Tourist places in and around Aihole

Aihole, the earliest capital of the Chalukyas, a picturesque village nestling on the banks of the Malaprabha river and overflowing with clusters of the most beautiful temples. Aihole has over a hundred temples scattered around the village. The sculptures of Aihole temples have superb architecture. Intricately carved, rich in detail, quiet and peaceful. The oldest temple here is perhaps the Lad Khan temple dating back to the 5th Century. On the roof of the temple is another shrine-like vimana. The Durga (Fort) Temple is notable for its semicircular apes, elevated plinth and the gallery that encircles the sanctum. The interior is filled with fascinating carvings. Chamundi Devi trampling the buffalo demon, Narasimha - the half-man, half-female deity. Then there is image of the fearsome Mahishasuramardini or the Mother Goddess Durga destroying the demon Mahisha.

The Huthimalli Temple

out in the village - has a sculpture of Vishnu sitting atop a large cobra. Dating back to the 6th century, the Ravalpathi Cave cave-temple celebrates the many forms of Lord Shiva. This cave is well worth a long visit. Inside the cave is the beautiful statue of dancing Shiva who seems to be trembling with motion. Not-to-be-missed is the Konthis Temple Complex (Kwanthi Gudi), the Uma Maheshwari Temple, the Jain Meguti Temple and the two-storeyed Buddhist Temple.

Climb up the stairs and you will come across a tranquil, smiling Buddha carved on the ceiling. In the main Aihole temple complex there are about a hundred shrines, large and small, dotted all across this abandoned capital of the Chalukyas though only a few of them are in the fenced area. Of particular interest is the Durg Temple, which is not only the most decorated monument in Aihole, but it is also famous as an imitation of a Buddhist rock-cut Chaitya hall.

This appears to be one of the earliest groups of temples in Aihole, located to the north of village behind the Tourist Home. The sanctum has a northern style "Rekhanagara" tower over it. The vestibule in front of the sanctum was introduced for the first time here.

Durga Temple

The temple derives its name from Durgadagudi meaning 'temple near the fort'. Dedicated to Vishnu, the temple appears to be a Hindu adaptation of the Buddhist chaitya (hall) with its apsidal end. Standing on a high platform with a 'rekhanagara' type of Shikhara, it is the most elaborately decorated monument in Aihole. The columns at the entrance and within the porch are carved with figures and ornamental reliefs. The temple appears to be a late 7th or early 8th century construction.

Ladh Khan Temple

The experimental nature of temple building by the Chalukyas is best elaborated in the Ladh Khan Temple, located south of the Durga Temple. Not knowing how to build a temple, they built it in the Panchayat hall style. The windows were filled up with latticework in the northern style and the sanctum was added later on. The sanctum is built against the back wall and the main shrine has a Shivalinga along with a Nandi. Above the center of the hall, facing the sanctum is a second smaller sanctum with images carved on the outer walls. The temple, built about 450 AD, gets its name from a Muslim prince who converted it into his residence.

Meguti Temple

The only dated monument in Aihole, the Meguti Temple was built atop a small hill in 634 AD. Now partly in ruins, possibly never completed, this temple provides an important evidence of the early development of the Dravidian style of Architecture. The inscription dating the monument is found on one of the outer walls of the temple and records its construction by Ravikeerti, who was a commander & minister of Pulakesin II. Apparently a Jain Temple as seen from the seated Jain figure here, the superstructure rising above the sanctum wall of the temple is not original & the 16-columns porch and hall extension are later additions.

Ravanphadi Cave

Located south-east of the Hucchimalli Temple, this rock-cut temple is assigned to the 6th century. The sanctum is larger than those in Badami cave temples and it is provided with a vestibule flanked by carved panels, entered through a triple entrance. Despite the variety of images found here, the Mahishasuramardhini, the great Dancing Shiva linga with Ganesha and sapta-matrikas and the linga inside the sanctum an overall Shiva application.

Gowda Temple

Close to Ladh Khan Temple & built in the similar lines, the Gowda Temple was dedicated to Bhagavati. Standing on a high moulded base and having about 16 fairly plain pillars, this temple was probably built even earlier than the other structures.

Surayanarayana Temple

Located to the northeast of Ladh Khan Temple, the sanctum of this temple has a 0.6-meter high icon of Surya along with his two consorts Usha & Sandhaya, being drawn by horses. The temple, dating from the 7th - 8th centuries, has a four-pillared inner and a 'Rekhanagara' tower over the sanctum.

Konti Group of Temples

Situated in the middle of bazaar, the earliest of these temples was probably built in the 5th century. The first temple has panels of Brahma, Shiva & a reclining Vishnu on the ceiling.

Museum & Art Gallery

A sculpture gallery is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India in the Durga Temple complex.