Cave Temples of Badami- Masterpieces of Chalukya Temple Art
Carved out of the red sandstone hills overlooking the beautiful Agastya Lake, the four cave temples of Badami standout among the cave temples in India (which include Ajantha-Ellora caves, Karla caves, Elephanta caves, and Barabar caves ) because of the stunning scenery around them, colorfulness of red sand stones in which they are carved, and the beauty of the carvings.
The cave temples were constructed by meticulously carving out the stone material from the rock to create beautiful structures, sculptures, and sculptural reliefs. They are an impressive work of art, and visiting them is a fascinating experience. It is mind-boggling how the ancient Indians were able to create such magnificent structures without the aid of sophisticated machinery or tools.
The cluster of four caves are next to each other and connected via flights of steps and labeled accordingly as Cave – 1 to Cave – 4 based on the sequence of approach to the caves. In other words, you would visit Cave – 1 first and Cave – 4 last.
The chronological order of their construction is not known because of the lack of inscriptions. Only Cave – 3 has inscription detailing its dating. However, it is generally believed that they were constructed in the same sequence as their approach.
The rest of the page is about Cave – 1. Check the following pages for a detailed explanation of the other three caves:
Cave | Dedication | Reliefs |
---|---|---|
Cave – 2 | Vishnu | Varahavatara, Vamanavatara |
Cave – 3 | Maha Vishnu | Maha Vishnu, Ashtabhuja Vishnu Varahavatara, Vamanavatara, Narasimhavatara |
Cave – 4 | Mahavira (Jain Temple) | Mahavira, Adinatha, Parshvanatha Bahubali, Mahavira with Jakkave |
Cave – 1: Shiva Temple
Dated approximately 550 CE, Cave – 1 is the first of the four rock-cut caves in the Badami hills. It is a
Excavated from the massive red sandstone boulder at 60ft from the
The
Nataraja performing Tandava Nritya
This sculptural relief shown in the image is on the right side of the entrance and depicts Nataraja (Dancing King), a form of Shiva, performing the Tandava Nritya, a vigorous cosmic dance of creation, preservation, and destruction.
As you can see, Nataraja is standing with a dancing pose on a lotus flower pedestal, and his 18 hands carry a variety of objects, including a
Dwarapala with Shiva-Parvati and Vrishabha-Kunjara
The image shows a left-side view of Cave – 1. The carving in the middle is a
To the right of dwarapala are the pillars of the mukhamantapa (verandah) and to the left are the flights of steps to Cave – 2.
Ardhanarishvara and Sage Bhringi
The image shows a narrative sculptural relief depicting the story of Ardhanarishvara carved into the right-side wall of the
Standing with the Tribhanga stance (i.e., body bent in three places, neck, waist, and knee) is Ardhanarishvara with man-like features on the right half and woman-like features on the left half. Ardhanarishvara appears to be playing a musical instrument.
Standing behind with the folded hands (i.e., namaste gesture) is Bhringi, a sage who appears like a skeleton with three legs, and Nandi, Shiva’s vehicle. To his right is an unidentified female figure carrying a bowl with her left hand. Flying above Ardhanarishvara are two Vidyadhara couples.
Harihara – Fusion of Shiva and Vishnu
This beautifully carved sculptural relief depicting Harihara is on the left wall of the
As you can see from the image, Harihara is carved with Shiva’s features on the left side and Vishnu’s features on the right side. Shiva’s wife Parvati and his vehicle Nandi are standing on the right side of Harihara. Likewise, Vishnu’s wife Lakshmi and his vehicle Garuda are standing on the other side.
A stunningly beautiful sculpture depicting Harihara is installed in one of the devakoshtas of the Durga Temple located in Aihole about 22 miles from Badami. Also built by the Badami Chalukyas, it is a free-standing temple carved with many sculptures and reliefs similar to those in the Badami cave temples.
Coiled Nagaraja
This beautifully carved relief is on the ceiling of the
A similar relief is found on the ceiling of the mukhamantapa of the Durga Temple at Aihole.
Garbhagriha
The image shows an inside view of Cave – 1. At the far end is the entrance to the
Proceed to Cave -2
Related Pages
– Badami, Cave – 2, Cave – 3, Cave – 4
– Durga Temple at Aihole
– Somanathapura Keshava Temple – A Masterpiece of Hoysala Temple Art
– Belur Chennakeshava Temple – Bracket Figures
– Belur Chennakeshava Temple – Navaranga
– Belur Chennakeshava Temple – Garbhagriha Outer Wall
– Belur Chennakeshava Temple – Kappe Chennigaraya Shrine
– Hampi Virupaksha Temple Murals
Copyright © 2019 – 2021 by Lawrence Rodrigues. All rights reserved.