Travels

Sunset at Lake Shinji

Lake Shinji is a brackish water lake in the northeast area of the Shimane Prefecture in Japan. It is the seventh-largest in Japan, with a circumference of around 48 kilometers. The lake is enclosed by the Shimane Peninsula to the north, and the Izumo and Matsue plains to the west and east respectively.

We were staying in the city of Nara. From this western city, we were traveling all the way to Izumo for a short tour of the heritage city. The plan was to stop for a break at Lake Shinji and enjoy the beautiful sunset, which is very popular for.

Getting to Matsue from Nara

In the early morning, I and my wife, Mani, caught the local train from Nara to Osaka. From Shin-Osaka Station, we took the Shinkansen to Okayama and from there we switched to the Yakumo 16 Limited Express bound for Matsue. The total time for the ride was about 4 hours. Since we were carrying our JR Passes, the full ride didn’t cost us anything.

Please note JR Passes are not entertained on Nozomi and Mizuho Shinkansen trains.

The ride to Matsue of course is something to talk about in itself. The train ride passes through deep forests and countless rivers, nestled in the mountains. In between, we would stop at small stations surrounded by a handful of cute houses.

For many of the Japanese too, this land of untouched beauty remains hidden, its charms, traditions, and secrets only known to the few who make the journey across the mountains, taking one far away, down through the ages to a deep, spiritual world of myth and folklore.

After traveling along the beautiful Shimane countryside for a good part of the day, we reached Matsue Station at around 4 pm. During winter, it gets dark quite soon. It seemed a bit tight but we quickly stored our luggage in a locker at the station and caught a local to the Nogi Station.

From there we literally ran to the edge of the lake. If you love walking, you can also walk to the lake, but we were a little short of time, so we chose to take the train.

By the time we reached the lake, the Sun was just about to set. Hurriedly we walked to the sunset point from where it is the most beautiful to catch the dying rays of the sun over the lake. The view-point is marked on Google Maps, so a quick search will guide you to the exact place.

Lake Shinji

Lake Shinji is connected to the Sea of Japan via Nakaumi Lagoon. This causes the lake to have higher salinity than freshwater, but not as much as seawater. This results in an abundance of aquatic life, such as whitebait, eel, sea bass, and the most famous Lake Shinji delicacy, the Shijimi clam. The Shijini shellfish are caught using a “joren“, a tool unique to Lake Shinji, which is made up of a basket tethered to a rake. The shellfish is often referred to as one of the ‘Shiji-ko Shitchin‘, the “Seven Delicacies of Lake Shinji.”

Origins of Lake Shinji

The lake is assumed to have been formed about 10,000 years ago. The birth of present-day Lake Shinji was a major event in the history of the Izumo region. In the ancient book “Izumo-no-Kuni Fudoki,” written around 1200 years back, referred to the western bay as “Kando-no-mizumi” and the eastern part was mentioned as the Shinji Lake.

According to paleontologists, fluvial deposits from the Hii River may have literally cut off the sea from the Shinji Lake. Fed by numerous streams from the surrounding mountains, water from Shinji began to flow eastward to Nakaumi Bay. However, over a period of centuries, the rising water levels in the east, reversed the direction of flow thus transforming it into a brackish-water lake.

Yomegashima Island

The Sun had already set behind the mountains. The beauty of the clouds, sky, and lake together has been a subject of fascination for many literary artists over the years. If you didn’t know already, Lake Shinji was chosen as one of the best 100 sunset points of Japan.

The small island you see in the middle of the lake is known as Yomegashima. Back in the 8th century when the Chronicles of Ancient Izumo was being compiled, it used to be called “Snake Island,” the reasons for which I am not sure of.

Stretching 110 meters east to west and 30 meters across, the island near the southeast bank of the lake and looks like a round slab of land that floats on the surface of the water. If you are able to zoom into the image above, you will be able to see a Torii among the pine trees. Being a sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Benten, the sacred Torii gate sits at one extremity of the island.

Myths of Lake Shinji

There is a myth attached to this island in the middle of the lake. It is said that a young bride was married off to a cruel family across the lake, and unable to bear their abuse, she decided to run away and go back home. In her hurry, she took a short cut across the lake that had frozen on the surface, but just as she was close enough to see the lights of her home village, the thin ice broke and she fell in and drowned in the icy waters. The gods took pity on her that they made the island spring forth in her honor. Hence, it is also called “Bride Island.”

The only time you can set foot on this island is in October when local guides can take you there explaining the legendary aspects of the island to visitors. You can take your time to wander about its 240-meter circumference.

If you are in Matsue in October, don’t miss the perfect silhouette of the Yomegashima island against the backdrop of the sunset once it is illuminated at night.

In the old times, the locals were a bit worried that the island might be lost to the waves of the lake and so the island has been protected by rows of Jodei-ishi, designed by Kobayashi Jodei (1753-1813), a famous craftsman of the Matsue domain in the Edo period when Matsue was actively ruled by the Lord Matsudaira Fumai. Kimachi stone was used in creating theses Jodei-ishi, which is still taken today from the Kimachi area of southern Matsue to carve into lanterns are other such decorative items.

Kimachi stone is a special sandstone that is made up of volcanic ash and sand that had hardened over time. It is specifically found in the Matsue city’s Kimachi district near Shinji lake. The stone has a certain softness that helps in carving it more easily to create intricate details from the stone. Since the Meiji era, the stone works made from kimachi stone have been regarded as a necessity in landscape gardening, interior decoration, and other stone works throughout Japan.

Jizo Statues at Lake Shinji

After capturing a few shots of the Yomegashima Island, we walked further north towards a place where a couple of Jizo statues have been installed beside the lakefront promenade. The Sun was already down and it had begun to get cold very quickly.

As we neared our next destination, we could see some of the locals were gathered at its side basking in the beautiful evening. The larger Jizo statue on the left is made of Kimachi stone and is called “Sodeshi Jizo“, and the smaller one is made of Mikage stone and is called “Sekkai Jizo“. If you look closely, you can immediately notice the difference in detailing between the two different stone types. This pair of Jizo statues by the shore of the lake is almost as iconic as Yomegashima itself in Matsue’s famous sunset scenery.

The Jizo is a deity fondly loved by Japanese people. You will find Jizo statues mostly in Buddhist temples and graveyards. Sometimes you can also spot them standing at the side of the road in the countryside or at the corner of some streets in the cities. The statues in alignment with the Yomegashima island make for a wonderful composition.

It is believed that Jizo protects the souls of unborn babies and children who have passed away. In Japanese beliefs, it is thought that the soul of children who die before their parents, consequently bring suffering to their parents and cannot cross the river to the afterlife.

The Jodei-ishi that surrounds and protects Yomegashima were also placed around the Sodeshi Jizo to protect the base of the statue from the waves of the lake. As the natural lights dimmed out, the lights from the castle town of Matsue started to shine. By this time it was really cold. Some of the locals who had come to view the sunset were starting to disperse,

Within a few minutes, the daylight was totally gone. I got one last shot of the island in the middle of the lake before we started to walk to Matsue Station. I recall it was quite difficult to manage the buttons of the camera with the gloves on. I sure was glad we had bought a pack of kairo (hand warmers) from a local Daiso store in Nara just a day before we set off for Matsue.

The roadside lights had come on throwing a gentle yellow light over the promenade. Almost everyone had left by that time. The waves on the lake had also picked up some energy riding on the windy breeze. I zipped up my jacket and packed up my camera gear, all set for the walk to Matsue Station.

On the way, we passed the Matsue Art Museum which was obviously closed by then, but the illuminations were still on. There is lots to explore at the museum as well, but maybe some other time. On the way back to the Station, I guess I made a wrong turn and got us lost for a few minutes. With a little help from Maps, we were back on track in no time.

Once we reached Matsue Station, we caught the next express train to Izumoshi Station. The express train only takes about half an hour to reach Izumoshi Station compared to the local, which might cost you around an hour. I was a bit tired from the long travel and looking forward to a hot bath once I reached the Hotel.

What makes Lake Shinji particularly famous is its sunset view. There are many viewing spots around the lake, including the grounds of the Shimane Art Museum, or along the lakefront promenade. You can also enjoy the view from the lake on a pleasure boat, Hakucho for a sunset cruise.

Thanks for reading! From tomorrow we begin our exploration of Izumo, once considered to be the realm of the Gods, with a visit to the Izumo Taisha Shrine. Please leave a comment if you liked my story or need any information regarding traveling to Shimane. If you would like to connect, you can also follow me on Instagram.

How big is Lake Shinji?

Lake Shinji is the seventh largest lake in Japan with a circumference of 48 kilometres

What is the best time to visit Lake Shinji

Lake Shinji is most popular for its sunset views. If you visit in October you will have the extra advantage of seeing the island in the center of the lake as its illuminated towards the evening.

Sunset at Nigatsu-dō

Nigatsu-dō is one of the important structures of the Tōdai-ji temple in Nara. If you are here to know more about Nigatsu-dō, you already must be familiar with the Todai-ji temple, registered as a world heritage site, and one of the most revered Buddhist temples in all of Japan.

I have visited Nara Park many times. Nigatsu-dō is located to the east of the Great Buddha Hall, on the hillside of Mount Wakakusa. Even though I had visited the Nigatsu-dō temple hall earlier, it was only after one of my friends on Instagram posted a picture-perfect view of the evening sunset from here, that it became an obsession to visit this temple again to witness the magic with my own eyes.

The quickest way to Nigatsu-dō is via the northern side of Todai-ji, past the Daibutsu-ike Pond. On this route, you can avoid the large crowds gathered around Nara Park. With wide open areas, the fresh, crispy winter air around the lake will surely awaken your senses.

December is almost the end of Fall season in Nara, but the roads were still lit up by the beautiful Momiji trees. Momiji or Japanese Maple Tree, is probably one of the most beautiful type of maple trees there is, especially in the fall. As temperatures cool down after the scorching summer in Nara, the colors of the leaves change into vibrant shades of orange, red, yellow, and brown.

Nigatsu-dō

We followed the road which after a few minutes leads to a narrow cobbled path that gradually goes up the Wakakusa hill. You can find signs in English that will guide you to Nigatsu-dō temple hall. As we approached the ancient hall, we were quite happy to see a deer lost in its own world, munching away at the dried grass.

The deer of Nara park are a symbol of the city and believed to be messengers of the gods in Shinto religion.

There are two ways up the temple hall. As you can see in the image below, you have a covered wooden walkway on the left and a stone staircase on the right to reach the platform at the top of the temple.

Nigatsu-dō was founded by a monk by the name of Sanetada in 752 CE. However the temple is more closely associated with a Buddhist monk named Jitchu. He is thought to have come from possibly in India. He was one of the founding monks of Todai-ji and introduced many of the rituals still used today.

The most noteworthy of these ceremonies was the Shuni-e repentance ceremony established by him in 1960, at the request of Empress Kōmyō, wife of Emperor Shōmu, who hoped to heal the ailing Emperor who had not been well for a prolonged period of time. Since then this rite has taken place as an annual ceremony without a break. This service came to be known as Shuni-e, as it was held in the second month of the traditional lunar calendar.

Sangatsu-dō

Before you take the stairs to the Nigatsu-dō hall, on your right you can find the Sangatsu-dō hall. It is considered to be the oldest building in the Todaiji temple precinct. It was founded in 733 CE by the priest Roben. The hall is also known by the name Hokke-do which comes from the practice of holding a yearly service for the Hokekyo sutra in March. Belief in Hokekyo, has been widespread in Japan since the time of Prince Shotoku (574 – 622), who desired to establish a united nation under the Buddhist Law with salvation for all sentient beings, as taught in the sutra. Sangatsu-dō in Japanese means “Third Month Hall” because the service here is held in the third month.

Similarly the name Nigatsu-dō, or “Second Month Hall” is derived from the fact that the Shuni-e Ceremony is held here during the second month of the lunar calendar. You can enter the Sangatsu-dō hall for a small fee to pray to Kannon. Photography is prohibited inside this hall. I had been inside the temple before, so I just went through the gate that took me up the stone stairs up to the Nigatsu-dō temple hall.

As you reach the top of the stone stairs, you will find yourself in a wide open area paved with cobblestones with a Chozuya at the far end. The Chozuya is a water pavilion near the entrance, for cleansing yourself before you approach the deity of the temple. Most of these Chozuyas are relatively simple with running water coming from a pipe, but this one contains an intricately carved bronze dragon head which spurts out the water meant for purifying visitors.

