Badami

An ancient Chalukya capital set between red sandstone cliffs, with cave temples overlooking Agastya Lake and the World Heritage Site of Pattadakal and Aihole nearby.

Badami lies in Bagalkot district in northern Karnataka, India. Known in ancient times as Vatapi, it was the capital of the Early Chalukya dynasty from the 6th to 8th centuries. The town is wedged between two red sandstone cliffs, with the 5th-century Agastya Lake between them; the four cave temples on the southern cliff, the Bhutanatha temples on the lake's eastern shore and the fort and Shiva temples atop the northern cliff together form a compact yet spectacular ancient capital. Using Badami as a base, you can hire a car for the classic 'Chalukya triangle': the World Heritage Site of Pattadakal about 22 km northeast, then Aihole, hailed as the 'cradle of temple architecture', about 13 km further east, stopping at the Mahakuta and Banashankari temples on the way back — all doable in a single day. The sights in town are all within walking distance. Allow 2 days: one in town (caves, lake, North Fort and museum) and one for the triangle loop. The best season is October to February, with daytime temperatures around 25–30°C; March to May often exceeds 40°C, while the June–September rains sometimes bring waterfalls down the cliffs but leave roads muddy. Getting there: Badami railway station is about 5 km from town, with trains to and from Bengaluru and Hubballi; the nearest airport is Hubballi (about 2.5 hours by car). Hampi is about 140 km to the southeast and usually requires an overnight stay there. Note: there are plenty of monkeys at the sites, so keep an eye on your food; remove your shoes and dress modestly at temples; tickets for foreigners cost considerably more than for Indian nationals and can be bought online on the ASI website.

Top sights

• Badami Cave Temples – Four rock-cut temples carved into red sandstone cliffs by the Chalukya dynasty in the 6th century, with fine reliefs of Shiva as Nataraja a…
• Bhutanatha Group of Temples – A group of sandstone temples dating from the 7th to 11th centuries on the eastern shore of Agastya Lake. Reflected in the water, they are B…
• Group of Monuments at Pattadakal – A World Heritage site and the coronation ground of the Chalukya dynasty, with ten 7th–8th-century temples blending northern and southern In…
• Aihole (Durga Temple Complex) – Known as the 'cradle of Indian temple architecture,' this ancient village has over a hundred temples scattered across it. The horseshoe-pla…
• Agastya Lake – A 5th-century ancient reservoir embraced by two red sandstone cliffs to the north and south; locals washing clothes by the lake, temples an…
• Badami North Fort & Upper Shivalaya – The ruins of an ancient fort on the clifftop of the lake's north shore, with the 7th-century Upper Shivalaya temple, granaries and gun plat…
• Malegitti Shivalaya – A 7th-century stone temple standing alone on a giant rock to the north, simple in form and well preserved, a fine example of early Dravidia…
• Archaeological Museum, Badami – A small sculpture museum run by the Archaeological Survey of India on the lake's north shore, displaying Chalukya stone carvings, and the s…
• Meguti Jain Temple – A 634 Jain temple on a small hill in Aihole, with the famous Aihole inscription on its walls and a view over the entire temple complex.
• Ravanaphadi Cave – A 6th-century Shiva cave temple in Aihole, with large reliefs of Nataraja, the Ganges descent and the Seven Mothers, older than the Badami…
• Banashankari Temple – A goddess temple on Badami's southern outskirts, with a large square sacred tank and lamp pillars; the January to February festival is one…
• Mahakuta Group of Temples – A 7th-century Shiva temple complex in a valley, built around a natural spring-fed pool where pilgrims bathe, in a quiet and serene setting.
• Sidlaphadi Cave – A natural arched rock cave in the sandstone hills northeast of Badami, said to have been split by lightning, with prehistoric rock painting…

Where to eat

• Sri Veerabhadreshwar Lingayat Khanavali – A family-run North Karnataka khanavali serving freshly made Jolada Rotti meals. A recommended place in Badami for authe…
• Geeta Darshini Vegetarian Fast Food – A South Indian vegetarian fast-food spot near the bus station that opens early. An affordable breakfast before heading…
• Hotel Paradise Family Restaurant – A mid-range family restaurant on Station Road, ranked highly on TripAdvisor for Badami. It offers vegetarian and meat d…

Itineraries

• Karnataka Dynasty Heritage Trail – Travel south to north to see Mysuru, Hoysala temples, Hampi, Badami, and Vijayapura.
• Goa, Hampi & Badami Loop – Take a train from Goa up to the Deccan Plateau, spend three days in Hampi, and visit Chalukya caves.