Set in beautiful countryside at the foot of a red sandstone ridge, the charming village of Badami was once the capital of the Calukya empire, which covered much of central Deccan between the 4th and 8th centuries. The sculptural legacy left by its artisans includes some of the earliest and finest examples of Dravidian temples and rock-cut caves. Aihole was a sort of trial ground for new temple architecture, which was further developed at Pattadakal, now a World Heritage site. The forms and sculptural work at these sites inspired latere South Indian Hindu empires that rose and fell before the arrival of the Muslims.
In the three centres there are over 150 temples! (from LP)