Badami is a taluk, in Bagalkot district in Karanataka, India.
Badami was founded by early Chalukyan king Pulakesi I ( 535 - 566 AD ) in the year 540A.D.
The Chalukya kings are credited with some of the best traditions of Dravidian architecture including an experimental blend of older South Indian temple architecture and the nagara style of north India.Badami is the home to several rock-cut temples.
Under the royal patronage of Chalukyam kings, Mahakuta, Aihole ( first capital of early Chalukyas ), Pattadakal and Badami ( a.k.a. Vatapi ) became great centres of experimentation in the temple building.
History of Badami
Badami was the capital of early Chalukyas who ruled much of Karnataka and AndhraPradesh between 6th - 8th century A.D. and was founded by the Chalukyan king Pulikesi I ( 535 - 566 A.D. ) in the year 540 A.D..
Badami was ruled by many Chalukyan kings and the greatest among them was Pulikesi II ( 610 - 642 A.D. ) who defeated Pallava king Mahendra Verman I and extended the Chalukyan empire upto Kanchipuram in the south.
Rock-cut Badami caves
The rock-cut Badami Cave Temples were sculpted mostly between the 6th and 8th centuries.
The four cave temples represent the secular nature of the Chalukyan kings
These four cave temples viz. Cave 1 is dedicated to Shiva, Cave 2 and 3 to Vishnu and Cave 4 to Jain Digambaras ( saints ).