If you are visiting during Fall, you cannot help notice the surrounding vivid yellow Momiji trees just beyond the Chozuya, a little further up the wakakusa hill.

After washing my hands at the Chozuya, I walked over to the platform of the temple. The platform stands over the inclined hill helped by numerous wooden pillars, kind of like Kiyomizu-dera, albeit a lot smaller. Though the skies were a bit overcast today, the Sun would occasionally peak through and cast a beautiful glow over the front deck of the temple.

The observation deck of Nigatsu-dō

The Nigatsu-dō hall holds two Kannons, a large one and a small one, although both of them are classified as Hibutsu “secret Buddhas” – and therefore are not publicly shown. Hibutsu or “secret Buddhas”, are Buddhist statues that are kept out of sight, maybe not permanently but sometimes the intervals when they are displayed to public can be as long as 33 or 66 years.

Some hibutsu, such as the wooden statue of Gautama Buddha at Seiryō-ji in Kyoto or the Amida statuary at Zenkō-ji, are almost never displayed, even to initiates of the temples in which they are held.

Sunset at Nigatsu-dō

Built on a hill, Nigatsu-dō has wonderful views from its observation deck back over Todai-ji and as far as the five-story pagoda at Kofuku-ji Temple. A magical mist had enveloped the heritage city. On a clear day you can see the whole city from here.

Through the mist, you can still observe the fall trees surrounding the Nara Park. The park’s autumn color is mostly scattered around the grounds in small pockets of deciduous trees, as opposed to being in one, breathtaking wall of color.

Since there are no other buildings around it, you can lean on the wooden railing and enjoy the cool breeze as it heals your soul. In addition, compared with the popularity of the main hall of Todai-ji Temple, Nigatsu-dō is much quieter, and the whole atmosphere is very peaceful.

You can sit down on one of the wooden benches inside and immerse yourself in the beauty of the sunset about to happen. There is no restriction on the opening or closing hours of the Nigatsu-dō so you can stay as long as you like.

As light begins to fade, the lanterns surrounding the temple hall are lit up. The once innocuous looking cobblestones begin to reflect the dying rays of the sun as they come alive.

The sparse number of people who know about the magic of this place at sunset were gone once the Sun had set over the horizon. The attendant at the souvenir counter near the stairs was also starting to shut down. I set up my tripod near the Chozuya to capture some of the beauty of the magical hour as the skies went from a vivid golden color to a more softer purple.

As the natural light faded away, the glow from the lanterns hanging around the temple hall became more overpowering.

Within a few minutes the skies changed again, this time into a beautiful blue. A couple of elderly ladies joined us at the observation deck. It was possibly their regular thing as I couldn’t see another soul otherwise.

Compared with the main hall of Todai-ji Temple, there are a lot fewer people who come to Nigatsu-dō, and it is very comfortable to stroll around. Because of the high terrain, one a clear day, you can overlook the entire city of Nara. The leisurely pace and the antique scenery are unforgettable and of course, when the sun goes down, it is just magical!

If you have plans to travel to Nara, don’t just use up all your time at the Todai-ji Temple, remember to climb the mountain and take a look at this beautiful and peaceful scenery of Nara.

Thanks for reading! I hope you like my story. Please leave a comment if you have any questions. Tomorrow we leave for Izumo to spend a few days in the ancient city that is known to be as the realm of the Gods in ancient Japan. On the way we plan to stop for a brief time at lake Shinji to experience another sunset, I hope the rain gods stay away!

Events at Nigatsu-dō

Nigatsu-dō is particularly popular for the Omizutori ceremony that is held for two weeks from 1st to 14th March every year. The ceremony is held to cleanse the people of their sins as well as to usher in the spring of the new year. The ritual has been practiced non-stop since the Heian period, more than 1200 years ago.

During the event, priests with a torchlight in hand descend repeatedly from the Nigatsudo hall to the holy well at the base of the temple. Of the many events held during Omizutori, Otaimatsu, the fire torch is the biggest and the most impressive one at 6-8 meters tall.

When was Nigatsu-dō Hall built?

Nigatsu-dō Hall was founded in 752 by a Buddhist monk named Sanetada

What is the best time to visit Nigatsu-dō?

Early March is the best time to visit Nigatsu-dō. Here is a schedule of the events held during that time:
March 1st-11th: 19:00 (20min)
March 12th: 19:30 (45min)
March 13th: 19:00 (20min)
March 14th: 18:30 (10min)

Fall at Nara Deer Park

Through my early teens, I grew up consuming detective tales from the likes of Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle. These classics have led me into believing the concept of criminals eventually going back to their place of crime. My crime is that I fell in love with the heritage city of Nara. Since knowing it from the Fall season of 2015, I have tried my best to visit the city that has somehow stopped in time, to breathe in its pure air and enjoy its hospitality.

Nara was the first capital of Japan and has a rich history that has kept me captivated since I first set my foot here in the fall of 2015. Nara Park is the central attraction of the ancient city and also one of the most amazing places to enjoy the fall season in the Kansai region. The lavish park contains hundreds of Momiji (Japanese maple) trees that turn red, brown, and yellow imparting a vivid range of colors to the area. The wandering herds of deer adds a touch of fantasy to the already beautiful canvas created by nature.

Fall in Nara

In Japan, the fall season or Koyo starts towards the middle of September, just like in most countries in the upper reaches of the northern hemisphere. The Japanese maple or Momiji is native to Japan, Korea, China, and eastern Mongolia, and southeast Russia. The northern-most island of Hokkaido is the first to experience the fall season and the leaves already start turning red towards the middle of September.

This phenomenon gradually spreads towards the south of the Japanese archipelago until the middle of November when it reaches the southernmost areas. Late November to early December marks the beginning of fall colors in western Japan, and even though Kyoto is where the real magic plays out, Nara is not bad either.

I and my wife, Mani were staying at the Piazza Hotel in Nara. It is kind of a lavish place to stay but it is also kind of difficult to find lodgings in Nara with most hotels booked almost 6 months beforehand. We woke up at dawn, freshened up, and after a hot cup of coffee walked down to Nara Park. The hotel is located adjacent to the JR Nara Station and it is at least a 20-minute walk to Nara Park. I was back after almost a year and the old memories of Sanjo-dori came flooding back as I made my way along the narrow road which had been a big part of my life when I used to live in Nara. On the way, we grabbed a couple of onigiris for breakfast from a convenience store.

Ukimido Pavilion

Our first stop was one of the hidden treasures of Nara Park – the Ukimido Pavilion, located in the middle of the Sagi-ike Pond. I call this place hidden because most of the tourists remain concentrated near the Todai-ji, Kasuga-taisha, and Kofuku-ji areas. Very few of them have the energy for the walk to this little place located in a corner of Nara Park.

The beautiful wooden pavilion looks as if it is floating on the pond’s water and is a tranquil place to visit. The early morning mist makes it all the more irresistible. The pavilion is usually lit up every night, which is when I love it the most. If you are in Nara in mid-August, do not miss out on the Nara Tokae Lantern Festival when you can indulge in the visual pleasure of a hundred lanterns lighting up the pavilion. That sight is guaranteed to take your breath away.

After capturing the pavilion, we hung around the place wandering about the Sagi-ike Pond since our next stop was Todai-ji and it doesn’t open before 8 am. Most of the trees surrounding the pond had lost a good part of their leaves during this time. Some of the trees that had started later were still hanging on to their colorful leaves.

Specifically, the word “oyo” refers to yellow leaves, and the word “katsuyo” refers to brown leaves.

The species of maple generally determine the color the leaves will change to red, yellow, or brown. Here in Japan, people refer to this phenomenon as Koyo. Although the word Koyo literally means “red leaves,” it is colloquially used to refer to the phenomenon of changing autumn colors, mainly when it occurs to the leaves of deciduous broad-leaf trees before they fall to the ground.

No visit to Nara Park is fulfilled without a visit to Todai-ji. We were the first couple to enter as the admissions booth opened. The temple attendants were still getting everything ready inside the temple grounds. It was pretty cold so we skipped the purifying ritual at the Chozuya and went directly towards the Great Buddha hall also known as Daibutsu-den.

Before entering we grabbed some incense sticks and lit them up at the altar in front of the Daibutsu-den gate. It is not required but recommended that you donate some Yen here before you take the incense sticks. The scent emanating from the incense slowly surrounds you driving your mind and soul away from worldly distractions. Please note that this is not how Todai-ji will be if you visit a little later in the day. The place is literally crawling with tourists as the day moved towards the after.

While climbing down the steps of Todai-ji, I clicked this shot of the Nakamon Gate with the Octagonal lantern in front. The lantern is as old as the temple itself. In fact, the wooden temple was recreated many times but the lantern has remained as is throughout the history of Todai-ji. I have written a detailed article on the history of Todai-ji, if you are interested to know more.

After paying respects at Todai-ji, we walked towards the back of the temple where I knew there was an interestingly shaped Momiji looking all beautiful in shades of red and yellow colors. The Momiji trees around Nara Park are kind of spread out, so you need to know from before the spots where they are the most alluring.

We gradually walked towards the front of Todai-ji, where near the Kagami-ike Pond, you can also find some lovely Momiji trees. Of all its close kin, this Japanese red maple is not only a sensation because of its brilliant fall color, but also because of the hues of red, it lends to the landscape throughout the winter.

The history of Momijigari

From Todai-ji we slowly moved towards a wooded area of Nara Park. This area is full of Momiji trees. Even though some of the trees had already become bare it was still a lovely sight to behold.

When autumn deepens and the leaves begin to turn color in the fields and mountains, hunting for autumn foliage is a popular pastime in Japan. Over the years it has become like a ritual with its own name called Momijigari – the Japanese tradition of visiting areas where leaves have turned red in the autumn.

This tradition of Momijigari was born during the Heian Era (794 – 1185) among the aristocrats of Kyoto. The word comes from the two Japanese words Momiji and Kari. Momiji means red leaves. Kari originally used to refer to the act of hunting wild beasts, but over the years it came to be used as a word for catching animals and harvesting crops. You can find its use in Japanese words like “kudamono gari” (fruit hunting) and “shiohigari” (clam hunting).

Such alluring was the beauty of the fall foliage that the Japanese nobility became great admirers of this nature’s beauty. They borrowed the words Momiji and Kari and combined them to create Momijigari to mean “red leaves viewing”. Trees were planted specifically in continued rows for this autumn hobby of the era’s elite.

Poetry about Momiji

In Japan, the maple is said to possess a poetic, rather than visual, quality although I would beg to differ. Cherry trees are generally depicted in Japanese painting, but the maple is best described in waka – Japanese songs, and haiku – Japanese poetry.

As more and more trees were planted across each prefecture in Japan, it lent a fantastical beauty to the temples in the region. The ancient collection of Manyoshu poetry compiled in the eighth century includes numerous stories involving Momijigari.

If you have read the classical Heian Period novel “The Tale of the Genji,” the hunting for fall leaves also finds a mention here. A large section of the Kokin Wakashu poetry collection, compiled around the beginning of the same period, is dedicated almost entirely to autumn leaves.

Varying in size from large shrub to small tree, the Japanese maple is a species with many variations. You can enjoy the spectacular fall colors at the many historic shrines and temples at Nara Park. During Nara’s autumn foliage season, many places have various events, special viewing admissions, and scenic night lightings. As we kept walking we went past the wooded area into the wide-open spaces at the base of Wakakusayama with herds of deer grazing around.

The deer are generally gathered around this area because the tourists feed them the local Shika senbei. They love it! We also bought 5 packets, each costing 200 yen.

Be prepared! even as you open the packets, they will come charging at you sniffing the subtle smell of the pancakes from long away.

After feeding the deer, we walked to the base of Mt. Wakakusa where lay a couple of Ginko trees. Among the beautiful Momiji trees, the Gingko is another group of trees that make autumn brilliant with its color. Also called “ichō” in Japanese, they are completely different from Momiji as they are not red but bright yellow and do not have the same shape. Unlike the Momiji trees, the Gingko trees grow to long heights.

Ginkgo is an ancient species, so old that it is said to have flourished during the age of the dinosaurs. Around 1 million years ago, though, the population began to fall and it only narrowly avoided extinction. Until a few hundred years ago it grew almost exclusively in northwest Asia, but global cultivation efforts have brought numbers to such a level that the ginkgo was removed from the endangered species list.

