There are places so rich in heritage and historical values, they can transcend you to a past era of grand achievements. The 6th century capital of Karnataka, Badami is one of such places. Only a weekend's visit is sufficient to explore is wonderful destination.
Train station: Badami, Bagalkot
Best season: monsoon, winter
We travelled from Bangalore by train. It was an overnight journey. We reached early, around 6 am at Badami station.
There are quite a few hotels available at the main town. Booking a cab, we left around 8 in the morning for our trip.
Place 1: Badami caves
The first thing we visited was the cave complex. Carved out of sandstone hills in the 5th-7th centuries, these caves will simply blow your mind. The temples capture both Hindu and Jain beliefs perfectly in the sculptures.
From this cave complex you can enjoy the view of Agastya lake, and the rock cut architecture complex on the opposite side of the lake.
Place 2: Chalukyas art on stone
Walking through a narrow path beside the lake, we reached the complex on other side. There is a museum over here you can visit. Personally, I loved this complex the most. The walk through a mighty gorge, the beautiful architectures on hilltops and the view everything was top notch.
We also walked beside the lake to visit another temple complex of Bhootanatha Gudi. The Badami caves view from lake side was also amazing.
Place 3: Aihole
Aihole is some 30-40 minutes drive from Badami town. The road is good and thr drive is a great experience viewing the rural Karnataka. Aihole has numerous temples built during 6th-7th centuries. The main complex is fascinating with the beautiful rock cut art and architecture.
Place 4: Pattadakal
While driving back from Aihole, we made our last stop at Pattadakal temple complex. This is also an Unesco World Heritage Site and rightly so. This complex gives you a chance to walk through our rich history like no other place. You will be left overwhelmed how mighty yet delicately the rocks were carved.
In the evening you can take a train back to Bangalore. You can also stay another day if you wish to visit Almatti dam. Either way, if you love visiting archeological sites with superb art and architecture works, this weekend trip must be on your list.
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