Around Badami

Banashankari (5 Km ) - En rout to Badami is a quaint hamlet taking its name from the goddess Banashankari Built in Dravidian style , the temple is dedicated to Banshankari , a form of Parvati highly received by Weaver community . The idol depicts the powerful eight - armed goddess seated on a snarling Lion . There is a large pond in front of the temple called Harida Theerta , which is enclosed on three sides by stone mantapas with inner colonnades . The annual temple festival in Banasankari is more than a religious event . During this time the street around the temple are taken over by a huge fair , marked by color and gaiety and attended by thousands of devotees.

Mahakuta ( 14 Kms ) - Once a great center of Shaiva cult Mahakuta is surrounded by hills The Mahakuteswara Temple dedicated to Shiva is built in Dravidian Style and features a natural spring called Vishnu Pushkarni . The temple is surrounded by several small shrines with a wealth of carving on their walls . There are also a few Shiva Temples in Mahakuta dating back to the Chalukyan era.

What to See

North Fort - An Arduous climb through a stone chasm and fortified gateways take you to the temple , the remains of a granary , a treasure and a watchtower on top of the fort . The upper Shivalaya Temple still has some friezes and sculptures depicting legends relating to Lord Krishna . Preached on a rock , Malegatti Shivalaya is an excellent example of the southern style of architecture . It's a four hour journey to Bijapur and is connected by rail to Gadag , a convenient stop to get a connecting train to Hospet or Hubli .

Transport -

District - Bagalkot

By Road -

Aihole - 44km
Hubli - 110km
Bijapur - 150km
Bangalore - 480 km

By Rail -

Gadag - 70km
Hubli - 110km
Bijapur - 150km

By Air -Dabolim (Goa) - 290km