justice to these architectural gems that have been standing tall for several centuries. One such sight is Badami in Karnataka that is home to a set of awe-inspiring cave temples that date back to the 6th and 7th century AD.

Chalukyan Heritage

Located in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka, Badami is situated around 150 km from the town of Belgaum and about 510 km from Karnataka’s capital city of Bengaluru. Earlier known as Vatapi, this historical town is located just about 20 km from Pattadakal which is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Once ruled by the Chalukya dynasty, the city is said to have been founded by ruler Pulakesin I and was the erstwhile capital of the Chalukyas. The kings who were great patrons of architecture built stunning temples and the rock-cut cave temples of Badami are believed to be the finest example of Chalukyan architecture.

The temples which are replete with exquisite carvings and sculptural details are a fusion of the Nagara style of architecture of the North and the Dravidian style of the South. Carved out of the natural sandstone that is found abundantly in the region, there are four exquisite temples. While one of them is dedicated to Jainism, the other three are dedicated to Hinduism. Each cave temple boasts of a pillared hall, veranda, and sanctum and are interconnected with one another by a flight of stairs.

Cave 1

Dating to around 550 AD, the first cave temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva which is in the form of a Linga. This cave temple consists of an open porch, pillared hall, and a sanctuary and the side walls boast of magnificent sculptures of Harihara on the left and Ardanari Shiva on the right. The ceiling has a massive sculpture of Nagaraja which is the coiled snake God. Apart from carvings of Lord Ganesha and Mahishasuramardhini (Goddess Durga), the highlight of this temple is the truly beautiful and spectacular carving of Lord Shiva with eighteen arms in the form of “Natraj”. Carved in the deep pink hue of the underlying sandstone, this sculpture is the face or signature image of the Badami cave temples and is simply resplendent.

Cave 2

Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the second cave also dates to the 6th century and has the Lord in the Trivikrama form. Panels of Vamana-Trivikrama as well as friezes of Ganas (Dwarfs) dominate among the sculptures of the cave. Several relief carvings of Brahma, Durga, and Kartikeya are also found. The ceiling has an elaborate carving of a central “Matsya chakra” or fish wheel along with carvings of elephants, lions, etc.

Cave 3

The third cave is also dedicated to Lord Vishnu and consists of a complex pillared hall that is replete with intricate carvings. There are several magnificent sculptures of Lord Vishnu in the form of Harihara, Bhuvaraha, and Narasimha. While this is a cave dedicated to the followers of Lord Vishnu or Vaishnavas, the depiction of the Lord as Harihara (half Vishnu and half Shiva) makes it important to Shaivites as well. This cave is the biggest and most intricate amongst the four and the eight-armed sculpture of Lord Vishnu seated on Ananta is a highlight. This cave also has fresco paintings and detailed murals. Scenes from the Mahabharata as well as the wedding of Lord Shiva and Parvati are depicted on the walls apart from an elaborate medallion on the ceiling.

Cave 4

Dedicated to Jainism, cave 4 is the smallest and accommodates relief features of Bahubali (also called Gomateshwara) and a sermon delivering Thirthankara (probably Mahavira). There are also carvings of Yakshas, Yakshis, and Padmavati. The inner walls and pillars have cravings of about 24 Jain Thirthankaras.

Picturesque setting

The cave temples overlook the serene Agastya lake which can is a must-see spot in Badami. Close to the lake is the Bhoothnath temple that dates back to the 5th century. The Badami Fort and the Archaeological Museum are yet other sites to visit in this heritage city.

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