The Ginkgo is a relative newcomer to Japan, having arrived from China around 1,000 years ago. It has thrived over the centuries to become a familiar aspect of Japanese life. The area takes on the appearance of being carpeted in gold – there’s something truly magical about it. The smell of the senbei quickly gathered a couple of deer to us.

Nearby you can find a wooden pavilion. We kept our bags on the benches and had a lovely time feeding the deer.

After an entertaining morning in Nara Park, we went back to get some lunch at Kasuga Chaya. Its located near all the souvenir shops before you reach the Nandaimon Gate of Todai-ji. It’s a cute ticket restaurant where you need to buy your meal tickets from a vending-type machine before you take a seat. I had a big bowl of Udon. The warm soup sure made me feel good after the early morning wandering in a cold and cloudy Nara Park.

In the evening we came back to the Park to catch a beautiful sunset at Nigatsu-do. Once the sun had set behind the mountains, we wandered about the grounds catching a few of the Momiji trees in the street lights

You can find this tree near the Kagami-ike Pond. It was getting pretty cold by then, so after we got a couple of shots, we started on our way back to the hotel.

Thanks for reading! One of the best aspects of travel in Japan is enjoying the natural beauty of the four seasons. Fall is known for its especially nice weather and is a season when one can taste many delicious foods, making it a great time for sightseeing. Just like with the sakura, this season holds a very special place in Japanese people’s hearts as it reminds everyone that everything is ephemeral and that we need to enjoy what is given to us before it vanishes.

The autumn foliage of Nara Park is exceptionally impressive. You can see beautiful autumn leaves in every part of the expansive grounds. The ability to enjoy seeing deer and maple trees while you gaze at the temples through the trees is unique to the park. I hope you liked my story. Please leave your comments or questions using the comments form below. I would love to know about your experiences at the park. You can also connect with me on Instagram.

What are the other places to enjoy the Fall season in Nara?

Apart from Nara Park, you can also visit these recommended spots:
1. Isui-en Garden
2. Hasedera Temple
3. Mt. Yoshino

What is the best time to enjoy Momiji in Nara?

Nara has a scattered fall where some of the trees begin to go red with the onset of November and some of them stay red till early December. It is always smart to come with a couple of days in hand because you will run into grey days with extreme cloud cover and intermittent rainfall.

Group of Monuments at Aihole

Today we drive to Aihole, said to be one of the first regional capital of the Karnakata region under the rule of the Chalukyas. The town contains a large number of early experimental Hindu temples and shrines that date between the 6th – 12th centuries CE.

I and my wife, Mani, were staying at Clark’s Inn, which in my opinion is the best hotel in this area. It was a beautiful morning as we drove to Aihole. The heritage town is about 35 km from Badami and 11 km from Pattadakal, both of which are major centers of historically important Chalukya monuments.

Along the way, we passed vast spaces of empty terrain with nothing but brown bushes. The desolate landscape is strewn with interesting-shaped boulders. The boulders in this area are very different from the ones in Hampi, which is just about a hundred kilometers from here. Whereas the boulders in and around Hampi have been smoothed by wind erosion over thousands of years, the boulders in this region appear more reddish and jagged.

About Aihole

Aihole is a historic site of ancient and medieval era Hindu, Buddhist and Jain monuments in north Karnataka. Located on the banks of the Malaprabha river, the village was referred to as Ayyavole and Aryapura in ancient inscriptions and Hindu texts.

The idyllic town boasts of over a hundred stone and cave temples dating from the fifth century through the twelfth century. These monuments are protected under the laws of the Indian government and managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

Located around a small village surrounded by farmlands, Aihole is a major archaeological site featuring many temples and monasteries, set amidst narrow streets and congested settlements.

Similar to Pattadakal, the heritage site does not have a cordoned parking area. You just park in the space outside the complex. As we got down hoards of local villagers came charging at us selling books and eatables among other items. It is not advisable to buy books from these locals as they will ask for astronomical amounts and you have to bargain. We hurried towards the sanctity of the ASI-protected site, beyond which they didn’t chase us.

Myths surrounding Aihole

Aihole has also been a part of Hindu mythologies. It has a natural ax-shaped rock near the Malaprabha river bank, which is a tributary of the larger Krishna river that flows in north Karnataka, and a rock in the river that shows to be a footprint. A 19th-century local tradition believed that rock footprints in the river were those of Parashurama, the sixth avatar of Hindu God Vishnu.

According to local folklore, Parashurama is said to have washed his blood-soaked axe here after killing the whole clan of King Maheshmati Kartvurya Arjuna, in revenge for the killing of his father.

The story goes that Parashurama’s father had a magical cow, called Kamdhenu. The then King Maheshmati Kartvurya Arjuna forcibly takes the Kamdhenu cow from his father. Parashurama was a saint but he was born with a warrior attitude. He fights a war with the king and brings back the holy cow. On seeing Parashurama commit a sin, his father asks him to atone for his sin. While Parashurama is away in penance, the king comes back and kills Parashurama’s father. When Parashurama hears of this he goes on a killing spree and kills everyone in the king’s family. When other kings come to help Maheshmati’s family, he kills all of them. Still not satisfied, he keeps killing all the Kshatriyas (warrior class) in the region for 21 generations. Talk about holding a grudge!

It is said, after his killing spree, Parasurama came to the river Malaprabha, to wash his hands and the weapon. Due to this, the water of the river turned red. A woman saw this and screamed Ayyo Hole which in the local dialect meant “Oh no! Blood!” Since then the village came to be known as Aihole. It is also believed that the red blood washed away into the river gave the surrounding lands its red color.

Brief history of Aihole

Aihole has been called a cradle of Hindu rock architecture. The documented history of Aihole is traceable to the rise of the Early Chalukya dynasty in the 6th century. Excavations have found evidence of wooden and brick temples dating to the 4th-century. Experiments with stone started in Aihole sometime at the culmination of the 5th century CE. This was a period when the Indian subcontinent saw a period of political and cultural stability under the Gupta Empire rulers. Following the decline of the Gupta Empire, the Chalukyas began to assert their independence. The earliest dynasty, known as the “Badami Chalukyas”, ruled from Vatapi (modern Badami) from the middle of the 6th century. Their presence in the roughly 25-kilometer stretch of the Malaprabha valley is documented mainly at four well-known sites: Badami, Mahakuta, Pattadakal, and Aihole.

From then onwards to about 757 CE, the Chalukyas of Badami were the leading force in the Deccan. They were an indigenous Kannara family with Kannaras as their mother tongue. Their early inscriptions indicate that they worshipped both Vaishnavite and Shaivite deities. The temple architecture of Chalukya Period is actually a mixture of Nagara and Dravida styles. This style has been termed as Vesara style, which indicates to it being a hybrid of both styles.

The Vesara style originated at Aihole and thereafter flourished in Badami and Pattadakal. Aihole was the first capital of the early Chalukyas. It became a major cultural center and religious site for innovations in architecture and experimentation of ideas. The Chalukyas sponsored artisans and built many temples in this region between the 6th and 8th centuries.

After the Chalukyas, the region became a part of the Rashtrakuta kingdom who ruled in the 9th and 10th centuries from the capital of Manyakheta. In the 11th and 12th centuries, the Late Chalukyas (Western Chalukya Empire & Chalukyas of Kalyani) ruled over this region. Even though the area was not the capital or in the immediate vicinity from the 9th to 12th centuries, new temples and monasteries of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism continued to be built in the region based on the inscription and textual and evidence.

In the 13th century and thereafter, the Malprabha valley along with much of Deccan became a target of raids and plunder by the Delhi Sultanate armies devastating the region. From the ruins emerged the Vijayanagara Empire which built forts and protected their monuments.

The region continued to witness a series of wars between Vijayanagara Hindu kings and Bahmani Muslim sultans. After the collapse of the Vijayanagara Empire in 1565, Aihole became a part of the Adil Shahi rule from Bijapur, with some of the Muslim commanders desecrating the temples and using these temples as residences.

Aihole became a significant archaeological site and attracted scholarly attention after the British India officials identified and published their observations. They referred to the site as Aivalli and Ahivolal in the colonial British era. After the British left, Aihole remained a neglected site. Until the 1990s, the site consisted of houses and sheds built up to and in some cases extending into the historical monuments. The walls of the ancient and medieval temples were shared by some of these homes.

Experiments at Aihole

Aihole, along with nearby Badami, was the cradle of experimentation with temple architecture, stone artwork, and construction techniques. Aihole was an early medieval era meeting place for regional artisans whose ideas eventually led to the creation of prototypes of 16 types of free-standing temples and 4 types of rock-cut shrines. Though there is a sprinkling of Jain monuments in Aihole, the temples and relief artworks were predominantly created to spread the theology of Hinduism. These experimentations in architecture that began in Aihole yielded the more polished-looking group of monuments at Pattadakal, a UNESCO world heritage site.

Aihole Museum

Tickets for the Aihole group of monuments are priced very cheap at Rs. 25 for Indians. Foreigners have to pay a hefty Rs. 500 for entry per head. The complex consists of seven Hindu monuments. The first structure you see as you enter the premises is the Durga Temple.

Inside the complex, we started our exploration with a visit to the museum. You can find the museum at the back of the complex, just past the Durga Temple. Surrounding the museum, there are many excavated statues, artwork, hero stones, and temple parts demolished in past, placed over cemented pedestals for display.

Photography is prohibited inside the museum, but you can find very interesting stone idols that have been removed from the main temples. The building was originally planned as a sculpture shed in the year 1970 and was converted into a full-fledged museum in the year 1987. The museum mainly comprises stone sculptures of Brahmanical, Jain, and Buddhist faith, fragmentary carved architectural members, inscriptions, and hero stones. Period wise they range in date from 6th century CE to 15th century CE. These antiquities were acquired through exploration, excavation, and scientific debris clearance near the protected monuments.

The indoor collection includes preserved pieces of statues of Shiva, Parvati, Vishnu, Lakshmi, Brahma, Saraswati & Durga among others. One of the rooms accommodates a bird’s eye view model of Aihole and the surrounding Malaprabha valley, with marked locations of the various monuments. You can also purchase informative books from the museum store, with a compiled history of the region.

Durga Temple Complex, Aihole

From the museum, we walked down to the Durga temple, the most iconic structure of Aihole. One of the finest temple of Aihole, it completely dominates the 14 other temples lying within the enclosure. The temple is part of a pending UNESCO world heritage site. It has a misleading name because the temple is not named after the goddess Durga.

According to one theory, it stands near the ruins of a fort-like enclosure or drug (fort) during a time of late medieval era conflict in the region. According to another local tradition, a stone rubble durg and lookout were assembled on its flat roof, and locals, therefore, began calling it the Durga temple. The fortified lookout now stands removed but the name has stayed.

The Durga temple is the principal attraction for Aihole visitors with its unique semicircular apsidal layout. This shape is similar to 1st century BCE Buddhist chaitya halls found in Ajanta Caves. The Durga temple stands on a high moulded adisthana. On the roof, there used to be a tower that had a curvilinear shikhara. The museum contains a back-dated photo of the temple with its shikhara still somewhat intact. The damaged tower’s amalaka crown lies on the ground.

No cementing mortar was used during the construction of the Durga Temple, stones were fixed by making grooves and offsets.

The temple was initially thought to be dated to be from the 5th century CE but later revised to be from between the late 6th and early 8th centuries. The temple is dedicated to the Hindu god – Surya. It is the largest of a group of over 120 temples at Aihole and the best maintained.

From the front, the temple appears much more conventional with two staircases on either side providing access to the porch. The temple comprises an outer colonnaded veranda with an entrance porch facing the East. As you ascend to the porch you will be greeted with many richly carved relief panels.

The original dedication of the temple may have been to the sun god Surya, but along the passageway, you will find various deities adorning its walls. Upon climbing the steps to the Durga temple, you will find yourself in front of a porch with seating and sculpted columns.

The Durga temple reverentially displays gods and goddesses from Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and Shaktism traditions of Hinduism. The included near life-size statues include Shiva, Vishnu, Harihara (half Shiva, half Vishnu), Durga in her Mahishasuramardini form killing the buffalo demon, goddesses Ganga and Yamuna, Brahma, Surya, avatars of Vishnu such as Varaha and Narasimha.

