Pattadakal

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Badami, Pattadakal and Aihole form a glorious trinity of architectural wonders dating back to the time of Early Chalukyas. They are the treasure houses of the Chalukyan Art and Architecture and claims a significant place in the architectural map of India. After visiting Badami, I hopped on a shared auto-rickshaw and reached to a small market set outside the Pattadakal temple complex. Badami was the great capital of Chalukyan Empire. Read about Badami: At first glance, I felt like arriving at an undeveloped small village in a remote part of Karnataka. The place was deserted despite being a UNESCO World Heritage site. The market was consisted of 5-6 shops and few huts. All you could find was either food or coconut water. Very few tourists were there at the temple including some school children, a small group of foreign nationals, another group of Indian tourists and me. We rarely get such an opportunity to explore a tourist place in such a peaceful environment. The temple complex is enclosed by the Malaprabha River from one side and a small village from the other side. The natural environment such as the range of hills, the Malaprabha River and the availability of sandstone in the nearby hills had favoured Pattadakal as an ideal place for the erection of beautiful temples. Contents • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Location of Pattadakal Pattadakal is a small village situated on the left bank of the river Malaprabha in Bagalkot district of Northern Karnataka. It is about 22 km fro...

Table of Contents • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • A Brief History of Aihole & Pattadakal The Pattadakal Complex comprises nine Hindu temples built by the The history behind the creation of these temples is interesting. Chalukya kings were known to be great planners. They established an architectural lab at Aihole to create prototypes of the final temples they wanted in Pattadakal. Artists and architects from all over India worked for a number of years at Aihole perfecting the art of temple-making. Then, they put their skills to use at Pattadakal. Places to See in Aihole & Pattadakal The temples of Pattadakal are extremely picturesque given the amount of effort and planning that went into building them. What’s even more fascinating is the fact that they are a harmonious blend of both Dravida (South Indian) and Nagara (North Indian) architectural styles. This makes the Group of Monuments at Pattadakal unique and a true hidden gem. Some of the more iconic temples that you should absolutely not miss when you visit Aihole and Pattadakal include: Virupaksha Temple, the Mallikarjuna Temple, and the Galaganatha Temple. Virupaksha Temple This is the largest temple in the Pattadakal Complex and the most impressive place to see when you’re in the area. It was built in early eighth century in the Dravida style and was dedicated to Lord Shiva of Carvings in the interior and exterior of the temple are exquisite. You’ll find many decorative door hangings carved of stone, and the filigree...

UNESCO defines Pattadakal as "harmonious blend of architectural forms from North & the South India". These hindu temples are usually dedicated to Shiva but some elements of Vaishnavism & Shaktism can also be found around Pattadakal. Many stories of Ramayana, Mahabharata & Bhagvada Geeta are depicted through intricate arts on the walls of these temples. Hence it makes lot of sense of have a knowledgeable guide with you who can share associated stories information when you move between the temples of Pattadakal. There are 9 hindu temples in Pattadakal complex in Karnataka. The oldest one is Sangameshwara temple which is dedicated to lord Shiva and a great example of Chalukyan architecture. Temples of Pattadakal include - Virupaksha temple, Mallikarujuna Temple, Papanatha Temple, Jambulinga temple, Samgameshwara & Jain temples. Malaprabha River originates in the Sahyadri mountains and at the origin of the Malaprabha is an ancient temple dedicated to Shree Mauli Devi. Malaprabha birthplace is a pilgrimage center with mythological origins. A symbol in rock carved by hand near the source of the river Malaprabha depicts the origin of the river for the purpose of safety showered for the well being of humankind. It is a source of highly stable mineral water. If you are a regular visitor of Travellingcamera , you must have noticed that title of this Photo Journey is not really matching with what we usually share. This post is inspired by lot of queries which come to us, especially i...

The Malaprabha river valley in Northern Karnataka is known as a ‘cradle of Indian architecture’, and nestled around it were the ancient, flourishing cities of Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal, all of them a legacy of the Early Chalukyas (543-753 CE). Today, the rock-cut and sandstone temples here attract tourists from far and wide. But did you know that the monuments at all three sites are the same, yet different? Within them, you can clearly see an evolution phase. Aihole was a breeding ground of architectural concepts and styles, and thus the temples here are in the initial stage. These ideas were developed and refined in the monuments at Badami, and the result of their culmination can be seen at Pattadakal. In fact, Pattadakal, due to its location, also served as a meeting ground for North Indian and South Indian architectural styles, and the monuments here represent the high point of eclectic art. Extent of the Badami Chalukyas empire | Wikimedia Commons Pattadakal, 165 km south-east of Belgaum, was an important commercial centre in the early centuries of the Common Era. It is referred to by Greek Geographer Ptolemy as ‘Petirgal’ in his Geographia (150 CE), which says it had trade relations with the Roman world. The region, then, was under the Satavahana Dynasty (1st century BCE - 3rd century CE). The Satavahanas were followed by the Kadamba Dynasty (345-525 CE). When Kadamba rule began to decline, their feudatories, the Early Chalukyas, asserted their independence in the...

Last Updated on October 16, 2019 by Pattadakal – a name I had not heard before this November. Who knew it housed such beautiful temples! And was the seat of some of highest levels of art and architecture! When I started searching for it online, I was so proud to see it listed as one of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The article said, “ Pattadakal Group of Temples, in Karnataka, represents the high point of an eclectic art which, in the 7th and 8th centuries under the Chalukya dynasty, achieved a harmonious blend of architectural forms from northern and southern India” . This was enough motivation for me to pack my bags and get going. And explore some of the best among the Pattadakal Group of Temples. The many temples of Pattadakal We planned a trip to Golden Triangle of the Chalukyan Kingdom – three places wrapped in age-old history, art, and culture. Pattadakal is not usually found in Indian itineraries. Neither is it something that you will stumble upon as you The Temples of Pattadakal – An Epitome of Chalukya Art & Architecture Along the banks of river Malaprabha, are located Aihole, While Aihole was the architectural lab, Badami was the governing center, Pattadakal was deemed to be the cultural center of the kingdom. On a hot sunny day, even though it was mid-November, I started from sparkly-clean courtyard, stood the beautiful Pattadakal Group of Temples from 1300 years ago– temples I could touch and feel. I ran to them! Here comes my list of the very best things at the...