Cave temples of Badami

Badami, formerly known as Vatapi, is a town in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka. It was the capital of the Chalukyan Empire between 5^th -8^th century AD. It is believed that Badami got its’ name from the word ‘Badam’ (almond) and its’ resemblance to the red sand stone that is abundantly found in this. Badami is famous for its’ rock-cut temples and architecture.

Puranas says that two demon siblings Vatapi and Ilvala were killed by sage Agasthya. Therefore, the two hills in Badami represent Vatapi and Ilvala and the lake is sacredly called as Agasthya Theertha.

The lake and the surrounding hills in red sand-stone prove to be the perfect backdrop for the Bhootanatha temples. 

The Bhootanatha temple

According to the scholars, the Chalukya kingdom was established by king Jayasimha in 500 A.D. His grandson Pulakeshi-I built the fort in Vatapi and his brother Mangalesha constructed the cave temples, for which Badami is well- known even today.

View of the cave temples from Agasthya lake.

The four rock-cut temples were constructed between 6th- 8th century A.D. The Chalikyans were believed to be secular rulers with tolerance towards all religions. The same secular nature is reflected in the cave temples too. The caves mainly represent Hinduism and Jainism. Consequently, cave 1 is dedicated to Lord Shiva, cave 2 and 3 to Vishnu and cave 4 to Jain Thirthankaras.

Boulders that welcome us as we enter the cave temples. Each cave is separated and can be reached by climbing a good number of stairs.

Cave 1:

The first cave is dedicated to Lord Shiva as an incarnation of Nataraja (God of Dance). Here, the Nataraja has nine arms on each side thus making a total of eighty one combination of dance poses. 

Shiva as an incarnation of Nataraja...in cave 1. 


Cave 2: 

Cave 2 is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. In this cave temple Vishnu is also represented in his Varaha and Krishna avatars. Incidentally Varaha is also the royal insignia of the Chalukyas!

The 'Royal Guard' at the entrance of second cave.


Cave 3: 

The third cave too is dedicated to Vishnu and the carvings belong to the Shavite and Vaishnavite theme. This, indeed, is the most magnificent cave of all four with a unique pose of Vishnu seated on 'Shesha Naga'. It is considered unique as it is (probably) the only place where Vishnu has been depicted as 'sitting' on the serpent and not sleeping.

Complete view of the third cave.

The most stunning Vishnu seated on Shesha Naga inside cave 3.

Another giant figurine of Trivikrama at cave 3.


Cave 4: 
This cave is dedicated to Jainism. It is not as big as the other three but the details are equally beautiful. Numerous Jain Thirtankara images have been engraved on the walls and pillars of this cave.

The fourth cave dedicated to Jainism.

This is what lies opposite to the cave temples!

A glimpse of Sikkim

My visit to this land of snow-capped mountains and serene beauty was way back in 2008. It’s special in many ways- this being my first trip with my dearest husband soon after marriage and not to forget my first experience in a flight.

Most of the information we gathered in the internet mentioned about visiting Gangtok along with Darjeeling. But we wanted to avoid the crowded tourist destination so we mapped out a plan to go visit Gangtok and dropped Darjeeling and decided to explore Pelling (to get a closer look at Mt. Khangchendzonga/ Mt. Kanchenjunga).

Our route map was simple: Hyderabad- Kolkata, Kolkata- Bagdogara (by flight); Bagdogara- Gangtok (by taxi). And, there we were lucky enough to get company of two kind people (visitors from Assam) who readily agreed to share the taxi with us that cut down our travelling rates almost by Rs. 600.

The photographs were shot (either by me or my husband) with a simple Sony point and shoot camera (which is still my favourite) and at a time when I least knew anything about a ‘digital camera’.

This post attempts to provide a glimpse of a vast land that holds on to nature so closely. These photographs are a just a drop in the big ocean of Sikkim’s beauty and serenity.  

Our first stop was, of course, Gangtok (meaning Hill-Top) - located at an altitude of 5,410 ft. in the Eastern Himalayan Range. 

View of Gangtok from Ganesh Tok point and next to it is the quietly flowing Rangit river (a major tributary of Tista River).

The semi-circular rice fields...

The Rumtek Dharma Chakra Center near Gangtok.

Monks chanting their prayers in Rumtek Monastery.                                                                                                                                                

Morning rays piercing through the clouds outside Rumtek Monastery.

