|
Badami Cave Temples Tour |
|
The capital of the Early
Chalukyas, Badami is picturesquely situated at the mouth
of a ravine between two rocky hills, Badami is famous
for its cave temples - all hewn out of sand stone on the
precipice of a hill. |
| |
|
Badami is an interesting place to
visit in Karnataka what with its artificial lake,
ancient temples, Museum and Hindu and Jain caves carved
in the Sandstone hills. The largest and most ornamental
is the third cave temple dedicated to Vishnu. |
| |
|
Overlooking the cave temples is a
reservoir dotted with temples dedicated to Vishnu and
Shiva. Also a must are the Bhutanath temples that lend
their name to the lake beneath the cave temples. The
main attractions of Badami are the caves found there.
The caves found here are as follows: |
| |
| Cave 1 |
|
The first cave made of red sandstone,
dates back to 578 A.D. and was probably the first to be
carved. One has to climb up 40 odd steps to reach the
colonnaded verandah, a hall with numerous pillars and a
square shaped sanctum hollowed in the control back wall. |
| |
|
Column shafts are masterfully
crafted. On the ceiling one can see the paintings of
amorous couples. Shiva and his consort Parvati, and a
coiled serpent. The 18-armed lord Nataraja can be seen
in 81 dancing poses.
|
| Cave 2 |
|
Dedicated to lord Vishnu depicted
here as a dwarf or 'Trivikrama' of awesome dimensions
with one foot mastering the Earth and the other the sky,
the second cave is atop a sandstone hill. |
| |
|
Vishnu here is depicted as a dwarf
or. Another form of Vishnu portrayed here is as 'Varaha'
or as a boar. Then there is a frieze endearingly
depicting Vishnu as Lord Krishna. |
| |
| Cave 3 |
|
Still going higher up one comes
across this cave antedating 578 A.D. The facade of the
cave is nearly 70 feet wide, on the plinth one can see
the carvings of ganas. The sheer artistry and sculptural
genius makes this cave the highlight of Deccan art. |
| |
|
It gives a virtual insight into the
art and culture of the 6th century like costumes,
jewelry hairstyle lifestyle etc. The other attractions
to be looked carefully in this cave are the high relief
of Vishnu with a serpent, Vishnu as Narasimha (Vishnu as
Man-Lion) Varaha, Harihara (Shiva Vishnu) and Vishnu as
Trivikrama.
|
| Cave 4 |
|
The only Jain cave, the construction
of Cave four started in the 6th century and completed
after nearly 100 years later then the earlier three
caves. |
| |
|
Here one can see the carvings of the
Tirthankara Parshavnatha with a serpent at his feet;
Mahavira in a sitting posture also can be seen in the
shrine. |
| |
|
Badami Cave Temples, Badami Cave
Temple, Cave Temple in Badami, Temples in Badami, Badami
Temple Tour we provide these type of tour pakages |
| |
| |
|
|
| |
