Badami

TrivikramaRock carving of Trivikrama in Cave 3, Badami, Karnataka, India.

Badami, town, northern Karnataka state, southwestern India. It is situated in an upland region just west of the Malprabha River.

Pattadakal, Karnataka, India
Pattadakal, Karnataka, IndiaGalaganatha Temple at Pattadakal (part of a UNESCO World Heritage site designated in 1987), near Badami, Karnataka, India, early 8th century ce.

The town was known as Vatapi in ancient times and was the first capital of the Chalukya kings. It is the site of important 6th- and 7th-century Brahmanical and Jain cave temples. Dug out of solid rock, the temples contain elaborate interior decorations. Several freestanding temples of the Chalukya dynasty, located about 8 miles (13 km) east-northeast of Badami at Pattadakal, collectively were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987. Pop. (2001) 25,847; (2011) 30,943.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kenneth Pletcher.
Citation Information
Article Title: Badami
Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published: 26 August 2014
Access Date: February 22, 2025