The sober and square pillars are decorated with characters around the porch and the entrance to the peristyle. The parapet is carved with niches and small animals. The inner porch is elaborately adorned with garlands and jewels. The roof contains ceiling panels representing a nagaraja (serpent) in a coiled pose. The porch gives access to rooms with pillars (‘mukha mandapa‘ and “sabha mandapa“) to get into the sanctuary, the heart of the shrine (garba griha).

The mukha mandapa (main hall) and the sabha mandapa (community hall for functions) show intricate carvings. The temple pillars have artwork showing scenes of daily life and couples, including several amorous couples in various stages of courtship, including roundels with groups of lovers.

The most original feature of the temple is a peristyle delimiting an ambulatory around the temple itself and whose walls are covered with sculptures of different gods or goddesses.

Stone grilles with various geometrical openwork patterns ventilate the interior from the ambulatory. The plan of the temple is oblong and apsidal. It means that the corridor with pillars between the porch and the heart of the shrine encompasses the heart of the shrine and allows worshipers to perform the parikrama (circumambulation ritual).

The shape of the temple, in Indian traditional architecture, is known as Gajaprastha which means the resemblance to the back of an elephant. The temple’s unusual apsidal form is thought to imitate the earlier Buddhist chaitya halls, but recent studies suggest that apsidal designs in Indian architecture were a pan-Indian tradition, which was shared by various faiths from the 2nd century BCE.

The corridor of the temple contains idols of the many Hindu Gods, including the one below, which appears to be of Vishnu with Garuda.

Another carving that caught my imagination was that of Varaha. This pose of Varaha is quite different from the depictions I found in Badami. Here the Varaha in semi-boar form holds the bhudevi (Earth) on his raised left elbow.

And here lies the idol of Durga as mahisamardini, poised to strike the demon king.

The Chalukya kings shifted their capital from Aihole to Badami and again from Badami to Pattadakal hence, the temples were also constructed in the same chronological sequence.

Standing a few meters to the south of the Durga Temple lies a small gateway structure with a central passageway referred to as Dwarabagilu. It is hard to tell but it could have been the gate to enter the main temple at some point in time. An icon of Surya is carved onto one of the parapet elements over the passageway confirming the original dedication of the temple itself.

Beyond the hefty gate lies a water tank. It was July and yet the tank was completely devoid of water.

From here we moved to the South area of the complex which contains many other smaller temples. This one appears to be another Shiva Parvati Temple locally known as the Chappara temple.

It follows another Shiva Temple referred to as the Nadyar temple. Not much information is available about this temple.

We went inside the temple, which also has some truly beautiful pillar carvings. The main deity has been moved.

Suryanarayana Temple, Aihole

Just to the left of this temple lies the Suryanarayana Temple. The temple takes its name from a Surya statue, with each hand holding a lotus flower in its garbha griya (sanctum), in a chariot, and seven small horses carved at the bottom. The temple outline is intact, but most of the details are damaged. Some historians argue that the statue is a later insert in the late Chalukya period since the building possesses a nagara-style tower with a curved profile, which was more prevalent during the 8th century.

To the back of the Suryanarayana Temple lies two smaller similar-sized temples. I am not sure about their names.

Lad Khan Temple, Aihole

At the back of this temple lies the Lad Khan Temple. The temple is curiously named after the Muslim commander under Adil Shahi Sultan who briefly stayed here about a thousand years after it was built. He used it to coordinate his military campaign in the region. 

The monument is laid out as a spacious square mandapa, with a central bay, topped by a small rooftop shrine surrounded on four sides by sloping roof slabs in two tiers. The temple embeds three concentric squares, facing the sanctum with a Shivalinga. Inside the inner third square is a seated Nandi.

The two square mandapas surrounding it create the sabha mandapa or community hall, providing ample space for devotees and the community to gather for functions. The second concentric square is supported by a set of 12 intricately carved pillars. The wall has floral designs. The temple inside is lit with natural sunlight coming in from lattice windows of the north Indian style. The temple roof stones include log-shaped stone strips suggestive of an attempt to mimic more ancient timber temple construction.

The Lad Khan temple includes iconography from the Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism traditions of Hinduism. On the lintel of the sanctum with Shivalinga, for example, is a Garuda image that carries Vishnu.

The temple has reliefs showing goddesses Ganga and Yamuna, as well as other deities. A set of stone stairs connect the lower level to the second floor whereupon is a damaged square shrine. On three sides of this upper level are Vishnu, Surya, and Ardhanarishvara (half Shiva, half Parvati). Like other Aihole Hindu temples, the temple includes scenes from daily life, including amorous couples in courtship and kama (sexual) scenes. Some scholars suggest that originally it was a community house, later converted to a temple.

Gaudaragudi Temple, Aihole

And finally, at the south-end most section, we find the Gaudaragudi Temple (also spelled Gaudergudi). Gaudargudi temple stands next to the Lad Khan temple, built on the lines of Lad Khan temple but more open from all sides. It too has log-shaped stones, where its timber-like form is integrated to serve its structural function but it is located on a lower level compared to the Lad Khan temple. The doorway of the shrine is beautifully decorated with floral carving and other figures. On the lintel, there lies a charming figure of Garuda in human form with spread-out wings. The sanctum is empty but has a Gajalakshmi on its lintel.

Another peculiar feature of this temple is its pillar support. Like the Ladh Khan, the ceiling of this pillar is supported by heavy pillars all around. Sixteen pillars are built all around the temple to support the sloping roof.

Gaudar-gudi is the first temple which introduced the circumbulatory passage (pradakshina path)

An inscription engraved on the lintel states that the temple has been dedicated to the goddess Gauri (an aspect of Parvati). There is evidence that the sanctum, the inside mandapa, and niches on the outer walls had carved statues, but these are now empty. Gaudargudi was among the earliest temples when architects included pradakshina patha (circumambulatory path) in Hindu temple design.

Next to the Gaudargudi temple is a large stepwell for utility water storage whose walls have ancient carved sculptures. The stepwell with its Hindu shrine was likely added in the 10th or 11th century.

Nearby, the Chakragudi is notable for its preserved 7th or 8th-century Nagara-style tower superstructure. The temple shows signs of later addition of a mandapa, whose style suggests 9th-century Rashtrakuta extension. After exploring the back area of the temple complex we made our way back towards the exit.

Just before exiting, I captured a last glimpse of the beautiful Durga Temple.

Ambigera Gudi Complex, Aihole

The Ambigera Gudi Complex is one of the archaeologically significant Aihole complexes situated immediately west of the Durga temple complex, near its entrance ticket office. It is a gated complex but does not require admission tickets. It consists of three monuments, all aligned to the east-west axis.

The easternmost monument is a square monument walled on its east, north, and south, and it lacks a tower. It faces the middle monument, which is the largest of the three. The middle monument has experimented with an open verandah design concept with sloping slabs for roof cover. The sanctum is inside, and it contains a damaged Surya (Sun god) image whose crown is visible. These eastern monuments are believed to be from between the 6th to 8th centuries – the Early Chalukya period. The gardens here are not that properly maintained.

The third monument in the Ambigergudi complex is a Late Chalukya design from about the 11th century. Its structure and layout feature all elements of the Hindu temple but it is damaged, the image inside the sanctum is missing and the face, nose, and limbs of most of its intricate carvings on the walls are defaced. The structure experiments with square and cubic shaped elements and arrangement of space. The Dravida design stands out above the sanctum walls, with repeated motifs of resonating tower structure as it rises upwards. Like other elements of this temple, the capping roof and finial are missing.

The archaeological significance of the Ambigergudi temple is from the results of limited excavation near the rear wall of the sanctum foundation. This yielded red-ware bowls dated to the 1st and 3rd century CE, as well as an outline of a single cell more ancient brick temple, which probably the stone temple replaced.

According to the hypothesis of Rao, the excavating archaeologist, the 3rd century CE brick temple served as a model and sanctum ground on which a more lasting stone was built. This hypothesis, however, remains tentative as additional evidence to refute or support it has not been found. Chalukyan temple inscriptions from the 6th to 8th centuries are silent about any existence of prior temples.

Hucchimalli Gudi Complex, Aihole

After grabbing a chilled 7UP we drove further north to the next group of temples in Aihole. Following the map, we took a narrow road to the right. The Hucchimalli Gudi Temple Complex is also a gated complex but I could not see any guards around. You don’t need tickets to go inside.

The main temple faces west towards a stepped tank. The sides of the temple incorporate sculpted figures of gods and goddesses. The temple consists of a mandapa with a passageway contained within walls. its plain exterior is in contrast to the well preserved Nagara-style tower. The temple is entered through a small porch with a unique carving of Kartikeya on the ceiling. A smaller structure lies just beside the main temple. It was probably added later.

The third structure facing opposite to the main temple is clearly another experimentation where the temple is constructed in an elongated shape. It was in all probability a Shiva temple as a small broken idol of Nandi sits facing the temple.

Apart from these three temples, the complex also houses a stepped water tank. The steps here were much wider than the tank in the Durga Temple complex. It was also holding some amount of water when we were there.

Ravana Phadi Cave Temple, Aihole

After exploring the temples of Hucchimalli Gudi Temple Complex, we proceeded to the Ravana Phadi Cave Temple, which was just a short drive away. Ravanaphadi is one of the oldest rock-cut cave temples in Aihole, located less than a kilometer uphill, northeast of the Durga temple complex. The temple dating to the 6th century belongs to the first phase of Early Chalukya architecture.

The entrance has an eroded fluted column and seated Nandi facing the temple sanctum, with three other small monuments each with a porch leading to a chamber. An amalaka lies fallen to the ground behind the seated Nandi. It is not clear as to where the amalaka has fallen from, as the main temple lacks a shikhara.

This is a temple carved into a hill. In front of the temple is a nice garden complete with two Frangipani trees and a monolith pillar.

The small temple in the garden is the only one topped with a kuta type roof.

In front of the cave temple, facing the Shivalinga inside sits a huge idol of Nandi

A small stone staircase leads up to a platform that is flanked by two smaller shrines. The entrance to the Ravanphadi is flanked by relief images of pot-bellied nidhis seated within Dravida-styled pavilions.

The entrance of the cave leads to a rock-cut mandapa with chambers on three sides. The main mandapa connects to two other squarish chambers, one on the right and one in the front.

The left side of the first chamber accommodates an elaborate tableau of a ten-armed Shiva, energetically pacing out the rhythm of the cosmic dance. The head of Shiva is angled sharply to the torso, while in his rear hands he holds up a cobra. In the tableau, Shiva is accompanied by Parvati and a complete set of saptamatrikas, including a boar-headed Varaha, triple-headed Brahma, and sons Ganesha & Kartikeya.

The chamber on the right was empty. At the entrance of this chamber, you can find two wall reliefs on either side. On the left is Harihara portraying a fused image of Shaivism and Vaishnavism. On the opposite side one can make out an image of Shiva with three primary river goddesses of Hindu theology, and he stands with Parvati and the skeletal ascetic Bhringi.

From here the mandapa leads into a smaller vestibule. A pedestal with a monolithic linga lies here inside the cave, never fully completed. On either side of the inner sanctum, we see two amazing works of stone art. On the left, we find a deeply carved image of Vaishnava Varaha or Vishnu’s boar avatar rescuing Bhudevi (goddess earth). To the right is an equally praiseworthy carved image of Shakti Durga as Mahishasuramardini spearing the buffalo demon Mahisasura. The cave was never fully completed as evident from the scooped nootches in this chamber.

The Ravanaphadi cave temple is in my opinion, one of the most enchanting temples in Aihole. Because it is located away from the settlement, this place is very quiet and you can explore in peace. Once we had explored to our hearts content, we drove on along the road searching for our next heritage stop.

Buddhist Temple

A few minutes’ drive from the Ravana Phadi Temple, you can make out the exteriors of the Buddha Temple. But we were exasperated by the heat and decided to skip the Buddha Temple as well as the Temple on the top of the Meguti Hill.

Before moving on, I fished out my long 80-400mm lens and took the shot of the two-storeyed temple, a few steps below the crest of the hill. The two levels of the temple are open and feature four full carved square pillars and two partial pillars on two side walls.

Each pair of pillars goes into the hill to form a small monastery-like chamber. The doorway to the lower level chamber is intricately carved, while the central bay on the upper level has a Buddha relief showing him seated under a parasol. The temple is dated to the late 6th-century.

