Located
at about fifty kilometers in the north of Badami, where one can easily place
oneself, the village of Aihole is announced especially by the profusion of
old temples which strew the landscape.
The temples of Aihole constitute all that at
the time remains powerful dynasty of Châlukya which made of Aihole, known
under the name of Âryapura, its capital. The monuments were dated from the
5 2nd at the 8 2nd centuries.
It is in this place that one finds the oldest buildings built, in opposition to excavated monuments, such those due to Pallava de Mahabalaprum, Tamilnadu . This seniority explains the architectural characteristics, like the stacking of flagstones to constitute roofs, or the aspect of the columns and architraves.
It is thus by Aihole that it would be advisable to begin the visits from this area, if one wishes to go from oldest to most recent.
The most interesting temples are as follows:
The temple of Durgâ. It presents a completely unusual form, with its round apse. Dating from the beginning of the 8 2nd century, it has a beautiful porch with carved pillars. . The temple of Durgâ has nothing to do with the goddess of this name, because it is dedicated to the Shiva god
The temple of Sûrya Narayana is usually indicated under the name of temple of Stable-lad Khan, of the name of a squatter which had occupied it, says one, at the 19 2nd century... It was built towards the beginning of the 8 2nd century. Equipped with one will shikara in which a small vault opens, this temple is especially remarkable by the large black stone sttue of Sûrya which is there. The god of the sun is accompanied by two small female figures, representing his wives, the Ushâ goddesses (Paddle) and Sandya (Twilight).
The Museum is located in the same enclosure as the two preceding temples. It presents some stone statues found on the site at the time of excavations
The
cave of Ravana Phadi is certainly the most original monument of Aihole. Probably
dug with hillside as of the 6 2nd century, this cave opens on outside by a
gantry with two pillars. Central room, one reaches sanctuaries on the sides
and the bottom. The side walls are engraved large statues representing various
divinities: Dancing Shiva, accompanied by his/her son Ganesh, the Seven-Mothers
(Saptamâtrikâ), gracious with their high caps, Ardhanarishvara, Vishnu in
its form of Varâha, the Durgâ goddess as Mahîshâsuramardinî, Shiva with its
wife the Pârvatî goddess. In short, it will have been understood that it is
about a true anthology of the divinities...
The temple of Hucchapaya, which one believes
being of the 6 2nd century, is decorated interesting reliefs with the ceiling
of the mandapa. Of simple structure, it is the first which one meets on the
left when one arrives at the village
The temple of Huchimalli has proud pace, with its high perron and the deep basin which is next to it. One will notice there especially a low-relief of Kârtikeya, engraved with the ceiling of the mandapa
The temple of Meguti, which is drawn up on a close hill, is oldest of Aihole and goes back to 634, according to an inscription