Repository of architectural innovations
A. SRIVATHSAN
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Badami is known for its cave structures, sculptural panels and picturesque setting.
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THE BHUTHANATHA TEMPLE: A grand setting and a good view of the lake.
If you were to listen to any south Indian classical music concert, be it vocal or instrumental, it is highly probable that the concert will start with the invocation song Vatapi ganapatim bhajeham. This song composed by Muthuswami Dikshitar, one of the trinity of Carnatic music, is by far the most popular. This song specifically refers to the sculpture of Ganesha located in the town of Tiruchenkaatankudi near Nannilam in Tamil Nadu. What makes this sculpture important is that the Pallavas brought it from Vatapi or Badami, the capital of the early Chalukyas.
The early Chalukyas ruled the Deccan between the sixth century and eighth century A.D. Their rivalry with the Tamil Pallava rulers is legendary. If the Pallavas defeated Pulikesan II in the seventh century, Vikramaditya II vanquished the Pallavas in the eighth century. The rivalry did not stop with military campaigns but also extended to architectural projects. The Pallavas converted Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram to showcase architectural experiments much like the Chalukyas who converted Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal as a repository of architectural innovations. Rashtrakutas followed the early Chalukyas and in the 14th century, Badami became a part of the Vijayanagar Empire.
Early cave temples
Badami is known for its cave structures, beautiful sculptural panels and picturesque setting. These caves are carved out of sandstone rocks and dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and the Jain Thirthankaras. They date back to the sixth century A.D and are some of the best examples of the early cave temples in South India. The coexistence of Jain caves along with other religious structures indicates their religious tolerance.
Apart from the caves there are also structural temples like the Upper Shivalya Temple, Lower Shivalya temple Malegetti Shivalya, Jambulingeswara and Bhuthanatha temples. The temples in Badami combine both the north and south Indian features. Among the temples, Bhuthanatha group of temples have a grand setting and command a good view of the lake in front. These were built during the beginning of the eighth century.
Badami is a classic case of conservation efforts being limited to monuments while the town languishes. Fencing the caves may serve a purpose but unless the town is developed and integrated with heritage tourism, conservation cannot be sustained
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Sculptural Panels
Badami caves are known for their sculptural
relief. The cave number one is dedicated to
Shiva. The many-armed dancing Shiva panel
is popular amongst the visitors and is located
near this Cave. Cave number, two and three
are rich with sculptures of Vishnu. The fourth
cave has relief sculptures of Tirthankaras like
Gomateshvara and Parshvanath. The fish and
lotus motifs in the ceiling, the yalis as brackets
and ornate columns found in the caves are
examples of great craftsmanship.
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