Pattadakal

The Group of monuments in Pattadakal designated under UNESCO World Heritage List, in 1987, cover a remarkable series of eight Lord Shiva temples, a shaivite sanctuary called the Papanatha Temple, and a Jain Narayana temple. Built between 7th and 8th century, it displays both Dravidian (Southern) and the Nagara (Northern, Indo-Aryan) styles of temple architecture. Pattadakal is located on the left bank of the Malaprabha River in Bagalakote in Indian State of Karnataka. It is 22 km from Badami, and about 10 km from Aihole, both of which are well known for Chalukya monuments. Pattadakal is one of the three great centres of experimentation of temple architecture, the other two being Aihole and Hampi. Aihole-Badami-Pattadakal is called Cradle of Indian rock cut architecture.

According to inscriptions, the place was known by the names Kisuvolalu, Raktapura (Red city), Pattadakal (mostly mountains near Pattadakal gave this name), and Pattada Kisuvolalu (meaning: red valley). According to the literary work Hammira Kavya of 1540, the place was known as Pattashilapura and Hammirapura.

Pattadakal is the historical location where Badami Chalukya kings were crowned as it was considered a holy place. Vijayaditya was the first ruler to be crowned here at “Pattadakisuvolal” at the start of the 7th century AD. It was the capital of the Chalukya dynasty of Karnataka in Southern India between the 6th and 8th centuries. The Chalukyas built many temples here between the 7th and 8th centuries.

In Pattadakal, three are nine Shiva temples and a Jaina basadi. The oldest of these temples is Sangameshwara built during the reign of Vijayaditya Satyashraya during the period 697-733 AD. The largest of all these temples in Pattadakal is the Virupaksha Temple, which was built by Queen Lokamahadevi and Rani Trilokyamahadevi, between 740 and 745 AD to mark their husband Vikramaditya II’s victory over Nandivarman, the Pallava king of Kanchipuram from South. The temple was patterned on the lines of the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram. They also built the Mallikarjuna temple.

Jaina basadi, also called Jain Narayana temple was built in the 9th century during the reign of Krishna II of Rashtrakutas. It was the last temple to be built at Pattadakal.

Directions by road from the nearest airport

Weather forecast

Pattadakal

2:14 pm,

Feb 14, 2025

33°C

clear sky

Humidity:


14 %

Pressure:


1011 mb

Wind:


9 mph

Wind Gust:


10 mph

Clouds:

5%

Visibility:

10 km

Sunrise:

6:53 am

Sunset:

6:29 pm

Weather from OpenWeatherMap

Getting there

• By Air
• By Rail
• By Road

Closest By Air

The nearest airport is at Belgaum (though not many flights), which is around 150 km from Pattadakal. Flights from Indian cities like Mumbai and Chennai operate to Belgaum. The nearest international airport is at Goa (296Km by road).

Closest By Rail

Badami is the nearest rail head, located about 18 km from Pattadakal. Trains from major cities such as Bangalore, Solapur and Ahmedabad halt at the station. You can hire a taxi or board a bus to reach Pattadakal from the station.

Closest By Road

Pattadakal is well connected by road. State-run buses and tourist buses operates regularly from all the major cities of Karnataka such as Bengaluru, Bijapur, Hubli and Belgaum, Badami, Aihole etc.