Badami

Badami is a small town located in Karnataka. It is known for rock sculpture and temple architecture. The town was originally known as Vatapi and was the seat of government of the Badami Chalukyas in the 6th century AD. The name Vatapi has its origins in a mythological tale of the Ramayana.

According to mythology, Vatapi and Ilvala were two demons. They used to eat beggars alive by tricking them. Vatapi would pose as red meat which Ilvala then offered to the beggars. Before the beggars could digest the meat, Ilavala would call out Vatapi’s name and he would rip through the beggars’ body.

Ilvala had a boon of calling back people from anywhere by just calling out their name. However, once, Sage Agastya ate and digested Vatapi before his elder brother could call out his name. Thus, Vatapi’s life was brought to an end.

Historically speaking, Badami was the Chalukya Dynasty’s capital from the 6th to 8th century AD. The city was founded by a Chlukya ruler named Pulakesi in the 6th century. The Chalukyas are credited with building many cave temples here between the 6th and the 8th centuries.

After the Chalukyas, the city was taken over by the Pallavas and the Hoysalas in the 8th and the 10th century respectively. The city is known for many inscriptions, some of which hold historic significance. A total of 18 inscriptions have been identified so far in Badami. It includes an inscription in Sanskrit using the old Kannada script, which dates back to the 6th century.

There is also an inscription of Kannada poetry which has been identified in Badami. Tourism is the main source of revenue of the region. Badami attracts a lot of tourists every year for its cave temples and its architecture.

There are also some historical monuments here which are very well preserved. A few tourist places of interest of Badami include the Badami Fort, a Buddhist Cave, an archaeological museum and a series of four cave temples built by the Chalukyas. Badami is also known for its high stone cliffs, which find favour among the sports enthusiasts.

Characterised by high humidity and warm to hot temperatures throughout the year, the city attracts most of the travellers during the months of November to March. The Banashankari Temple Festival during January and February attracts lot of pilgrims from different parts of India. 

The closest airport to Badami is at Belgaum, which lies 150 km away. Badami also has a railway station which serves direct trains from most of the important Indian cities. KSRTC buses that ply to Hubli and Bijapur pass through Badami. There is a direct bus from Bangalore to Badami on daily basis.

Tourists can board auto rickshaws to travel within Badami as it is not a huge town and all the places can be reached in a short while. Also, tourists who are interested in cycling can rent out a cycle to roam around the town