India /Karnataka /Bagalkot /Badami

Badami once a royal capital of the Chalukyas is now a sleepy town in Bagalkot district of Karnataka. The town was known as Vatapi previously. It is settled in a valley at the base of a furrowed, red arenaceous rock that rings Agastya lake. Badami is a place which is full of cave temples, entryways, fortresses and cave. The ancient Chalukyas of Badami are accredited with some of the best customs of Dravidian architecture admitting an observational fuse of older South Indian temple construction and ornamentation and the Nagara mode of North India. This beautiful blend of south and north passed on into the Dravidian temple building pattern. Badami is the site of the 6th-7th century Brahmanical and Jain cave temples. The temples are cut out of solid rock with elaborate interior decorations that speak volumes of art and architecture of that period. There are 4 cave temples connected with each other with a flight of stairs. People of Badami speak Kannada, Hindi and English. Their attire is traditional Indian cotton wear. It is a place for tourists who are interested in temples, art and architecture. The Best Season to visit Badami is between September and February. September to March is moderate and the ideal period to have all sight seeing in Badami.

Quick Facts-Edit

Category : Historical

Time Zone: UTC + 5:30 Hours

Pincode: 587201

STD Code: 8357

Info Website: karnatakatourism.org/Badami/en

Best Time to Visit:  Sept – Feb

HistoryEdit

Badami was founded by the Chalukya king, Pulakesi, the city came into existence in the year 540 A.D. Badami was the ancient capital of the early Chalukyas, who ruled most of Karnataka and the adjoining Andhra Pradesh between the 6th and 8th century. Between the 6th and the 5th century, Badami was the seat of the Chalukya kings. The rock cut caves (Rock-Cut Temples) for which the town is famous were built during 6th and 8th century. These caves are popular pilgrim centers of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism alike. The city came under the rule of King Narsimha of the Pallava dynasty in 654 A.D. before the town went into the hands of Hosayala kings, it passed under hands of Rashtrakutas in 757 A.D. and Chalukyas of Kalayani from 973 to 1189 A.D. The town was also ruled by the Vijayanagar Empire, Adil Shah Dynasty, Nawabs of Savanur, Marathas and Hyder Ali, for some time.

Places to VisitAdd

How to ReachEdit

By Air : The nearest airport to Badami is Belgaum, which is about 190 km away. Belgaum is connected to Mumbai by domestic flights. From Belgaum to Badami, taxi charge is about Rs 3,000. Bangalore (454 km) is the nearest International Airport, from where it requires about 12 hours travel to reach Badami by tax or buses.

By Train : The ‘Badami Railway Station’ is at Adgal area and around 5 km from the Badami Bus stand. Badami railway station has connectivity from Bangalore, Hubli, Bijapur, Gadag and Solapur and from other cities. The nearest major rail junction is hubli. The Hubli Jn has good rail connectivity with major cities across india. Also direct train is there from Bangalore (Yashawantapura Jn) to Badami.

By BUS : Badami is around 5 km from the Badami railway station and near Govt. Civil hospital, SH 14, Badami, Karnataka 587201. The badmi is connected by state transport KSRTC to Hubli and Bijapur. Tourist buses are available from Bangalore to Badami daily. This costs nearly Rs 1,500 by tourist bus.

By Taxi : N.A.

By Other : Locally, you have the option of city buses, hired taxis, autos or even horse-drawn rickshaws for travelling within the city. You can even hire bicycles from the shops on Station Road. There are regular buses to Pattadakal (30 minutes) and Aihole (2 hours). However, be aware that the last buses coming from Aihole to Badami leave around 4.30 pm and from Pattadakal at about 6 pm. Alternatively, you can hire a cab for visiting these sites. It is possible to cover both these places in the same day, provided you have an early start.

Top HotelsAdd

Economy – Up to Rs. 801 to Rs. 1200

Banashree Hotel ; Main Road, Opp. Ksrtc Bus Stand, , , Badami ; Ph – 9916259676 ; Facilities – Travel Desk, 24-hour front desk, Air conditioning, Conference facilities, Laundry, Parking, 24-Hour Security, Concierge, Doctor on call.

Deluxe – Up to Rs. 1201 to Rs. 2500

Anugraha Deluxe Hotel ; Near Bus Stand, Station Road, Bagalkot 587101 ; Ph – N.A ; Facilities – Travel Desk, 24-hour front desk, Air conditioning, Conference facilities, Laundry, Parking, 24-Hour Security, Concierge, Doctor on call.

Top RestaurantsAdd

• Banashree ; Station Road, Infront of Rajsangam International Hotel, Badami ; M –  N.A; Food Serve : N.A.
• Sanman Restaurant ;  Near Bus Stop, Station RoadBadami; M –  08357-220017 ; Food Serve : N.A.

Must Eat FoodAdd

Idli –  Geeta Darshini ; Station Road Near bus stand, Badami, India.Ph/M –  N.A ; Cost –  75 for two onwards ; Famous for – South Indian Food.

Must Do ActivitiesAdd

Rock Climbing ; Rock Climbing at Badami ; Cost – N.A ; Visiting Time –  N.A ; Closed Time :  N.A

Must ShopAdd

silk saris ; N.A ;   Ph/M:N.A ; Famous for –sandalwood sculptures,incense sticks, perfumes, sandalwood oil, metal lamps, wood carvings, inlay work, paintings, Bijapur jewellery and handlooms along with Lambani jewellery.

Nightlife (Pub / Disc / BAR)Add

SpaAdd

FestivalAdd

Id-ul-Fitr ; Venue:  Jama Masjid, Old city, Aishbagh Eidgah ; Period :  08 Aug 2013(12:00 AM) ; Details:  Eid marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. It is considered as a thanksgiving day and is marked by donating rice, barley, dates and other food items to the poor. Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated across the world and the celebrations differ from region to region but the essence of festival remains same. In Delhi, celebrations begin on the last day of Ramadan after spotting the moon and offering prayers. Worshippers mostly gather at Jama Masjid to offer Eid Prayers. A special sweet dish called sewaiyaan is prepared on this day. Attired in traditional costumes, Muslims congregate at Aishbagh Eidgah in Lucknow, to offer prayers and wish each other. Grand melas are also held during Eid.

Safety / WarningEdit

N.A

HelplineEdit

• Police : 100
• Fire : 101
• Ambulance :102

ItineraryEdit

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