Jyotirlinga Temple, Aihole

Before starting on our drive back to Badami, we made a last stop at the Jyotirlinga Temple Complex. Admission ticket is not required for this temple. You just open the iron gate and go in. Make sure to close the gate otherwise the cows will barge into munch on the green grass inside.

The Jyotirlinga group of monuments contains 16 Hindu monuments including a large stepwell water utility tank. It is located east of the Durga temple complex compound across the road and to the south of the Ravanaphadi cave. The temples are dedicated to Shiva, with most monuments small to moderate size. 

The complex is largely in ruins, except for the Nandi mandapas and standing pillars inside the temples some of which show intricately carved but damaged images of Ganesha, Kartikeya, Parvati, and Ardhanarishvara (half Shiva, half Parvati). The temples are likely from the Early Chalukya and Rashtrakuta Hindu dynasties. From what I could make out, there are about 4 unnamed fully standing temple structures inside the complex, the rest are in ruins.

The grounds also feature an open-air Shivalinga. I am not sure if the shivalinga never had a roof, as it may have been pulled down by sacrilegists.

The temple premises also features a stepped water tank. Among all the water reservoirs we saw in Aihole, this one looks to be the most properly constructed.

After capturing the pictures, we started on our way back to Badami. Before leaving the area, we stopped briefly to visit the ancient Digambar Jain Temple. The Jain cave temple is to the south of the village, on the Meguti hill. It is likely from the late 6th century or early 7th. The outside is plain, but the cave is intricately embellished inside.

The Aihole site and artwork are a major source of empirical evidence and comparative studies of Indian religions and art history in the Indian subcontinent. Aihole’s antiquity, along with four other major 5th to 9th-century sites – Badami, Pattadakal, Mahakuteshvara, and Alampur – is significant to scholarship relating to archaeology and religions. As there are many temples around the village, I would recommend setting a full day aside to properly explore all the heritage sites surrounding it.

It was an interesting but also tiring day. We almost walked 20 thousand steps today (as per Google) and now it was time to head back to a warm bath and some local Karnataka food at the hotel. Thanks for reading. I look forward to your comments and questions. If you are interested in following my travels, connect with me on instagram.

When were the temples in Aihole built?

5th-12th century CE

What is the architectural style of the templates in Aihole?

The temples in Aihole follow what is termed as Vesara style which indicates to it being a hybrid of Nagara and Dravida styles.

Where can I find the official website for information on Aihole?

https://www.karnatakatourism.org/tour-item/durga-temple-aihole/

What are the admission timings for visiting temples in Aihole?

The temples in Aihole are scattered in open areas and are not bound by time. If you are visiting the Durga Temple, which is an enclosed area, the timings are 10 am to 6 pm.

What is the best time to visit Aihole?

The ideal time to visit Aihole is October to March as the climate is pleasant during these months. The atmosphere is mild to moderate cold in December and January which would be the best time to visit. The period from April to September is hot and is not suitable to visit the spot.

What are the best options for staying at Aihole?

There are no hotels in Aihole but Bagalkot has many good hotels. The place is around 35km away from Aihole. The city has three-star hotels and budget hotels. We stayed at Clarks Inn in Badami and it was a good experience.

Group of Monuments at Pattadakal

Pattadakal, also called Paṭṭadakallu, is a collection of temples from 7th and 8th century CE Hindu and Jain temples in northern Karnataka. Declared as a UNESCO World Heritage site, it is a historically significant cultural center and religious site to witness the structural tastes during the times of the Chalukya dynasty.

We were staying in Badami, which is just about 23 km from Pattadakal. The drive to Pattadakal is beautiful. Surrounding by empty vastness along a beautifully paved road, you will find the ride very satisfying.

The heritage site falls on the main road and very easy to find using Google Maps. The temple complex lies on the left banks of Malprabha river represents the greatest achievement of the Early Chalukya sculptures. Unfortunately the site does not have a proper parking zone, so we had to park the Brezza just outside the complex.

The admission booth is on the left near the entrance. It costs us Rs. 25 per head. Camera charges apply extra at Rs. 25 per camera. It is a small area compared to Hampi, about the size of about a cricket field.

Monuments at Pattadakal

Pattadakal translates to “place of coronation”. As its name implies, it was used during the Chalukya dynasty for coronation ceremonies, such as that of Vinayaditya in the 7th century CE. Over the years the town has been known by various names like – Kisuvolal meaning “valley of red soil”, Raktapura meaning “city of blood”, and Pattada-Kisuvolal meaning “red soil valley for coronation”.

The rule of the Gupta Empire during the 5th century brought about a period of political stability, during which Aihole became a locus of scholarship. The experimentations in architecture extended into Badami over the course of the next two centuries. This culture of learning encompassed Pattadakal in the 7th century which became a nexus where ideas from northern and southern India fused.

After the fall of the Chalukya Empire, the region was annexed by the Rashtrakuta kingdom, who would rule over the region into the 10th century. Between the 11th to 12th century, the region came under the rule of the Late Chalukyas. Although the area was not a capital region, nor in proximity to one, numerous sources such as inscriptions, contemporaneous texts and the architectural style indicate that, from the 9th to 12th centuries, new Hindu, Jain and Buddhist temples and monasteries continued to be built in the Pattadakal region.

Throughout the 13th century, Pattadakal, the Malprabha valley, as well as much of the nearby Deccan region, was subject to raids and plunder by the Delhi Sultanate armies that devastated the region. This period ended with the rise of the Hindu Vijayanagara Empire. It was responsible for the construction of forts for the protection of the monuments, as evidenced by inscriptions in the fort at Badami. Post Vijayanagara Empire the region fell into ruins before ASI took up the protection of these heritage monuments.

The monuments at Pattadakal are evidence of the existence, and the history, of interaction between the early northern and southern styles of Hindu arts. The Hindu temples are generally dedicated to Shiva. The friezes in the Hindu temples display various Vedic and Puranic concepts, depict stories from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Bhagavata Purana, as well as elements of other Hindu texts, such as the Panchatantra and the Kirātārjunīya.

There are ten major temples at Pattadakal, nine Hindu and one Jain, along with numerous small shrines and plinths. The complex has now been cleared of the village houses that encroached onto the temples, with the monuments standing in the middle of a landscaped lawn.

Kadasidhdeshwara Temple in Pattadakal

The first temple we reached was the Kadasidhdeshwara Temple. It is a relatively small temple dating back to around the mid 7th century CE. The temple faces east and is built around a square garbha griha (sacrum sanctum). It houses a linga on a pitha (platform), and the Nandi bull faces it from outside.

There is a mandapa around the sacrum center. Another mandapa provides a circumambulation path in an expanded axial layout. The outer walls of the Kada Siddheshwara sanctum feature images of Ardhanarishvara (half Shiva, half Parvati) on its north, Harihara (half Shiva, half Vishnu) to its west and Lakulisha to the south. Mounted on a lintel at the sanctum entrance is Shiva and Parvati flanked by Brahma and Vishnu on either side. The steps at the sanctum entrance are flanked by the river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna, with attendants.

Much of the temple has been eroded or was damaged in the following centuries. Its a small temple but I really loved the shikhara of this temple. Here is another view of the same from the back.

Jambulinga Temple in Pattadakal

This almost similar looking temple just beside the Kadasidhdeshwara Temple is the Jambulinga Temple. This temple also dates to around mid 7th century. The temple is built around a square garbha griha (sacrum sanctum) The temple faces east, greeting the sunrise. The Nandi too is provided with a raised platform which is in ruins and the Nandi image shows signs of erosion.

Even thought the shikhara of this temple is not so detailed, the dancing Shiva Nataraja with Parvati and Nandi by his side on the frontal arch sukanasa is beautifully presented.

Galagalantha Temple in Pattadakal

A few paces ahead towards east, lies the Galagalantha Temple. This temple is estimatedto be from the mid 8th century. The sanctum has a covered circumambulatory path (pradakshina patha), indicating that this Hindu tradition was well established by 7th to 8th century. Various mandapas exist in this temple, such as a social or community hall (sabha mandapa), used for ceremonial functions, and a mukha mandapa, of which only the foundation remains. The entrance to the mandapa is flanked by the river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna.

It is one of the more majestic temple in the grounds. The basement of the eastern moulding is notable for depicting friezes of Panchatantra fables. I went around the temple, clicking pictures as I went around the back. Inspite of its incomplete condition, the Galaganatha temple has a remarkably well preserved tower of the curved Nagara type, with all its precisely carved details intact. The tower is surmounted by an amalaka finial rising to almost 15 meters.

The Galagatha temple is mostly in ruins, except for the southern part which contains a carved slab showing an eight-armed Shiva killing the demon Andhaka, while wearing a garland of skulls as a yajnopavita (sacred thread across the chest).

Making a full circle of the temple.

Sangameshwara Temple in Pattadakal

The next temple we explored was the Sangameshwara Temple. It is probably the one with the largest area. Sangameshwara temple, also called the Vijayeshvara temple, is a large, Dravida style east facing temple located on the south side of the Chandrashekhara temple. Inscription on a monolithic stone at the site records that this temple was erected on the orders of Vijayaditya and dedicated to Shiva.

Below we have a side of the Sangameshwara Temple. Inscriptions at the temple, and other evidence, date it to between 720 CE and 733 CE. The death of its patron king, Vijayaditya, in 734 CE resulted in the temple being left unfinished, although work continued intermittently in later centuries during the time of the Rashtrakutas.

The outer walls of the sanctuary and the tower are fully preserved. Raised on a moulded basement with a frieze of elephant, yali and makara torsos, the walls are divided into four projections.

Although the temple is not the largest among those at Pattadakal it is nonetheless of imposing proportions. The temple has a square layout, with an east facing sanctum. The sanctum, surrounded by a covered pradakshina patha (circumambulatory path) lit by three carved windows.

The vimana superstructure above the temple and the outer walls of the temple are well preserved. The temple is built on a raised moulded base, with decorative friezes of elephants, yali and makara mythical creatures.

Excavations into the foundations of its ruined hall, in 1969 and 1971, revealed the archaeologically significant discovery of a brick temple structure beneath the hall. This discovery led to the proposal that Sangameshwara had been built over an older temple, possibly dating to the 3rd century CE. The next set of temples appeared to be in a clump.

Chandrashekhara Temple in Pattadakal

Chandrashekhara Temple is the first structure in this area of the heritage site. It is a small east facing temple without a tower. It is situated on the south side of the Galaganatha temple. The temple has a garbha griha with a Shiva linga and a closed hall; a Nandi sits on a platform to the east facing the linga.

This temple is said to be the only structure that postdates the Early Chalukyan era. You can clearly observe the difference between it and the other structures on the premises. This one contains no carved ornamentation except for pairs of makaras sitting on the pilasters of the walls.

Kashivishveshar Shiva Temple in Pattadakal

Just beside the Chandrashekhara Temple you can find the Kashivishveshar Shiva Temple. Also known as Kashivishweswara, the Kashi Vishwanatha temple is another of the smaller temples at Pattadakal. The temple has been variously dated to the late 7th century, early 8th century or the mid-8th century.

Much like the other temples, the core of the Kashi Vishwanatha temple is the square garbha griha (sanctum), which houses a linga. The kapota (cornice) are decorated with motifs and carved with ganas (playful dwarfs) carrying garlands; brackets show flying couples and kirtimukhas.

In front of the Kashivishveshar Shiva Temple garbha griha is the moulded platform of a Nandi-mandapa where sits a beautifully carved statue of Nandi.

Monolithic Stone Pillar at Pattadakal

Beside the Nandi, you can find a monolithic stone pillar bearing inscription in Sanskrit. Set up by Kirttivarman II, the last of the Early Chalukya rulers, the octagonal column indicates that the temples at Pattadakal were conceived as commemorative monuments, suggesting that the site may have served as a coronation place for the Early Chalukyas.

Here is a close-up of the monolithic pillar. The inscriptions on the pillar explains that the temples now known as Virupaksha and Mallikarjuna were commissioned by two sister queens of Vikramaditya II to commemorate their husband’s successful raids on the Pallava capital at Kanchipuram.

