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BADAMI
GROUP
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CITIES
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BADAMI HOTELS
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BADAMI
SIGHTSEEING
GENERAL
INFO
 Set in beautiful countryside at the foot of a red sandstone
ridge, the small rural town of Badami was once the capital of
the Chalukyan. Empire covered much of the central Deccan between
the 4th centuries AD. Here and at nearby Aihole and Pattadakal,
you can see some of the earliest and rock- cut caves. The forms
and sculptural work at there sites provided inspiration for the
later Hindu empires which rose and fell in the arrival of the
Muslims. Though principally promoters of the vedic culture, the
Chalukyans were tolerant of all sects, and elements of Shaivism,
Vaishnaivism, Jainism and even Buddhism can be found in many of
their temples. Badami was the Chalukyan capital from about 540
AD until 757 AD when the Chalukyans were overthrown by the
Rashtrakutas. The surrounding hills are dotted with temples,
fortifications, carvings and inscriptions dating not just from
the Chalukyan period, but from other times when the site was
occupied as a fortress. After it fell to the Rashtrakutsa,
Badami was occupied successively by the Chalukyans of Kalyan (a
separate branch of the western Chalukyan), the Kaachuryas, the
Yadavas of Devagiri, the Vijayanagar Empire, the Adil Shahi
kings of Bajipur and the Marathas. All these various rulers have
left their mark at Badami, and there's even a Pallava
inscription dating back to 642 AD when their king, Narasimha
Varman I, Briefly overwhelmed the Chalukyans and occupied Badami
for 13 years before being driven out.
SIGHTSEEING
 CAVE TEMPLE
Badami town is best known for its beautiful cave temple, cut
into the cliff face of a red sandstone hill. They display the
full range of religious sects which have developed in India. Two
of them are dedicated to Vishnu, one to Shiva and the fourth is
a Jain temple. There's also one natural cave which is a Buddhist
temple.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
It is superb examples of local sculpture, including remarkable
Lajja-Gauri images of a fertility cult which flourished in the
area. It's open from 10 am to 5 pm daily except Friday.
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