Our second day was exclusively for witnessing the snowy peaks- visit to Changu/ Tsomgo lake and the Indo- China border, Nathula pass. But unfortunately, due to heavy snow fall we could not reach up to Nathula Pass and had to be content with only frozen Tsomgo lake.

Tsomgo or Changu (as called by the locals) lake is a glacial lake located at an elevation of 12,000 ft. Having visited the lake in the month of March, the lake was still frozen and we were told it would start melting somewhere in April and that's the time when that place got most tourists.

The frozen Tsomgo lake.

Our journey to Pelling started on the third day and rather with a gloomy sight on the way as we witnessed a jeep toppled down in the hilly terrain. This made us think how safe 'we were' in this whole journey. 

Travelling through the narrow hilly areas is quite a challenge in itself as most of the places get blocked due to landslides and other natural calamities or an accident! 

Nevertheless, we came across these famous flowers of the region- Rhododendron flowers on our way. 

That red!

It is from Pelling that one can witness the Mt. Khangchendzonga (more easily Kanchenjunga) very closely. Our day would start with a chilly morning, a roof top breakfast overlooking the mountain ranges. Heaven!

Mt. Kanchenjunga range

The most quiet place that we visited during our journey is the Khecheopalri lake, situated at a distance of 30 kms from Pelling. This lake is also known as the 'Wish Lake'. This tranquil lake is located midst forest and it is considered to be one of the sacred lakes of Sikkim. Though surrounded by thick forest, we cannot see a single leaf floating on the lake. It is believed birds of that place do not permit even a single leaf to float on the surface. As soon as a leaf falls they pick it up immediately and the one who sees the bird is a very lucky person. 

Khecheopalri lake

There are many more places about which I have not mentioned here but have visited. There are numerous waterfalls that we watched with childish fervor while driving along hilly regions of Pelling. 

Our stay at Hotel Silk Route and Chiminda (both the hotels owned by the same person) at Gangtok and Pelling respectively was like icing on the cake. Chiminda also has a resto- bar that plays live music in the night for its' visitors. What a lovely note to end the journey!

Bidar Fort

Bidar town is about 130kms from Hyderabad city and it would prove to be a nice weekend getaway if one is bored of the usual sights in Hyderabad. The drive through the Mumbai highway (that will take you to Bidar) is annoying as the traffic is horrible. The most important monument that cannot be missed in Bidar is undoubtedly the Fort.

At the Entrance of the Fort

The Bidar fort was built by Sultan Alla Ud Din Bahman Shah, the first sultan of Bahamani dynasty, in 1427 when he shifted his capital from Gulbarga to Bidar. It was distinctly planned and built on the brink of Deccan plateau. It is surrounded by 5.5 kms of defence wall consisting of 37 bastions and 7 strong irregular rhombic shaped gates. This fort is unique due to its triple moat defence which was made by Turkish mercenaries and the fort is a witness to Persian style architecture. Another interesting feature is the massive tunnels for escape during emergencies. The Bahamani rulers were taken over by Barid Shahis who were later captured by Aurangzeb.

A panoramic view of the old fort!


The fort has several structures inside it such as the Gagan Mahal, Rangeen mahal, Turkish Mahal, Sola Khambh mosque, Diwan-e-aam, Old fort and many more. Though, information about these structures  can be seen inside the fort, there are a whole lot of other structures (including that of old fort) information about which is unavailable.

Some structures inside Old Fort


Sola Khambh Mosque: In an inscription dated 1423-24, it is mentioned that the founder of this mosque was Qubli Sultani. The mosque is called so as it has 16 pillars in the front. It is one of the largest mosques in India and is remarkable for its architectural style. It consists of a large prayer hall divided into a large number of aisles by massive circular columns. These columns can be seen only from outside as entry inside this structure is not permitted.

Solah Khambh Mosque on the right...

Turkish Mahal: Turkish mahal, which is right next to the mosque, was so called as it was built for the Turkish wife of the Sultan. Originally built by the Bahamani Kings, it was later extended and decorated by the Barid Shahis. It’s said that the stucco work in this Mahal is noteworthy but unfortunately it is not open for public and everything is locked.

