Celebration of Chalukyan art

From Here & There

The cultural fest was a reflection of the rich legacy of art and architecture of the Chalukyan era. In fact, Aihole, along with Pattadakal in Bagalkot district, are described as the cradles of temple architecture.

Badami, or Vatapi as it is referred to in historical records, was the capital of the Chalukyas, and is a treasure house of architecture and sculpture. The town boasts of rock-cut caves and temple architecture. There are four caves, three being dedicated to the gods of the Hindu pantheon while the last cave is a Jain temple.

“It was the tradition of Chalukyas to build cave temples, and the Jambuling temple built by Queen Vinayavati in 699 AD is regarded as the first trikuta temple of Karnataka,” says D G Kulkarni, a history lecturer. Pattadakal has been recognised  by UNESCO as a world heritage site. It was the second capital of the Chalukyas. A picturesque village on the banks of River Malaprabha, Aihole was the earliest capital of the Chalukyan dynasty between the fourth and sixth century.

“Aihole was known for a group of 500 merchants, Aiaha hole Ainuravar, who sold diamonds and other ornaments,” adds Kulkarni. Aihole has over 125 temples, intricately carved, including the Laad Khan temple, which is believed to be the oldest one. The Durga temple, Hutchamalli temple, the Ravalphadi cave temple, the Konthi temple complex, the Jain Meghuti and Buddhist temples are the other attractions here.

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