Group of Monuments at Pattadakal

The story of this place

The name Pattadakal means the place of the coronation stone. The early Chalukya kings held this ground sacred because the Malaprabha river turns and flows northwards here, towards the Himalaya and Kailasha, and a north flowing river is holy in our tradition. So the dynasty came to this bend of the river to crown its kings; the coronation of king Vinayaditya in the 7th century is recorded here, and the place was also called Pattada Kisuvolal, the red soil valley of coronation.

The temples you see rose mainly in the 7th and 8th centuries, when the Chalukyas ruled from nearby Badami. The grandest of them, the Virupaksha temple, was built in about 740 CE by queen Lokamahadevi to commemorate the victory of her husband, king Vikramaditya II, over the Pallavas of Kanchi. Her sister queen, Trailokyamahadevi, sponsored the Mallikarjuna temple beside it. The inscriptions even name the chief architect, Gunda Anivaritacharya, whom the king honoured publicly, a rare and touching thing in ancient India.

The influence of this small village travelled far. The Virupaksha temple was itself inspired by the Kailasanatha temple of Kanchipuram, and in turn it became the model for the great rock cut Kailasa temple at Ellora. When you stand before it, you are standing in the middle of that chain of genius. UNESCO inscribed the Group of Monuments at Pattadakal on the World Heritage List in 1987.

What you will see

The main enclosure holds a tight cluster of temples, nine Hindu shrines in all with a Jain temple a little apart, and this is the wonder of Pattadakal: the two great temple styles of India were built here side by side, by the same kingdom, in the same century. The Galaganatha temple carries the curving northern nagara tower that you would expect in Odisha or Khajuraho. A few steps away, the Sangameshwara and Virupaksha temples carry the stepped southern dravida towers of Tamil country. The Papanatha temple, a short walk south, mixes both ideas in one building.

Give the Virupaksha temple your longest time. It is the largest and most complete, with a Shiva linga in the sanctum, a Nandi pavilion facing it, and walls covered with scenes from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas. Look closely and you will find the names of individual sculptors inscribed under panels they carved. The victory pillar with the old Kannada inscription of Vikramaditya II still stands here. Worship of Lord Shiva continues in the Virupaksha temple even today, so this World Heritage Site is also a living temple.

Before you leave, walk to the Malaprabha river behind the temples and watch it flowing north. That quiet sight explains why the kings chose this ground.

Best time to visit

October to February is the best season. This is northern Karnataka, and from March to May the days become very hot, with little shade on the open temple ground. The monsoon months of July to September are green and pleasant between showers.

The complex is open through the day, generally from early morning to sunset. Early morning is the finest time, when the golden sandstone glows and the tour groups have not yet arrived. There is an entry fee for the complex; please check the current rate on the ASI or state tourism website when you plan.

How to reach

Badami, about 23 km away, is the usual base, with hotels and a railway station on the Hubballi to Solapur line. Aihole, the third corner of the Chalukya triangle, is only about 10 km from Pattadakal. From Bengaluru, overnight trains and buses reach the Badami side, and by road it is a long full day drive.

By air, Hubballi and Belagavi airports are each about a three hour drive, with flights from Bengaluru, Mumbai and other cities. Goa is about 265 km away, so some travellers combine a Goa holiday with this heritage circuit. Once you are in Badami, a hired car covers Badami, Pattadakal and Aihole comfortably in one day.

Tips from our travel experts

Do the triangle in the right order. Start early at Aihole, where the experiments began, come to Pattadakal by late morning to see the ideas in full flower, and end at Badami in the afternoon, climbing to the cave temples as the sun softens. Seen in this order, the whole story of early temple building unfolds in one day.

Take a licensed guide at Pattadakal or ask us to arrange one; without the stories of the two queens and the architect, the stones stay silent. Carry water, a cap and sunscreen, because the open ground has little shade. Keep about two hours for the complex itself.

Since the Virupaksha temple is a living shrine, dress respectfully and keep silence inside the sanctum area. Photography is generally free in the open complex, but follow the boards at the sanctum.

For our NRI and OCI travellers

This circuit is one of the most rewarding and least crowded World Heritage experiences in India, and it fits naturally after Hampi, which is also in northern Karnataka; many of our overseas guests do Hampi, Badami, Pattadakal and Aihole as one unhurried heritage week. Hotels in Badami are simple but comfortable; do not expect luxury properties, and book early for the winter season.

If your parents are travelling with you, the Pattadakal complex is kind to them: it is flat, compact and walkable, unlike the climbs at Badami. ASI monuments have entry provisions that differ for Indian citizens, OCI card holders and foreign nationals, so carry your OCI card and check the current rules at the counter.