India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (217 page)

If you’d like to get off the principal tourist beat and discover the Deccan’s architectural treasures in less-chartered territory, definitely set aside a few more days to explore the splendid remains of the erstwhile
Chalukyan Empire
and—tucked within one of the state’s northernmost corners—the Muslim city of
Bijapur,
filled with mosques, minarets, mausoleums, and palace ruins.

The easiest way to get to these sites is to rent a car and driver in Hospet (you can arrange one through Hotel Malligi; Rs 2,600 for a return trip (Hospet to Badami is about 4 hr.); drive to Badami, stopping at Aihole and Pattadakal either on your way in or out. It is quite possible to spend a long day traveling from Hospet or Hampi to all three Chalukya sites, including a stop at
Mahakuteshwara
and
Mallikajuna temples
en route. After that you can either proceed to Bijapur, or return to Hampi before nightfall. If you prefer something a little less hectic, however, overnight in Badami, and then continue your journey the following day. The best accommodations choice is
Hotel Badami Court
(
08357/220-230
through -233). It’s located 2km (1 1⁄4 miles) from the town center and has a pool and decent air-conditioned rooms with TVs and bathtubs (ask for one of the garden-facing rooms, which are quieter) for around Rs 4,200 including breakfast.

BADAMI, AIHOLE & PATTADAKAL

Around 4 hours by car from Hospet, the remote, modest town of
Badami
was established around
A.D.
543 when it became the capital of the Chalukyas, one of the most powerful of the Deccan dynasties. Today its most significant attraction is the complex of
cave temples
(Rs 220; daily sunrise–sunset) carved into the imposing horseshoe-shaped red-sandstone cliff that once formed a natural fortification at the southern end of the town. Enter the pillared interiors and you’ll discover elaborate symbolic and mystical carvings of the highest quality (not to mention a few scampering monkeys). It’s worth hiring the services of a guide (around Rs 200 for up to 3 hr.) to gain some understanding of the symbolism. Also worth exploring are the
Bhutanatha temples,
built over 4 centuries at a picturesque location at the edge of the Agastyatirtha water tank; and atop the hill, 7th-century
Malegitti Shivalya Temple,
unusually decorated with dwarfs, geese, and various geometric patterns. Time allowing, stop at the
Archaeological Museum
(
08357/22-0157;
Rs 2; Sat–Thurs 10am–5pm) to see well-preserved sculpted panels depicting the life of Krishna, and the
Lajja Gauri
sculpture, an extraordinary fertility cult symbol. Less than 30km (19 miles) from Badami, en route to Aihole, is the small settlement of
Pattadakal
and its UNESCO World Heritage–listed
temple complex
($10; daily sunrise–sunset), where Chalukyan temple architecture reached its zenith in the 7th and 8th centuries. Some, like Papanatha Temple built around
A.D.
680, are in the northern Indo-Aryan style, while others, like the main Virupaksha Temple built 80 years later, are in the South Indian Dravidian architectural style, with tiered pyramidal rather than conical roofs. A dance festival is held at Pattadakal each January. (Note that if you’re pressed for time, the Pattadakal stop can be skipped.)

About 17km (11 miles) away, the riverbank village of
Aihole
is strewn with some 70 abandoned temples, built between
A.D.
450 and 650 as architectural experiments by the early Chalukyan kings. Historians theorize that these obsessive rulers had a guild of architects, artists, and artisans working for them, and the variety of styles, including the Gupta (northern), incipient Dravidian, and elements of Buddhist architecture, reflect the various stages in the development of Chalukyan architecture. The chief attraction among these, fashioned along the lines of a Buddhist
chaitya
(prayer hall), is
Durga Temple
, with its magnificent circular colonnaded veranda studded with stunning sculptures and intricate carving. Contrast this with the Jain
Meguti Temple
situated atop a nearby hill—with an inscription putting its construction at
A.D.
634, this was perhaps the last temple to be built in Aihole.

The interiors aren’t lighted, so you should carry a flashlight—the detailing is well worth studying. In some temples, you’ll discover images of fierce Chalukyan warriors in action, while elsewhere, amorous couples engage in a different sort of action. Admission to the main complex of temples is free; entrance to Durga Temple is Rs 90. Hours are daily sunrise to sunset.

BIJAPUR

The walled city of
Bijapur,
in the far north of Karnataka, is often referred to as the “Agra of the South” because of its profusion of Muslim architecture. First founded during the reign of the Chalukyan dynasty, between the 10th and 11th centuries, Bijapur passed into Muslim rule and later into the hands of the Bahamani kings. When these rulers fell into decline, the city was taken over by its governor, Yusuf Adil Khan, the founder of the Adil Shahi dynasty, who established rule over the Deccan during the 16th and 17th centuries, with Bijapur as their capital. Muslim mausoleums, mosques, palaces, pavilions, and
burkha
-clad women will remind you that this is a city unlike any other in Karnataka. Head to the very helpful local
tourism office
(Station Rd.;
08352/250-359;
daily 10am–5:30pm) to hire a guide and get assistance with sightseeing. Monuments are open from sunrise to sunset and entry is free except where listed. Within the fortified
Citadel
in the city center lie the remains of royal structures, including
Anand Mahal
(Pleasure Palace), and
Saat Manzil.
Outside Saat Manzil is beautiful
Jal Mandir,
or water pavilion, now dry, so you can admire its carvings and porticos. Not far away (near the tourist office) is incomplete
Bara Kaman
(“12 Arches”), the roofless tomb of Ali Adil Shah II—a wonderful piece of architecture comprising 12 arches—surrounded by a garden.