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Badami cave temples - Amazing Ancient Rock Cut Temples

  • Rock Cut cave Temples Of Badami in Karnataka, India.
  • Badami, the capital of the Early Chalukyas, who ruled much of Karnataka in the 6th to 8th centuries, lies at the mouth of a ravine with rocky hills on either side and a town tank in which water from the ravine flows. The town is known for its ancient cave temples carved out of the sandstone hills above.
  • These caves are considered an example of Indian rock-cut architecture, especially Badami Chalukya Architecture.
  • The Badami Cave Temples are composed of 'four caves', all carved out of the soft Badami sandstone. 
  • The cave temples date back to 6th and 7th century. Their architecture is a blend of North Indian Nagara Style and South Indian Dravidian style.

Badami cave temples - Amazing Ancient Rock Cut Temples


  • Badami Cave Temples

Badami is 23 km from Pattadakal and occupies an important place in the history of the heritage of Karnataka. Badami is picturesquely nestled at the mouth of a ravine between two rocky hills.

Badami's exquisite sculptures and sandstone cliffs unearth many stories from the past. Four caves carved into the rock adorned with ancient carved pillars and cantilever figures cut out of the red sandstone.

The caves overlook Lake Agastya Theertha, its shores dotted with a cluster of Bhutanatha temples. Dedicated to the form of Shiva as the god of souls, spirits and ghosts, the Bhutanatha temple dates back to the 7th century with the outer mantapa added in the 11th century during the late Kalyani Chalukyan age.

The caves are best viewed at sunset when the evening sun captures the rust-red tint of the sandstone. The cave temples, numbered 1 to 4 in the order of their creation, in the city of Badami, the capital of the kingdom of Chalukya (also known as Early Chalukyas), date from the late 6th century onwards.

The exact dating is known only for Cave 3, which is a temple dedicated to Vishnu. An inscription found here records the dedication of the Mangalesha shrine to Saka 500 (solar calendar, 578/579 AD). The inscription, written in the ancient Kannada language, has allowed these cave temples to be dated to the 6th century. This makes the cave the oldest Hindu rock temple of certain dating in India.

The Badami complex is part of a heritage, designated World Heritage candidate under the title "Evolution of the Temple Architecture, Aihole Badami-Pattadakal" in the valley of the Malaprabha River, considered the cradle of the temple architecture which formed the model for the later Hindu temples in the region. The works of art in Caves 1 and 2 show the Northern Deccan style of the 6th and 7th centuries, while those in Cave 3 represent two ancient Indian artistic traditions at the same time; the northern Nagara and southern Dravidian styles.


Cave 3 also displays icons and reliefs from the so-called Vesarastile, a fusion of ideas from the two styles, as well as some of the earliest surviving historical examples in Karnataka of yantra-chakra motifs (geometric symbolism) and colorful frescoes. The first three caves feature sculptures of Hindu icons and legends centered around Shiva and Vishnu, while Cave 4 features Jain icons and themes.

  • Badami Cave Temples

Badami is 23 km from Pattadakal and occupies an important place in the history of the heritage of Karnataka. Badami is picturesquely nestled at the mouth of a ravine between two rocky hills.

Badami's exquisite sculptures and sandstone cliffs unearth many stories from the past. Four caves carved into the rock adorned with ancient carved pillars and cantilever figures cut out of the red sandstone.

The caves overlook Lake Agastya Theertha, its shores dotted with a cluster of Bhutanatha temples. Dedicated to the form of Shiva as the god of souls, spirits and ghosts, the Bhutanatha temple dates back to the 7th century with the outer mantapa added in the 11th century during the late Kalyani Chalukyan age.

The caves are best viewed at sunset when the evening sun captures the rust-red tint of the sandstone. The cave temples, numbered 1 to 4 in the order of their creation, in the city of Badami, the capital of the kingdom of Chalukya (also known as Early Chalukyas), date from the late 6th century onwards.

The exact dating is known only for Cave 3, which is a temple dedicated to Vishnu. An inscription found here records the dedication of the Mangalesha shrine to Saka 500 (solar calendar, 578/579 AD). The inscription, written in the ancient Kannada language, has allowed these cave temples to be dated to the 6th century. This makes the cave the oldest Hindu rock temple of certain dating in India.

The Badami complex is part of a heritage, designated World Heritage candidate under the title "Evolution of the Temple Architecture, Aihole Badami-Pattadakal" in the valley of the Malaprabha River, considered the cradle of the temple architecture which formed the model for the later Hindu temples in the region. The works of art in Caves 1 and 2 show the Northern Deccan style of the 6th and 7th centuries, while those in Cave 3 represent two ancient Indian artistic traditions at the same time; the northern Nagara and southern Dravidian styles.


Cave 3 also displays icons and reliefs from the so-called Vesarastile, a fusion of ideas from the two styles, as well as some of the earliest surviving historical examples in Karnataka of yantra-chakra motifs (geometric symbolism) and colorful frescoes. The first three caves feature sculptures of Hindu icons and legends centered around Shiva and Vishnu, while Cave 4 features Jain icons and themes.


Badami cave temples - Amazing Ancient Rock Cut Temples



Badami cave temples - Amazing Ancient Rock Cut Temples



Badami cave temples - Amazing Ancient Rock Cut Temples



Badami cave temples - Amazing Ancient Rock Cut Temples



Badami cave temples - Amazing Ancient Rock Cut Temples



Badami cave temples - Amazing Ancient Rock Cut Temples



Badami cave temples - Amazing Ancient Rock Cut Temples



Badami cave temples - Amazing Ancient Rock Cut Temples



Badami cave temples - Amazing Ancient Rock Cut Temples



Badami cave temples - Amazing Ancient Rock Cut Temples



Badami cave temples - Amazing Ancient Rock Cut Temples



Badami cave temples - Amazing Ancient Rock Cut Temples