Badami

Badami, Karnataka, is a historic town in the Bagalkot district, built in a dramatic sandstone valley with cliffs on three sides. Between 540 and 757 CE, it was the capital of the Chalukya dynasty. Key things to do in Badami karnataka centre on exploring its four rock-cut cave temples (one Buddhist/Jain, the others Hindu), which are among the finest examples of early Indian temple architecture. Each Badami Karnataka temple, including the Bhutanatha group surrounding the Agastya Tirtha tank, adds to the town's grandeur. The Badami Fort on the north cliff also has shrines and royal structures. Together with Aihole (40 km) and Pattadakal (22 km, a UNESCO site), Badami forms the 'cradle of South Indian temple architecture,' where many classic forms were first developed.