Page 546 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

544  SOUTHWESTERN INDIA

The Gaudar Gudi with the Ladkhan Temple behind it, Aihole
d Aihole columned halls with interior The road, going downhill, follows
sanctuaries, lies to the south. the curving fortifications and
Bagalkote district. 44 km (27 miles)
NE of Badami. £ Badami, 46 km The temple to the southeast, passes the Jyotirlinga Group,
(29 miles) SW of town, then bus or probably the first to be built, until it ends at the Durga Temple.
taxi. @ _ Ramalinga Temple Chariot has superbly carved ceiling To the north of the Durga
Festival (Feb/Mar). panels portraying the Hindu Temple is the Chikki Gudi,
Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and with exquisitely carved columns,
Time seems to have stood still in Shiva. A similar trio of ceiling beams and ceiling panels. A
this small, dusty town, situated panels can be seen in the path to the right, leads to the
on the Malprabha river, about Hucchapayya Math, lying a small Hucchimalli Gudi, with
14 km (9 miles) downstream short distance beyond. a North Indian style tower, and
from Pattadakal (see pp542–3). A stepped path leads to the an unusual icon of Karttikeya,
Fortifications encircle much of top of the hill southeast of Shiva’s son, carved on the
the town. Within are ancient the town, passing by a two- ceiling of the front porch.
sandstone temples of varying storeyed Buddhist temple. At Nearby lies the rock-cut
types, some of which were used the summit of the hill stands the Ravala Phadi Cave, dating to
as dwellings and are named serene Meguti Temple built in the late 6th century. Its interior
after their former inhabitants. AD 634, the earliest dated is enhanced with splendid
The temples are associated structural monument in carvings of Hindu divinities.
with both the early and later Karnataka. The temple’s clearly These include a Dancing Shiva
Chalukya rulers of Badami articulated basement, plastered in a subshrine; Ardhanarishvara,
(see pp540–41), and date from walls and eaves show the South Harihara and Shiva with Ganga,
the 6th to the 11th centuries. Indian style of temple architec- on the walls of the main hall;
Most visitors begin their tour ture (see p24) in its earliest phase. and Varaha and Durga in the
of Aihole at the Durga Temple. An impressive seated Jain figure antechamber preceding
Nearby is a small complex with is installed in the sanctuary. the small linga sanctuary. Tiny
the Ladkhan Temple. This Prehistoric megalithic tombs are shrines and a fluted column
building is recognizable by the located to the rear of the temple. stand in front.
tiers of sloping slabs that form
the roof the spacious hall as well
as the adjoining entrance porch.
River goddesses and amorous
couples are carved on the
columns of the porch, while
images of deities can be seen on
the side walls of a small chamber
at the rooftop level. The adjacent
Gaudar Gudi comprises a small
sanctuary set within an open
mandapa, with balcony seating
on four sides. The ruined Chakra
Gudi is near the stepped tank.
The Kunti Group, a quartet of
temples conceived as open The exuberant Dancing Shiva relief in the Ravala Phadi Cave
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp701–702 and pp716–17

544-545_EW_India.indd 544 26/04/17 11:48 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm