Badami, Aihole and Pattadakallu are three major tourist attraction in Bagalkot District.Badami is around 515 km from bangalore. You can opt for train till hubli. Many trains are available from Bengaluru to Hubli.


Badami :
                   Badami was the capital of the Early Chalukyas. Pulakesi was the founder of badami in 540 A.D. His sons constructed the sandstone Cave temples in Badami during 6th to 8th Century. Pulakesi II played the main role in extending their Kingdom.The 4 cave temples (guhantara devalayas) are dedicated to different dharmas. Cave 1 is devoted to Shiva, and Caves 2 and 3 are dedicated to Vishnu, whereas cave 4 displays reliefs of Jain Tirthankaras.

                  Badami has eighteen inscriptions (in kannada :shilashasana), among them some inscriptions are important. The first Sanskrit inscription in old Kannada script, on a hillock dates back to 543 CE, from the period of Pulakesi I (Vallabheswara), the second is the 578 CE cave inscription of Mangalesa in Kannada language and script and the third is the Kappe Arabhatta records, the earliest available Kannada poetry in tripadi(three line) metre.


Aihole :
                 Aihole is to the east of Pattadakal, along the Malaprabha River, while Badami is to the west of both. It was the first capital of the early chalukyas. The temple number here goes beyond 100.It is from these temples that the Chalukyas gained their experience and went on to build the great temples of Pattadakal. The first phase of temple building in Aihole dates back to the 6th century CE, the second phase up to the 12th century CE. Some temples were even built as early as the 5th century CE.

                   This is the best place to study early chalukya style of architecture.There is a beautiful story behind the name of the place i.e., "Aihole". If you have enough time take a guide to get explained the stories. Guides nominated from the government are available at a fixed rate(It was 100 rs at our visit).

            Click Here to watch a cute boy guiding us about the place.


Pattadakal :
                   Pattadakal(Pattadakallu in Kannada) is another beautiful place lies in the banks of river Malaprabha It is 22 km from Badami and about 10 km from Aihole. The town displays both Dravidian (Southern) and the Nagara (Northern, Indo-Aryan) styles of temple architecture.
                  At Virupaksha Temple, there is 8th century Old Kannada inscription on victory pillar at Pattadakal.


                 Aihole is considered a School of Architecture, Badami a Degree College, and The University of architecture is Pattadakal.

          You can cover all these places in one day if you are not dependent on the public buses. Avoid Summer. It would be cool if you visit in rainy or just after rainy season. Koodalasangama,  yet another beautiful place to be visited which is around 30 km from pattadakal. In between Badami and Aihole you can have a visit at famous Banashankari and Mahakoota temples.


Route :

Bengaluru ---> Tumkur ---> Sira ---> Chitradurga ---> Davanagere ---> Haveri ---> Hubli ---> Navalgunda ---> Badami

members : praveen, arun, R I Bhat, S R Bhat

went by : car