Aihole

We visit the Durga Temple Aihole, the cradle of temple architecture in Karnataka built between the 7th – 8th centuries by the Chalukyas. Interestingly, this temple is not dedicated to the Goddess “Durga”. It takes the name after the word “Durg” or fortress which probably refers to a fort built close by . Almost all the monuments in this town are between 1200-1300 years old.  W e are celebrating Karnataka Rajyoutsav or the day when Karnataka as a state was formed today.  And what better way to celebrate than to visit a destination that is very ancient and filled with rich heritage.

Pattadakal

Known as the ‘City of the Crown Rubies’, Pattadakal in Karnataka represents the high point of temple architecture under the Chalukya dynasty in the 7th and 8th centuries. Situated on the banks of Malaprabha river in Bagalkot district, Pattadakal was declared a world heritage site in 1987.

A holy city with an impressive series of ten temples, the village was earlier called Kisuvolal or Pattada Kisuvolal which meant City of the Crown Rubies

Pattadakal, along with Aihole (ancient Aryapura) and Badami provide a incredible concentration of religious monuments dating from the Chalukya dynasty. Aihole is considered the ‘laboratory’ of Chalukya architecture while Pattadakal exemplifies the high point of temple construction which, in the 7th and 8th centuries, achieved a fusion of north and south of Indian architectural forms.