After a
roasting day @ Hampi, the night was spent in travelling to a place called Ilukkal & then to Hungund, where we got down at 2 AM - due credits to the stranger who misguided. But thankfully a co-passenger helped us get an accommodation, and I don't even remember if there were any dreams, for all I could see was SLEEP!
Badami Cave Temples
The next morning started a bit late; we got into a bus and were at Badami only by 10:30. The super-awesomely cut sculptures in all the 4 caves were intricate & beautiful! The designs patterns on the pillars deserve a special mention.
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| Dancing Shiva |
Shiva & family |
Ganesha |
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| Vishnu in Vamana Avatara |
Vishnu in Varaha Avatara |
Vishnu seated on Aadisesha |
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These are from Cave-4 & Maheshwari loved the hairstyle
of this particular Theerthankara. So did I!
Just after doing the caves, we got back down & inquired for the route to Pattadakkal & Aihole, and were told that there are ONLY 2 buses each day, and that an auto-rickshaw is the only option. And somehow we bargained to Rs. 600 for Badami-Mahakute-Pattadakkal-Aihole-Badami. And considering the distance, the money seems to be worth.
The first stop was a Naganatha Temple on the way & then a 7th century Jain Temple.
Jain Temple near Badami
The temple was small & nice, and then we headed to an
Amman temple @ Banashankari; and we filled our water bottles there. Temples, hotels & railway stations were the best places for water, food, restrooms, etc!
Mahakuta
We were then taken to
Mahakuta, a group of Shiva Temples. Although not very well-maintained, it was quite neat when compared to many others. The best part of this temple was the temple pond where the public were allowed to jump in too, with an entry fee of Rs.2. Irresistible, I jumped in too.
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The temple is full of such shrines,
all for Shiva |
The temple pond I gladly jumped into and cooled myself! |
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Then was the much awaited Pattadakkal!
Pattadakkal
Aihole
This was the last destination and this had more no. of temples than in Pattadakkal, albiet small. And some were very different & unconventional in terms of design. e.g. There was a shrine in oval shape, and most of the shrines were full of
Jali's for better lighting & ventilation.
And although we had booked the ticket back home for Yeshwantpur passenger, we later canceled it on knowing that it would reach the next only by 9:30; we rished to the bus stand instead, and found KSRTC and luckily there were seats available in the
Airavata bus to Bangalore, and the ticket price, we came to know, was only
Rs.509/head, for Badami->Bangalore. Quite cheap for the distance, I say! And the next morning by 6:30, we were in Bangalore!
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