Badami, also called Vatapi, is a town in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka, India. It has an average elevation of 586 metres (1922 ft). It is located in a ravine between two rocky hills at the foot of a rugged, red sandstone outcrop that surrounds Agastya lake water reservoir on the three other sides.Badami, often referred as the “Cradle of Architecture of South India,” is a beautiful place to be included in your tour list in India. This historic town is famous for the cave temples built by Chalukya kings, who ruled Deccan in 6th and 7th centuries and Badami was their capital. It is located on the banks of River Malaprabha, in Bagalkot District of Karnataka, in the southern area of India.
Often people do not know what is to be done in Badami other than visiting the red stone cave temples. This list will help you to know about the things you can do in this beautiful place.
- Enjoy the rare beauty of the cave temples, a series of four rock-cut cave temples, carved out of a hill.
- Visit the Archaeological Museum at Badami, located at the northern side of the Agasthya lake.
- Visit Badami Fort perched on hill top about 2 km. from the town, and enjoy the carved temple there raised on top of the northern end of the hill.
- Visit Banashankari temple, 5 kms away from the town, built in Dravidian style.
- Visit Naganath Temple which is one of the ancient Chalukyan temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, located 10 kms away.
- Visit the ancient Mahakaleshwar temple of Lord Shiva, located 14 kms away from Badami. Relax by the natural spring pond called Vishnu Pushkarini.
- Visit the world heritage site of temples at Pattadakal, constructed in 7th and 8th centuries, located 29 kms away. These magnificent temples are built depicting a marvelous blend of north and south Indian architecture.
- Visit the marvelous temples at Aihole, 45 kms away from Badami, built during sixth to eighth centuries, by Chalukyas.