Mallikarjuna Temple in Pattadakal

On the left of the molithic pillar, you will find the most decorated temple at the site – Mallikarjuna Temple. Mallikarjuna temple, also called the Trailokeswara Maha Saila Prasada in a local inscription, is a mid 8th-century Shiva temple sponsored by queen Trailokyamahadevi. The temple was built about the same time as the Virupaksha temple, with a similar design and layout, but is somewhat smaller and has a few important differences.

The temple reflects a fully developed South Indian vimana style architecture.

The Shiva temple also has a small area designated for Nandi.

Inside the temple, in the dark corridor, you can find a lone Shivalinga. Its garbha griya (sanctum) has a Shiva linga, and features a circumambulatory path (pradakshina patha).

The pillars inside the temple are exquisitely carved. Unlike figures, they depict stories. The use of stone carvings for storytelling is prevalent throughout the temple. The legends of Hindu epics and the Puranas are depicted on the temple pillars in the community hall.

Pillars Carvings inside Mallikarjuna Temple in Pattadakal

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Pillars Carvings inside Mallikarjuna Temple in Pattadakal

The outside is even more interesting. On the left side of the temple the side gates are beautifully designed.

The pillars are are also beautifully carved. Like other Hindu temples, the friezes of the Mallikarjuna temple show kama and mithuna scenes of amorous couples.

Another pillar of the Mallikarjuna Temple

After capturing the side, I walked towards the back of the temple, which also has interesting carving all along the back wall of the temple.

The Virupaksha temple, located to the immediate south of the Mallikarjuna temple, is the largest and most sophisticated of the monuments at Pattadakal.

Covering the full circle of the temple I found myself at the last structure inside the complex. This is the Virupaksha Temple. This is the only active temple on the premises. Originally known as the Lokeshwara, after queen Lokamahadevi, the Virupaksha temple marks a significant advance on the earlier Sangamaheshwara in terms of building design, scale and construction techniques.

In inscriptions, it is referred to as “Shri Lokeshvara Mahasila Prasada”, after its sponsor Queen Lokmahadevi, and is dated to about 740 CE.The temple is notable for its range, and quality, of construction exemplifying a well developed Dravidian architectural style, as well as the inscribed names of the artists beneath the panels they worked on.

As is common with other temples at Pattadakal, the Virupaksha temple was built facing east centred around a square garbha griya (sanctum), with a Shiva Linga, surrounded by a covered circumabulatory path (pradakshina patha).

After capturing all the temples we made our way back to the car, but not before catching a last glimpse of the heritage site.

On the way back, we passed many interesting shaped boulders. This one specifically caught my eye and I stopped to get a shot of this in the setting sun.

Thanks for reading. Please leave me a comment if you liked the post or follow my story as I visit the group of monuments in Aihole.

Hiking to the Shivalayas of Badami

Today we hike to the Shivalayas of Badami. These shivalayas dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva are surprisingly located inside a fort protected with canons et al. However the most intriguing thing that I saw were some uniquely dome-shaped stone granaries, never seen before in my travels across India.

Badami was the regal capital of the Badami Chalukyas from 540 to 757 CE. It is located in a ravine at the foot of a rugged, red sandstone outcrop that surrounds a man-made Agastya lake.

The road to the ASI protected hill goes through a massive slum area. I was naive to take my Brezza up that path, where there not even space for two cars to pass through. I would also not recommend walking to it as it goes through some really dingy areas. Hiring a local tuktuk would be the best option.

Once you breach the ASI gates, you will be transferred into a much cleaner and peaceful place. The Shivalayas are located up a hill which also used to double up as a fortress.

Near the entrance you ca see the remnants of the walls of the fortress in some places.

The walls extend towards the back of the hill.

There is no parking lot in front of the entrance to the hill, so we just left it in front of the Gate. This part of the hill does not require any admission tickets. Just beside the path up the hill lies a small museum that exhibits some of the idols and carvings that needed to be protected. The museum requires a ticket to enter. Outside the museum many stone artifacts are lying out in the open.

This is the first gate we encountered. This gate stays open from 6 am to 6 pm.

From here a series of stone steps take up up the hill into an open space. The massive boulders surrounding you will make you feel overwhelmed.

We gradually made our way towards the boulders. The red patterns on the rock faces make them even more interesting.

Beyond the boulders we found ourselves in front of a small gate. Sandwiched between two huge boulders, the doors has some carvings on it.

Below is an image of the back side of the same gate, which is quite bland.

Beyond the door the path forks into two. One the left lies the Lower Shivalaya and on the right a path that takes you to Upper Shivalaya. At the fork, there lies a ruined rubble structure that looks like some kind of hall consisting of two long chambers, created out of small rocks bound together by something resembling cement. Most likely these chambers were used as an armory or a store.

We took the left towards Lower Shivalaya. The boulders gave way to an open area where at the edge lay a small temple. Inside the temple lies a Shivalinga. There are no ventilation in the temple and the Shivalinga lies in darkness.

Going across to the other side, I found an age-old cannon bearing an engraved date of 1550, pointing towards the city. The cannon reminded me that this hill also used to be a fort.

Only the towered sanctuary of the temple exists today; its outer walls have been dismantled. The sanctuary was originally surrounded by a passageway on three sides, possibly with a mandapa extension to the east which can be predicted by observing the broken roof slabs set into its walls and the stumps of beans with friezes of ganas.

The temple’s doorway is framed by bands of lotus ornament. An unusual, elliptical shaped pedestal is seen within which happens to be empty now. The outer walls have flat pilasters but there are no signs of projections or sculptures niche. The roof is an octagon to dome topped by a tiny amalaka finial. It is framed by corner model elements topped by kuta roofs containing miniature nidhis.

From here if you look north, you can view the upper Shivalaya in a distance.

After taking a short break at the Lower Shivalaya, we started on our hike to the Upper Shivalaya. Along the way you can find many interesting boulders like this.

In a few minutes we were at the third gate. Unlike the second gate, this does not feature any artistic figures.

From the gate a series to steep stairs took up up the hill.

Unlike the Cave Temple in Badami, this part of the hill is mostly desolate. We kept making our way to wards the top. In a few minutes we found ourselves at another fork in the path.

We took the left stairs that well a little bit downhill. It led us into an opening with a cylindrical structure. This used to be a Bastion of the old Fort, jutting out over the edge of the cliff. The bastion is bounded by finished walls with angled ramparts provided with apertures for cannons.

After spending a few minutes inside the Bastion, we moved on towards summit. The boulders in this area are so close to each other that the passage becomes very narrow.

Eventually it narrows down so much that only one person can pass thru it at a time.

After some time we reached the fourth and final gate.

The narrow path continues beyond the gate.

In a few minutes along this narrow path we entered a clearing containing two oval shaped structures beside a ruined third. These structures we used as granaries in ancient time. Built on finely finished bases with a small single doorway, the rubble walls have projecting stone pieces that serve as steps to the summit.

The small door must have been used to take out the grains. On the sides of the oval building, the projected rocks must have been used to fill the granary from the top. My late grandmother used to have a mud granary in her house in the village and this was how it used to work.

The ruined granary provides a better view of how the base features on the inside.

From here we moved towards Upper Shivalaya.

We were finally at the summit of the North Fort. The hike took us around a couple of hours at a leisurely pace. At the summit the first structure we saw was a building in ruins. This ruined building with a spacious court surrounded by a number of chambers was most likely used as residential quarters for a garrison.

Just beyond the ruins, lay the Upper Shivalaya. The temple faces east and is the highest point of the fort.

In front of the Upper Shivalaya, you can find a small natural pond. Its prominent location and rudimentary Dravida style of it architecture suggests that it is one of the earliest structures in Badami.

The Upper Shivalaya rests on the edge of the summit. Like the lower Shivalaya, the Upper Shivalaya also looks to be partly demolished. While the sanctuary and the tower have survived, parts of the mandapa are altogether missing.

The outer walls of the temple create a rectangle containing a sanctuary with a passageway on three sides, opens into a columned mandapa on the east, missing all its internal columns. The walls are built on a basement with a central recessed course containing foliate ornament and narrative scenes.

I captured some close up shots of the outer walls of the temple. On the south face, Ramayana episodes are pictured, like, waking of Kumbhakarna, Rama fighting with forest enemies. Panels on the west face depict the birth and childhood of Lord Krishna, including Krishna sucking Putana’s breasts.

A front shot of the Upper Shivalaya. The central pilastered projections have panels depicting Krishna lifting Mount Govardhana (south), Narasimha disemboweling his victim

From the edge of the temple you can also see the lower Shivalaya.

We spent some time admiring the beautiful view from the summit as a huge cloud surrounded the area.

I took a last shot of the Upper Shivalaya before we started on our way down the hill. Both these appear to have partly dismantled mostly by conquering pallava forces; and maybe they have been pillaged for building blocks to strengthen north fort by later occupiers.

Thanks for reading. I look forward to your comments and questions. If you are looking to explore more of the Badami region, follow my story as I visit the UNESCO site of Group of Monuments in Pattadakal.

Cave Temples of Badami

Today we hike up a small hill in the quaint town of Badami, in northern Karnataka. Along the hike, we will be exploring four rock-cut cave temples dating back to the 6th century. These temples were primarily commissioned during the times of Chalukya reign (543 CE – 757 CE), and they provide a deep insight into an emerging architecture that influenced the next generation of sculpturing style in the surrounding regions of southern India.

I and my wife, Mani, were staying at Clark’s Inn, which in my opinion is the best hotel in this area. It is also a good base if you have the nearby hotspots like Aihole and Pattadakal planned in your itinerary. Both heritage sites are located within an hour’s drive from Badami.

Historically, Badami has been known by many names. During the reign of Early Chalukyas, it was known as Vatapi. With the passing of time, it came to be referred to as Vatapipura, Vatapinagari, and also Agastya Tirtha. The city lies at the exit point of a ravine between two steep mountain cliffs. The cave temples that we will explore today, lie on the southern cliff.

The road leading to the entrance of the ASI protected site is filthy with dirty slums and pigs loitering around. But once you enter the parking lot, it gets a lot cleaner. The parking lot is located at the base of the hill that hosts all of the 4 Cave temples, each at a different height.

The Badami cave temples represent some of the earliest known examples of Hindu temples in the Deccan region. The temples are numbered 1 to 4 in the order of their ascedency. It is universally agreed that these ancient creations, along with the temples in Aihole, transformed the Malaprabha River valley into a cradle of temple architecture that influenced the components of later Hindu temples in southern India. The Badami Caves complex is part of a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site candidate. I believe the only thing keeping it waiting to get the official nod is the unhealthy encroaching settlement that surrounds the heritage site.

As usual, I would advise tourists, not to pick a weekend to visit this place as it gets overcrowded. Guides are available near the ticket counter on all days. Tickets costs ₹25 per head for adults. There is an additional camera charge of ₹25 for cameras. Even though it is a nominal charge, I find it amusing that ASI is charging for cameras separately but not charging people using phones to take the same pictures.

Cave Temple 1, Badami

Today’s exploration begins from Cave Temple 1, which lies just a few steps up from the parking lot, on an elevated platform. It is about 60ft above ground level on the north-west part of the hill. The Badami cave temples are carved out of soft Badami sandstone. If you have been to Hampi, you can clearly tell that the color of these temples is comparatively much more reddish.

The Badami cave temples are carved out of soft Badami sandstone on a hill cliff.

A ticket checker stands guard at the base. You might also spot a few monkeys near him. Once you climb the first series of steps, you will find yourself on a flat area with another set of stone steps that take you up to the first cave platform. The wall beside the stairs depicts carvings of dwarfish ganas in different postures as if holding the cave floor.

Cave Temple 1 is dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva. This is immediately apparent from the 18-armed carving of the Tandava-dancing Shiva as Nataraja on the right wall even before you enter the cave. Elaborately portrayed with the arms in various poses, the image expresses the dynamic posture of Shiva in his cosmic dance. The image, about 5ft tall, has 18 arms in a form that expresses the dance positions arranged in a geometric pattern depicting the cosmic wheel.

The eighteen arms express Natya mudras (symbolic hand gestures), with some holding objects such as drums, a flame torch, a serpent, a trident, and an axe. The image of Shiva, has his son Ganesha and the bull Nandi by his side.

The verandah of the cave has five columns sculpted with reliefs of flower garlands, foliage, and jewelry. On the opposite side, to my left, standing just outside the entrance of the cave lies a two-handed Shaiva dvarapala (guard) who holds a trident. Below the guard, carved into the wall is a bull-elephant fused image where the creatures share the head. Seen from left it looks like an elephant and from right the same appears to be a bull.

