Chalukya Charm – Badami, Pattadakkal, Aihole (2023)

As you drive through the dusty plains of northern Karnataka, dun-coloured rocks and boulders, some as big as hillocks line up on both sides like sentinels. Chalukya kings were captivated by these boulders that they decided to turn them into works of art. Burrowing the boulders and carving them with exquisite images of Siva, Vishnu, Brahma on the banks of Agasthya Pushkarni in Badami, the Chalukya rulers left a legacy that has lasted 1500 years. Pattadakkal, about 20 km away, is a cluster of exquisitely carved temples, the epitome of the finest in southern temple architecture. Aihole, the earliest cluster of the three dates back to the 6th Century CE while the other two followed over the next two centuries. Pattadakkal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site while the other two are national monuments.