Karnataka > Bagalkot > Aihole 
Aihole is a great centre of Badami Chalukyan art. The temples numbering over 100 of different styles were raised from the 6th to the 12th century and many experiments in temple construction were carried out, making Percy Brown to call it "one of the cradles of temple architecture." It is 510 km. from Bangalore, 24 km. from Hungund and can be reached from Bagalkote. It has a Jaina and a Vedic rock-cut shrine, both of about 6th Century A.D., the former having fine Tirthankara images in the round and the latter Nataraja dancing, Matrikas surrounding him, in life size but in relief. The place has the Durga Temple which is apsidal and the Ladkhan which is square in plan. Other important temples are Huchimalligudi, Gaudaragudi and Chakragudi, all in a variety of designs. The Meguti on a hill is a Jaina basti which has the famous Aihole inscription of Pulikeshin II and also a Buddhist two-storied rock-cut shrine below it. The temples here are full of plastic art, and to a student of temple architecture a visit to Aihole is a must. Siddanakolla near it has a beautiful Lajj'agowri sculpture in a rare sitting posture near a small pond, besides the Siddesvara Temple of Badami Chalukya period.
Aihole was the capital of the Chalukayan kings, between the 4th and 6th century A.D., when they began experimenting with the idea of constructing temples with stone blocks.
You therefore see Hindu temple architecture in its embryonic stage, from simple shrines, like those in the Konthigudi group and the Lad Khan temple to the more complex edifices, such as the Meguthi temple.
Aihole has over 125 temples, all intricately carved and rich in detail. The oldest temple here, is perhaps the Lad Khan dating back to the 5th Century A.D.
The Durga temple has a semicircular apse, and a sanctum, circled by a richly carved colonnaded passageway.
The Hutchamalli temple, the Ravalphadi Cave temple, the Konthi temple complex, the Jain Meghuthi temple and the two storied Buddhist temple are the site worth visiting. Related tag : Anegundi |
