Badami – Where Gods Abide in Caves

The emerald-green Agasthya Lake sparkles in the evening light, surrounded by a glowing sandstone outcrop that was once the capital of the Chalukya rulers. This town, which once answered to the name of Vatapi, was built back in the 6th century. Today we know it as Badami, and it is named after the ruddy colour of the rocky cliffs here.

Join LAKSHMI SHARATH on a visual tour of the spectacular rock-cut caves of Badami in Karnataka's Bagalkot district.

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We start our tour with the first rock-cut cave, which is more like a pillared hall. All four caves form a similar architecture pattern – a veranda with pillars, a columned hall, and small square-like cells cut into the rock. This was probably one of the first caves to be built way back in the early 6th century.
We start our tour with the first rock-cut cave, which is more like a pillared hall. All four caves form a similar architecture pattern – a veranda with pillars, a columned hall, and small square-like cells cut into the rock. This was probably one of the first caves to be built way back in the early 6th century.