As you enter the cave temple, beside the dvarpala you can find a carved sculpture of Harihara. The 7.75ft high sculpture is portrayed as a single figure where the left half is depicted to be Hindu god Shiva and the right half is Vishnu. He is shown with goddess Parvati on the left side and goddess Lakshmi on the right side. Thus both the halves are with their respective consorts. A closer look will also reveal that the two halves are also with their vahan(vehicles) Nandi , the bull in a human form on the left, and Garuda, again in human form on the right.

Also known as Shankaranarayana (“Shankara” is Shiva, and “Narayana” is Vishnu), Harihara is revered by both Vaishnavites and Shaivites as a form of Supreme God.

Interestingly the early rulers of the Chalukya dynasty were Vaishnavites. In later years they began to worship Shiva. Yet here in a cave dedicated to Shiva, they have commissioned a sculpture of Harihara. Was this figure invented in order to end the controversy between the Vaishnavites and the Shaivites as to whose god was greater?

The first line of pillars in the front of the cave is richly decorated. Inside this cave, the sons of Shiva, Ganesha, and Kartikeya, the god of war and family deity of the Chalukya dynasty, are seen in one of the carved sculptures on the walls of the cave, with Kartikeya riding a peacock.

The roof of the cave has five carved panels with the central panel depicting the Nagaraja, with flying couples on both sides. In the center lies a beautifully carved image of Nagaraja, with a coiled serpent body around a human torso. The head and bust are well-formed and project from the center of the coil.

On either side of the Nagaraja, you can find images of the Vidyadhara couples as well as couples in courtship, some of them in erotic poses. In Hindu epics, Vidyadharas are described as spirits of the air. They are considered Upadevas, or demi-gods. All the figures are adorned with carved ornaments and surrounded by borders with reliefs of animals and birds.

What is most amazing here is that the artisans who carved these beautifully detailed images must have spent years, day in and day out, lying on their back while creating these.

The inner sanctum contains a Shivaling. Facing the Shivaling, in the center of the mandapa lies a headless, seated Nandi facing the garbha ghriya (sacrum sanctum). The light inside the cave is not very good, so I suggest you come during the afternoons when the light is properly able to reach the interiors. Lack of sunlight means the caves are smelly from centuries of dampness.

From the first cave temple, a fleet of stone stairs lead up to the 2nd Cave Temple. There are about 64 steps to the second cave. It’s like baby steps compared to Kuon-ji Temple in Yamanashi, where I did 287 steps, or the Yamadera Temple that took me about 1,015 steps.

Cave Temple 2, Badami

The 2nd Cave Temple is consecrated to Lord Vishnu. It faces towards the north and is comparatively smaller than the first and might I add: less refined. It is believed to have been commissioned in the late 6th or early 7th century. It has been sculpted from a boulder that is almost double in height of the first cave temple. The cave entrance is divided by four square pillars, all carved out of the monolithic stone face. Similar to the first temple, this too sits on an elevated plinth, decorated with a frieze of ganas.

On the extremes of either side of the entrance are standing dvarapalas (guards) holding flowers, not weapons. The pillars here are rather simple in design with reliefs of flowers and jewelry. The pillars also feature amorous couples towards the top.

The roof contains a complex combination of four Vishnu images surrounded by a maze of Swastikas, somewhat similar to what I noticed in the Ramalingeshwara Temple in Avani.

Though the pillars fail to generate much enthusiasm, the two sides have wonderfully sculpted images of the incarnations of Vishnu. On the left, you will find a beautiful relief depicting the legend of Vishnu in his Varaha (boar) avatar rescuing goddess Earth (Bhudevi) from the depths of the cosmic ocean, with a penitent multi-headed Naga (snake) below. Inside the temple are friezes showing stories from Hindu texts such as the Bhagavata Purana.

On the opposite side, we have an equally beautifully sculpted image of Vishnu in the avatar of the Vamana. This relief in Cave Temple 2, depicts the legend of Vishnu in his Trivikrama form, taking one of the three steps. Below the raised step is a frieze showing the legend of Vamana (dwarf) avatar of Vishnu, before he morphs into the Trivikrama form.

After exploring the 2nd Cave Temple, we ascended towards the next cave. You may find a number of monkeys leisurely sitting here. Do not engage with them or they might attack you or snatch your bags away. To my surprise, one of them even knows how to open bag zippers.

Midway to the third cave temple, molded by the force of winds, lies a natural cave. I small stairs hidden from view takes you up to the cave.

From this cave, one can get a good view of the wide Agastya Lake at the base of the mountain. It is said to have been formed in the 5th century and many believe that its water has curative properties.

This cave does not feature any prominent sculptures. You can barely make out some figures on the side walls as if something was planned and started but was abandoned midway. A mutilated figure of Padmapani can be found deep inside in this natural cavern.

Steep steps from here ascend to the ramparts that constitute the citadel at the summit of the North Fort. Yes, this hill was at one time upgraded into a fort because of regular raids from the Mughal Sultanate. A small doorway that fits not more than two people at a time leads to a broad paved terrace.

Before you enter the doorway, to the right, lies a tiny building, sandwiched inside the crevasse of what looks like a split in the boulder.

Cave Temple 3, Badami

Facing north, Cave Temple 3 is about 60 steps from Cave 2 and at a higher level. It seems to the most decorated among the three we had already explored. It features Vishnu-related mythology and is also in my opinion the most intricately carved cave on the entire hill. At the entrance wall of Cave 3, there is an inscription in the ancient Kannada language that mentioned that Chalukya ruler Mangalesha son of Pulikesh-I was the founder of these cave temples during circa 578 CE.

Cave 3 is said to be the earliest dated Hindu temple in the Deccan region. It is dedicated to Vishnu. It has intricately carved friezes and giant figures of Trivikrama, Anantasayana, Vasudeva, Varaha, Harihara, and Narasimha. The cave stands raised on a plinth divided by seven columns. The cave’s primary theme is Vaishnavite, though it also shows Harihara on its southern wall. The cave is about 15ft high and supported by 3 rows of six pillars. Each of the pillars contains magnificent pieces of art. These columns randomly feature ganas and amorous couples. The cave shows many Kama scenes in pillar brackets, where a woman and a man are in courtship or mithuna (erotic) embrace.

The temple has been sculpted 48ft deep into the mountain; an added square shrine at the end extends the cave 12ft further inside. The verandah itself is 7ft wide and has four free-standing, carved pillars separating it from the hall. Cave 3 also shows fresco paintings on the ceiling, some of which are faded and broken. You can still see the color green used in these paintings. These are among the earliest known surviving evidence of fresco painting in Indian art. The Hindu god Brahma is seen on Hansa vahana in one of the murals. The wedding of Shiva and Parvati, attended by various Hindu deities is the theme of another.

The columns on the inside of the cave temple are much simpler.

On the left of the entrance, we have a lovely image of Vishnu sitting as Vaikuntha over the coils of Sesha. The multi-hoods of the Sesha shelter the crowned head of Vishnu. To its left is another image of Varaha (man-boar avatar) rescuing earth, just like we saw at the previous cave.

On the right side of the entrance lies an image of the Trivikrama-Vamana. He was known as Trivikrama because he is the one who has conquered the three worlds, Earth, Heaven, and the netherworld. There is an interesting story about this avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. Vamana was the fifth avatar of Vishnu, He was born as the son of Sage Kashyapa and his wife Aditi. In this avatar, Vishnu was known as Vamana because he was a dwarf.

Indian mythology has long stories about tussles between the Asuras (demons) and Devas (heavenly beings). Bali, an asura, was killed by Indra, the king of the Devas, in the battle. He was brought back to life by Sage Shukra. In his reincarnated life he practiced several sacrifices, becoming powerful with each. He became so mighty that he conquered all the three worlds, driving away the devas from the heavens. As usual, they turned to Lord Vishnu for help. Vishnu in the avatar of the Vamana, went to King Bali and asks for three steps of land measured by his foot as a charity.

When Maha Bali completed the ritual process of donating the land, Lord Vamana assumed his cosmic form (Trivikrama), measured the entire Earth including the nether world by his first step. With his second step, he measured the entire heaven.

When the entire Universe was conquered by just two paces of Vishnu (Vamana) there was no space left in the Universe to keep Vamana’s third pace. When Lord Vamana asked Maha Bali the space to keep his third step, all the pride and vanity of Maha Bali vanished and he had no hesitation in surrendering before Vishnu. He readily offered his own head to keep the Vishnu’s third step. The Vamana immediately placed his third step on the head of Bali and sent him to the nether world.

The image of Trivikrama is accompanied by another two carvings of incarnations of Vishnu – The Narasimha and the Harihara. Might I add, in all my travels to Indian temples, I have never seen Narashimha smiling so cutely.

Cave Temple 4, Badami

From here, separated by a series of small steps, but on a lower height lies the last of the Cave temples. Located immediately next to and east of Cave 3, Cave 4 floor is situated about 10 feet lower and is the smallest of the four. It is the only one dedicated to Tirthankaras, the revered figures of Jainism. It is believed to be constructed after the first three, sponsored by Hindu kings in the latter part of the 7th-century.

Like the other caves, Cave 4 features detailed carvings and a diverse range of motifs. The cave has a five-bayed entrance with four square columns.

Inside the temple, behind a narrow door sits a carving of the Mahavira. At each corner you will find carvings of Bahubali, Parshvanatha and Mahavira with symbolic displays of other Tirthankaras.

Mahavira is enshrined as the main deity. Because of the narrow door and no other light source, it was tough to capture it in the darkness.

To the left, right at the entrance, you can find Bahubali, standing in Kayotsarga meditating posture with vines wrapped around his leg, his classic iconography. Bahubali was a prince who attained the stature of a perfected being (siddha). Although never admitted to the pantheon of twenty-four tirthankaras, he nonetheless attained jina-like status. The legend of Bahubali tells of a prince who renounces violence after coming close to slaying his brother Bharata in a battle of succession and then renounces pride and its expression – violence to other living creatures. Embracing ahimsa (nonviolence), he meditates in the “body-abandonment” posture in a forest, where he is entwined by vines and hosts birds that nest in his hair until he attains moksha.

On the right, just opposite the Bahubali image, you will find a detailed image of Parshavanata, with a multi-hooded cobra rising over its head.

The carvings on the pillars are different here from the other cave temples. The first row features floral motifs along with circular carvings of amorous couples. If you look closely, it seems that some of the more erotic carvings on the pillars have been scooped out.

The second row of pillars features detailed carvings of Mahavira embedded into a surrounding carving depicting a gate of sorts. This divergence of design leads to much speculation about the time of the creation of this temple.

After exploring the cave, we took a small breather at the top. From the podium in front of the 4th Cave temple, you can get some lovely shots of the expanse that surrounds Badami.

Other than the numbered caves, Badami is home to many other cave monuments and medieval era temples. On the other side of the lake, near the Bhutanatha temple, is a 7th-8th century Chalukya period cave of small dimensions. You can visit Badami all round the year except mid-Summer when it gets extremely hot. I would recommend going just after monsoon when the Agastya lake is brimming with crystal clear water and adds a nice charm to the heritage site

Please note, you will find many monkeys along the hike. Do not carry food and make sure your bags are tightly wrapped as they will try to snatch it and run away.

Just beneath the Cave temple complex, the man-made Agastya teertha or lake is situated which looks like a ravine of crystal clear water surrounded by the greenery and hills of yellow sandstone.

Thanks for reading. I look forward to your comments and questions. If you are looking to explore more of the Badami region, follow my story as I hike to the ruins of the Shivalayas of Badami. If you are in Karnataka do not miss these interesting heritage sites around Bangalore.

When was Badami Cave Temples built?

The Badami Cave Temples were built in the 6th century.

Who created the Badami Cave Temples?

The Badami Cave Temples were commissioned by the Chalukya kings

What is the admission price for Badami Cave Temples?

The entry fees of Badami Cave Temples is ₹25 per person for Indian Nationals and ₹100 per person for Foreigners.

An evening at Kiyosu Castle

Today we explore one of the hidden gems of Japanese heritage located just about 6 km northwest of Nagoya. I am talking about Kiyosu Castle 清須城, a small castle with a long history, that the ruthless warlord Oda Nobunaga once called home.

