Page 22 - Seniorstoday February 2022 Issue

Travel

Badami: Rich,

colourful & beautiful

Urvi Piramal on the incredible art and architecture that evolved under the

patronage of the Badami Chalukya rulers

Badami lies about 140 kilometres northwest was their capital city. The current name of
of Hampi, a three-hour car ride with a Badami is believed to have originated from
view of flattish brown green lands. But it is the almond colour of its rocks.
centuries apart. Hampi is about six hundred
years old, with a fifteenth-sixteenth century
vintage, and hails from the Vijaynagar Age.
Badami dates back even further – it was
alive in the Chalukya Age, and dates as far
back as the fifth, sixth century! I felt still
and peaceful in Hampi but even more so in
Badami. The air itself is old and heavy, silent
with the memory of long forgotten kings.
Pulakeshin-I of the Chalukyan dynasty
founded the city of Badami and the cave
temples were built by his son Kirtiverman-I. The fort atop the cave
The Pallavas destroyed the fort in a battle Like its name, the history of Badami is rich
for supremacy and it was then renovated by and colourful. The city was once known
Tipu Sultan many years later. as Vatapi and it was believed that two
The Badami fort sits atop the hill where the demon brothers, Ilvala and Vatapi lived
caves are located and was once the residence there. Vatapi would disguise himself as an
of the Chalukyan Kings when Badami animal and IIvala would offer this meat to

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