Turkish Mahal

Rangeen Mahal: Rangeen Mahal literally means “coloured palace” and was built by Air Ali Barid - successor of Qasim Barid (founder of Barid Shahi dynasty). It is famous for its’ beautiful wood carvings, fascinating glazed tile and mosaic work and mother-of-pearl decorations all of which were designed by a Persian architect. At present, general public is not allowed inside Rangeen Mahal as the Mahal is undergoing restoration work. But we were lucky to have a chat with one of the security guard (who also acted as our guide, as there are no guides inside the fort!) and was kind enough to let us see interiors of the Mahal.

Wood carvings inside Rangeen Mahal

Diwan-i-Am: Diwan-i-Am served as the Hall of Public Audience. It was here that the kings received visiting ambassadors and dignitaries. Many of the building’s walls were richly decorated with Persian style tiles in floral, geometrical and calligraphic patterns. None of these can be seen today.

Inside Diwan-i-Am




Walking through the full length of the fort could be a exhausting experience as it's spread across a very large area. Here, I have to acknowledge my 6 year old darling daughter's strength who enjoyed the whole experience and never complained.

The Bidar town boasts of some more monuments of historical importance, a post about which will follow soon in this blog. Till then, enjoy the Fort.

Sakrebailu Elephant Camp

Sakrebailu Elephant Camp is, again, a major tourist attraction in Shimoga Dist. of Karnataka.

It is situated just 14 kms from the city towards Thirthahalli road. The camp basically trains the elephants (about 30 of them); but that's not the fact which attracts the tourists here.

It is the beautiful experience of  watching the elephants taking a dip in the backwaters of Gajnur Dam (Tunga river) that calls all the tourists.

The picturesque beauty of the  backwaters makes the experience more memorable.

Of course, one has to be a early riser to reach this place. Otherwise, you would miss out the action.

Reach the camp site by 7.45- 8.00 and you can watch the elephants slowly walking towards the water for their daily ordeal of rubbing and scrubbing.

Even the visitors are allowed to clean them, it's especially the kids who enjoy all this. But unfortunately, my girl was more scared than excited looking at the huge mammoths.

All the action would be over by 10 am. after which the elephants are either sent to the camp for training by mahouts or left in the forest.

Surely, this place cannot disappoint you!

Shivappa Nayaka Palace

If you are in the town of Shimoga/ Shivamogga in Karnataka, you should not be missing seeing this lesser known palace- Shivappa Nayaka Palace in the heart of the city. Though not very famous, one can find it difficult to locate the place but local people can help you through. It is located amidst the narrow lanes of the city but as you enter the palace gates you get to witness a huge area with installations of stone sculptures of historical importance.

You keep staring at those numerous rose wood pillars and the expanse of the area as you enter it. It does not really give an impression of a palace, to be frank. But the way wooden pillars, two broad staircases that lead you to the balcony would not disappoint you either. The beauty of this so called palace lies in its simplicity. You can listen to some interesting facts about the palace as you turn back the pages of history.

Originally, the palace was built by Hiriya Venkatappa Nayaka of the Keladi dynasty in the 16th century. The Keladi leaders who were ruling under the Vijayanagara Empire gained impetus slowly and emerged on their own. During this period, a battle was fought between the Nayakas and the Palegars. Nayakas, after winning the battle decided to build this palace. But this was destroyed by the Adil Shahis of Bijapur in a fierce battle. At a later period, the palace was rebuilt by Shivappa Nayaka. Again, as the story continues, the Nayakas were attacked under the British rule who converted the palace into a saw mill to store logs! Finally, after independence it was restored by the Archeological Survey of India.

There are interesting facts about Shivappa Nayaka too. He was not only an able ruler and a soldier but the one who introduced a revenue system called ‘Sist’. An incident that took place during his rule is one which needs attention. A poor Brhamin called Gansesh Mallya came to Keladi (capital of Nayakas) in search of job. He carried with him only bag full of home- grown coconuts. But before entering the city every traveler had pay toll tax for which Mallya gave away all his coconuts. At the last toll, though, he decided to make his own toll and started collecting money from other travelers. This went on for 18 months before Shivappa Nayaka could find out. When summoned, Mallya readily agreed for his wrong doing and also the reason behind the work- that of finding work and a livelihood. Impressed by this, Shivappa Nayaka took Mallya into his service.

Do not miss witnessing this beautiful place urf the 'palace'!