Kiyosu Castle

The stories of Kiyosu Castle is smeared in blood. No surprises there as it played an important role in Nobunaga’s initiative for the unification of Japan.

After a violent takeover, with the assassination of Oda Nobutomo, the then clan leader of Kiyosu, Oda Nobunaga snatched the reigns of the province in 1555 CE. At that time Nagoya used to be the capital city. Following his ascent to the throne, he had Kiyosu Castle renovated and moved there, using it as his base in his war of conquest to unify the country.

During his reign, the castle town prospered as an economic and cultural center of the Owari province (western part of modern-day Aichi Prefecture) until 1610, when the capital was moved back to Nagoya.

Nagoya Station to Kiyosu

We were coming in from Nagoya, where we had spent the afternoon meandering around Nagoya Castle grounds.

The ride to Kiyosu Station didn’t take us more than 25 minutes from Nagoya Station, using the JR line. The ride is free if you are carrying JR Passes. You can also take the Meitetsu Line, but the walking time is more on that route.

Note: Meitetsu Line does not allow JR Pass.

The train dropped us off at Kiyosu station at around 3.30 pm.

From Kiyosu Station, the castle is another 20 minute leisurely walk along quiet lanes. The only sound I remember all through the walk was the sound of passing trains. Yes, the JR line runs almost parallel to the road all the way up to the castle.

Just before we arrived at castle we passed by a small park. I was pleasantly surprised to see a winter Sakura tree blooming right at the edge of the road. Generally Sakura blooms in Spring between the months of March to April. Winter Sakura, otherwise known as Fuyuzakuras (冬桜), as its name suggests, blooms in late autumn (Fuyu in Japanese translates to Winter). It is rare to see one around these parts.

Up ahead we found ourselves near the southern half of castle grounds, which is now a park, featuring a bronze statue of Oda Nobunaga in full armor, with his wife, Princess No-Hime.

Nobunaga’s statue imitates his appearance when he was about 26 years old. No-Hime’s statue standing beside his wasn’t originally built here. In the summer of 2012 due to popular consensus, it was relocated to his side.

There was still some daylight as we reached the front of the Castle. The first thing that you notice as the Castle comes into view is the lovely vermilion bridge in front of it. The cute little bridge over the Gojo river makes the castle look even more elegant.

Before you read further, I would like to clarify that the current standing castle isn’t the original structure. The original castle ruins lie exactly opposite to the current castle building. The present castle tower was reconstructed in 1989 based on the appearance and scale of the original.

The site of the actual keep now has the “Kiyosu Furusato no Yakata” a small rest area and souvenir stall on it. The shop was closed by time we reached. A bunch of girls were sitting under one of the street lights along the bridge playing some game. Their chirpy laughter was the only sound in the vicinity.

A brief history of Kiyosu Castle

Kiyosu Castle was first built around 1405 by Shiba Yoshishige, the Governor of Owari, as a major strategic defense. Owari is not a name used anymore. It used to describe the western lands of the present Aichi prefecture. In due time the castle became the seat of power for Owari.

Kiyosu Castle was the starting point for many of the historically significant samurai battles that took place in the violent Sengoku Period between 1450-1615. The major battles of Okehazama (1560), Anegawa (1570), Nagashino (1575) and Sekigahara (1600) were all launched from Kiyosu.

Oda Nobunaga and Kiyosu Castle

While talking about Kiyosu Castle, we cannot ignore the period when Oda Nobunaga reigned supreme. In 1555, after his father’s death, Oda Nobunaga enlisted the help of his uncle, Oda Nobumitsu, and together they attacked and killed Oda Nobutomo. Nobunaga then moved from Nagoya Castle to Kiyosu using it as his base for years to come.

Two years later after taking control of Kiyosu, Nobunaga’s younger brother Nobuyuki is believed to have conspired against him. Nobunaga discovered his brothers’ plot to oust him, and faked an illness to draw his brother close. When Nobuyuki came to pay his respects to his “ill” brother, Nobunaga is said to have ordered his assassination within Kiyosu Castle, eliminating his only opposition.

Kiyosu remained his base for many years. During that time, Kiyosu grew to be a vibrant city. The castle grounds once extended 1.6 kilometers east-west, and 2.8 kilometers north- south, having an outer, central and inner moat system.

By the time of his death in 1582, he controlled 30 of Japan’s 68 provinces and was the commander of the greatest samurai army in the country’s history.

Dusk at Kiyosu Castle

We walked around the castle capturing the graceful replica from different sides. The front of castle is surrounded by a rock garden.

It was nearing evening. The castle grounds were being closed. Currently a museum resides inside the castle. If you want to explore the castle grounds or visit the museum, you have to be here before 4.15 pm. We walked over to the bridge and waited for the magic hour as I refer to the sunset time when the skies light up like a dream.

The street lights over the bridge were gradually turning on one by one. The group of girls had probably gone back their homes. The area was totally deserted and it wasn’t even 5pm. If you have traveled much in Japan, it’s a fairly regular occurrence. It doesn’t even feel strange anymore. So, I set up my tripod over the bridge to catch the lovely castle in the shimmering light.

Within minutes hues of blue and purple surrounded the castle.

The rot of Kiyosu Castle

After numerous upheavals in the Sengoku Period, Tokugawa Ieyasu emerged victorious and laid the foundations Edo Government. In 1609, for better running of the government, he ordered the rebuilding of the castle at Nagoya.

In the same year the old tower of Kiyosu Castle was dismantled and the materials were used for the construction of the northwest yagura of the Nagoya castle. You can still witness that tower in Nagoya Castle, which has survived in its original form until today, being known as the Kiyosu Yagura. Once the construction at Nagoya Castle was finished, Kiyosu Castle was formally abandoned.

Kiyosu Castle Today

The current Kiyosu Castle was reconstructed in concrete in 1989 just across the Gojo river from where the actual castle stood. Since the original plans were lost it was built by using the model of the Inuyama castle, which is representative for the castles built in that period. The rebuilt tower, made of concrete, looks indeed like the Inuyama Castle, except for the absence of the small connected donjon and the karahafu undulated gable on the third floor.

It was getting dark and it was time for us to head back to the glistening lights of Nagoya. Kiyosu has a lovely castle and anyone interested in capturing a beautiful piece of heritage should not give it a miss. Once the capital of the powerful Owari domain, Kiyosu Castle’s influence may have waned, but its importance to history has not.

Thanks for reading. Please leave me a comment if you liked the post or follow this link to read about my other experiences of castles in Japan.

Originally Built

1394-1427 CE

Built by

Shiba Yoshishige

Reconstructed

1989

Photowalk along Osanbashi Pier

Today we dropped by at one of the most photographed areas in Yokohama – Osanbashi Pier(大さん橋) . The pier was originally built in 1894, but was reconstructed in 2002 as a passenger terminal. Its bold new design incorporates floor boards, with no stairs, beams or posts making it a unique experience with great views of the city.

We were in the Kanto region for a few days. The weather had been a big disappointment. We spent the early part of the day inside malls surrounding Shin-Osaka Station. We found a Book-off store nearby. Its a great place to find old series that are not in publication anymore and, I may add.. in pretty good condition.

The weather didn’t improve much over the afternoon, but Osanbashi Pier was one of the places I badly wanted to see. It is one of Yokohama’s best spots for a walk, with unobstructed views of the Minato Mirai skyline especially in the evening.

How to get to Osanbashi Pier from Shin-Yokohama

After lunch we dropped off our shopping bags back at the hotel and left for the pier. We took the Blue line from Shin-Yokohama Station and got down at Kannai Station. From there it is a 15 minute walk to the pier. JR Passes are not valid on the Blue line. It cost us 270 Yen each for the one way ride. You can also buy one-day passes for the subway.

Osanbashi Pier

Osanbashi Pier is located between Minato Mirai and Yamashita Park. Since all three attractions are connected by a pleasant waterfront promenade, Osanbashi Pier is most conveniently accessed by foot from either of the other two sites.

It was already dark by the time we reached the pier. The beautiful lights had come on and it appeared quite romantic except for the drizzle that was still trying to dampen my spirits. I was almost ready give up but Mani egged me on.

It was cold. We walked over to the pier and found us a bench. Luckily we found a vending machines alongside and grabbed us some very welcome warm coffee. The drizzle eventually went away by the time we finished our coffee

Yokohama Night Skyline

I set up my tripod on the left side of the pier from where I was able to capture some lovely images of the Yokohama skyline.

Osanbashi pier has a unique design. Its “roof top” is a huge wood deck with steps, slopes, and benches. It is open to the public. Generally, families and couples visit there and have relaxing time with fresh sea breeze. However very few people had braved the wet weather to be at the pier.

Brief history of Osanbashi Pier

The Port of Yokohama was opened in 1859 as a direct result of the Treaty of Kanagawa, signed by Commodore Matthew Perry of the United States and the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan. At the time, 2 wharfs were built in place of the present day Osanbashi. The wharfs were too shallow for the ships to dock, and so barges were used to carry passengers and freight to and from the ships.

In 1889, during the Meiji Era, the City of Yokohama was incorporated. The Osanbashi Pier was constructed between 1889 and 1896. Between that time and today it has been damaged many a times.

In 1923, the port was badly damaged by the Great Kanto Earthquake, and had to be rebuilt. During World War II, the port was again badly damaged, this time by air raids.

In 1964, another reconstruction of Osanbashi Passenger Terminal was undertaken to jazz it up before the Tokyo Olympics that year.

Far out one can also see the iconic red brick warehouse at the base of the Minato Mirai skyline. We would be heading there later in the evening.

After taking a few pictures, we walked over to the eastern side of the pier. The wet wood was still glistening from being wet.

As we stood admiring the wide open bay, a Royal Wing Bay Cruise ship came along making its rounds in the bay. One of the best way to feel this Bay City’s charm is by joining this cruising tour. The ship serves a variety of dishes, and follows it up with amazing views of the bay area.

Osanbashi Kokusai Kyakusen Terminal

We didn’t want to stay for long in the anticipation that the rain would be back. As we walked back we found ourselves in front of the gate of the passenger terminal. Most of this area was constructed between 1987 and 2002, to meet the modern demands of the port.

This newly reconstructed passenger terminal is named the Osanbashi Kokusai Kyakusen Terminal. It can accommodate up to four 30,000-ton class ships or two 70,000-ton class ships at the same time. The pier has a terminal building which houses checking counters for passengers, customs, immigration, souvenir shops, coffee shop, information counters and a restaurant.

Once I was done taking pictures of the Yokohama skyline, we made our way towards the dazzling lights of Minai Mirato across the Zo No Hana Park. In this park there is a new installation of a series of vertical light panels in a curved line that gradually increase in size.

On the left one can see the Yamashita Lingang Port Promenade. It is a boardwalk that connects the New Port District of Yokohama City Naka Ward directly with Yamashita Park. Yamashita park was just behind us but it was too late to head there. One really does need a full day to explore the area. Anyways, we walked briskly towards the Red Brick Warehouse.

Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse

The Red Brick Warehouse (Aka Renga Soko) is a pair of landmark buildings, with an artsy shopping center, banquet hall, and event grounds. It is located right next to the port in the Minato Mirai district of Yokohama.

The bold vibe of the Red Brick Warehouse is quite unique in nature to anything I have seen in Japan. The are two buildings running parallel to each other, with an open courtyard-like area in between. It is a good place for souvenir shopping. For those looking for a more substantial dining plan, there are also some larger, sit-down restaurants.

The two buildings were constructed in 1911 and 1913 meant to be used as customs buildings for the nearby harbor. They survived the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, requiring just some basic repair and restoration. The buildings were requisitioned by the Americans during WWII, but were returned to their original use after the war, and continued serving as customs houses until 1989.

In 2002, they were repurposed into a shopping mall. Each building, as well as individual shops, operate on their own hours and holidays, so there is no universal schedule. Most shops open between 10-11:00 am and close by 7 – 8:00 pm.

Walk back to Kannai Station

It was 9 pm. We started our walk back to Kannai Station. We were tired from walking all day. On the way I got this last incredible close-up shot of the Landmark Plaza. I can certainly say that the more I roam around this area, the more angles I can get. But this would be enough for today.

Yokohama bay area is like a feast for the photographers. I would love to come back some time during the day to capture other parts of the area.

Thanks for reading. Please leave me a comment if you liked the post or follow my story as I visit the lovely Kiyosu Castle.

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