There was something in the air when I stepped out of the KSRTC Bus in Gokarna. After an 11 hour drive, I was anything but tired. The trees were green, the air was fresh and light and the sounds of temple…
Weekend Trip to Badami-Hampi-Bijapur Circuit
I have been planning a weekend trip to Badami and beyond for a while and finally managed to do it recently. I covered Bijapur, Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal and Mahakuta in 2 days. Incase, you have not been to Hampi, add…
Aihole – Cradle of Chalukyan Architecture
I first heard of Aihole in high school when my teacher passionately described a temple from the picture in our text book. It had a different shape, like the back of an elephant and looked absolutely gorgeous and unique. While,…
Pattadakal ~ Masterpieces of Chalukyan Architecture
After crossing the quiet Malaprabha river, the auto rolled by sunflower fields and bullock carts I asked the auto driver if we were indeed headed to Pattadakal or if he lost his way. It appeared that we were far away…
Surreal Bhoothnath Group of Temples in Badami
Everytime, I read about Badami or saw pictures of the place, my gaze stopped at that one picture of a temple next to a lake within deep sandstone ravines. I had also seen it in a movie “Guru” where the…
Around the 1500 Year Old Badami Caves
My last stop for the day was Badami. The caves in Badami were built around 6th century AD by the early Chalukyas. Badami, also known as Vatapi is a beautiful heritage town located in deep ravines in North Karnataka around…
Short Trek in Badami Fort and Shivalaya
The best way to see Badami is to trek up the Northern Hill through the pathway between the rocks and get a view of the caves and the temples on the hill. The southern hill is where the 4 rock…
Lunching under the Temple Tree, Mahakuta
Much before arriving in Badami, I was contemplating where to feast with an authentic North Karnataka meal. North Karnataka has a distinct cuisine compared to its southern counterparts comprising Rotis made from Jowar/Bajra; raw salads, lentil based curries, cooling curds and…
The Living Temples of Mahakuta, Karnataka
I had planned a day long trip in and around Badami and Mahakuta located 12 kms away was my first stop for the day. I had read a couple of blogs on Mahakuta and it seemed to be a quiet…