India - Evolution of Temple Architecture – Aihole-Badami- Pattadakal

"The property constituting of groups of monuments in Aihole (including Nagral) and Badami as an extension to Pattadakal which is the culmination, together represent the experimentation in Hindu cave and temple architecture under the Early Chalukya developing fundamental prototypes for later temples in the peninsula.

The groups of monuments located in the town of Badami and villages of Aihole, Nagaral and Pattadakal, of Bagalkot district, along Malprabha river is the contribution of the eastern Chalukya Dynasty (6th-8th century CE). Ruling a vast culturally diverse expanse bound by Rivers Narmada and Kaveri on the North and South, this Dynasty patronised development of diverse cultural forms. The focus on temple and cave art and architecture by the Badami-Chalukyas led to unprecedented progression of both typologies. The temples at Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal are the largest, earliest group of monuments which comprehensively demonstrates the evolution in Hindu rock-cut and temple architecture in India..."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List

One of the Cave Temples at Badami, Karnataka, India. Thanks to Nagi of India.