Page 543 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

K ARNA T AK A  541

Exploring Badami VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
Most of Badami’s temples are
situated on the imposing cliff Practical Information
that lies north of the man-made Bagalkot district. 480 km
Agastya Lake. The boulder- (298 miles) NW of Bengaluru.
strewn landscape and the large n Karnataka Tourism,
lake acted as natural defences Hotel Mayura Chalukya.
of the site. Standing on the Tel (08357) 220 117
embankment is the 11th-century Caves: Open daily. & 8
Yellamma Temple, with its multi- Archaeological Museum:
Tel (08352) 220 157. Open Sat–Thu.
storeyed tower. Further away, & _ Temple Festival (Jan/Feb).
Nataraja Panel inside the village, is the
This 12-armed dancing Shiva Jambulinga Temple, dating Transport
is one of the earliest and finest to AD 699, with triple shrines £ @
depictions of the Nataraja dedicated to Brahma, Vishnu and
in Karnataka. Shiva opening off a common
mandapa. The Bhuta natha of early structural
Temple is scenically located architecture under the
at the end of the lake and Chalukyas. Diminutive
was built in several scenes of Krishna
phases. The core holding up Mount
shrine, with a Govardhana, and
pyramidal tower, is Narasimha in
from the 6th–7th the throes of
centuries, while disembowelling
the porch, which The tower of the Upper his victim, are
is embellished Shivalaya Temple carved intricately
with angled eaves on the walls.
and overlooking the water, dates Perched on top of an isolated
to the 11th century. Several boulder near the main road north
boulders lying around the of the town, is the Mallegitti
temple have reliefs of a sleeping Shivalaya Temple, a well-
Vishnu, and a seated Jain figure. preserved 7th-century structure.
Lesser shrines nearby show the Perforated stone windows flank
pyramidal layered towers that are sculptured panels of Vishnu and
typical of the late Chalukya style. Shiva, topped with garlands.
The Archaeological Museum,
on the north side of the lake, Environs
displays a magni ficent triangular A popular Devi shrine, facing
panel depicting Brahma a large tank dating from the
surrounded by elaborate foliage; 18th century, is situated at
this piece must have once Banashankari, 5 km (3 miles)
surmounted a free-standing east of Badami. At Mahakuta,
portal. Other items of interest 8 km (5 miles) to the east, a
include a squatting female group of 7th-century temples
divinity with a lotus head, and built in contrasting North- and
two panels showing Shiva – South-Indian styles (see p24), are
spearing a demon and shooting clustered around a small tank.
arrows as he rides along in
a chariot.
Steps ascend through
a rugged gorge to the
7th-century Upper
Shivalaya Temple that
crowns the cliffs rising to
the north of the town. Only
Cave 4 the walls of the passageway
Standing and seated Jain
tirthankaras cover the walls and the multi-storeyed
and columns in Cave 4, on top tower capped with a
of a cliff. Some of these were square-domed roof still
added in the 11th and 12th stand; the mandapa in front
centuries, when this part of has been dismantled. Its
Karnataka was governed by a simple basement mouldings
later line of Chalukya rulers. and wall pilasters are typical The Bhutanatha Temple overlooking the tank

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