Banashankari Temple
ಬನಶಂಕರಿ ದೇವಾಲಯ
A goddess temple on Badami's southern outskirts, with a large square sacred tank and lamp pillars; the January to February festival is one of North Karnataka's grandest.
Banashankari Temple is dedicated to Banashankari, a form of Parvati. The original temple dates to the 7th-century Chalukya period, while the present structure was rebuilt in the 17th-century Vijayanagara style. In front lies a large square sacred tank, the Haridra Tank, surrounded by colonnades, and a tall stone lamp pillar stands at the entrance. The Banashankari festival, held each January and February, lasts for several weeks, with chariot processions, markets and folk performances that draw large numbers of pilgrims. Worship is free, and the temple is open about 06:00 to 21:00. It lies about 5 km from Badami town, roughly 15 minutes by tuk-tuk, and can be combined with the Mahakuta temples.
Opening hours
Approx. 06:00–21:00
Nearby sights
- Badami Cave Temples
- Agastya Lake
- Bhutanatha Group of Temples
- Archaeological Museum, Badami
- Malegitti Shivalaya
- Badami North Fort & Upper Shivalaya
- Mahakuta Group of Temples
- Sidlaphadi Cave