Agastya Lake
ಅಗಸ್ತ್ಯ ತೀರ್ಥ
A 5th-century ancient reservoir embraced by two red sandstone cliffs to the north and south; locals washing clothes by the lake, temples and caves make up Badami's classic view.
Agastya Lake was built in the 5th century as the water reservoir for the Chalukya capital. It sits between the cave cliffs to the south and North Fort Hill to the north. Stepped ghats line the shore, along with the Bhutanatha temple complex and small shrines. Local residents still wash clothes and bathe in the lake, and legend holds that its waters have healing powers. A lakeside path links the caves, North Fort, the Archaeological Museum and the Bhutanatha temples. A full circuit takes about 1.5 to 2 hours, and early morning and evening are the most comfortable times. Admission is free, and the lake is open all day. The best viewpoints are the platforms of Caves 3 and 4 and the top of North Fort Hill.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Archaeological Museum, Badami
- Bhutanatha Group of Temples
- Badami Cave Temples
- Malegitti Shivalaya
- Badami North Fort & Upper Shivalaya
- Sidlaphadi Cave
- Mahakuta Group of Temples
- Banashankari Temple