Badami

Badami was fascinating for its cave temples, its high plateau and its market. Also it is a great base for exploring other sites in the area -- Aihole, Pattadakal and Mahakuta.
An auto-rickshaw decorated for Diwali The lowest of Badami's four rock-cut cave temples, a Shiva temple Beautiful 18-armed Nataraja at the 1st temple. John at the second temple, dedicated to Vishnu
Vishnu preparing to take the three giant steps which will measure the extent of the world at creation The roofs of Badami Pradeepa, always a gentleman, escorting Siv up the steps to the third cave View from the third cave over the Agastyatirtha lake and the north fort
Siv and Pradeepa arrive at the third cave, also dedicated to Vishnu The third cave, dedicated to Vishnu Beautiful sculpture of Vishnu seated on the coils of the snake, Ananta Vishnu seated on Ananta and as his boar avatar, Vahara, rescuing the earth from the demon Hiranyaksha
Siv, Narasimha (Vishnu's lion avatar) and John View of the Agastyatirtha lake and north fort at Badami Figures on beautiful striped stone in the fourth cave, a Jain temple Relief of a Jain Tirthankara, one who has achieved nirvana
View of the Bhutanatha Temple at the end of the lake Bhutanatha Temple Badami on the lake The ghats of Badami
The north fort and the Upper Shivalaya Temple Monkey on the rocks Temple at Badami, dedicated to Yellama View of the tower of the Magalatti Shivalaya Temple and the north fort
The fourth, Jain, cave The roofs of Badami John in the Buddhist cave View of the Yellama Temple and the north plateau
House near the Agastyatirtha lake The ghats and the Upper Shivalaya Temple on the northern plateau Monkey mother and baby at the ghats Two mothers and babes
Washing women and monkeys How monkey mothers carry their babies Using her head Washing day at the Agastyatirtha ghat
Beautiful bougainvillia near the steps leading up from the museum to the northern plateau Pradeepa, John and friends More washing and the Bhutanatha Temple Bhutanatha Temple
A poinsettia tree Fishing in the Agastyatirtha Poinsettia and Bhutanatha Temple Drying laundry and drying chili peppers
Walk up to the northern plateau View of the southern plateau and fort from above View of the Agastyatirtha Upper Shivalaya Temple
Cliffs and Upper Shivalaya Temple. The path runs behind the big boulder and this side of the cliff. John decided that if the cows could make it up, he could too. Steps following the veins of the rock Looking up to the fort
The path up is very well implemented Last stretch up to the top Looking out across the plateau, you realize that the lake is really in a hole. Looking across to the south plateau
Upper Shivalaya Temple Pradeep on the edge of the chasm where the path is Beehive-shaped buildings, perhaps for grain storage The path back down
Monkeys de-fleaing each other View down over the Malagatti Shivalaya Temple Granaries, perhaps View of the southern cliff and the four cave-temple entrances
Monkeys on beautiful rock Tourist in the north fort View of the north fort and Upper Shivalaya Temple The setting sun lit up the whole scene marvellously. Behind the gate, one sees the chasm the path follows.
Chasm Budhanatha Temple and moon in the light of the setting sun Marigolds at the Badami market More marigolds
Skillful hands creating a floral masterpiece Colored powders A tailor and his family -- and perhaps some others Brinjal (eggplant), dals (beans) and other veggies
John met some friendly people at the market Those are chilli peppers! "My tailor is rich." (Standard phrase in the french Assimil method for learning english) Colorful cloths for sale
Plastic sandals John looking down the market street Evening in the main street of Badami. It could be any medium-sized indian town. A sweet seller -- and they were good!