Carb-deprived, almost faint, we struggled on amidst sunflower fields and rocky land to Aihole. Getting around is difficult here, or maybe it is just slow. I remind myself that life is genuinely not in too much of a hurry in these parts; it is about 80kmph slower around here. Aihole was the first capital of the Chalukyas until they built so many temples that there was no place left for new houses. :-) Seriously. An old woman and her grand mom flag down our already full auto. The auto driver gestures to L to make room for her. L looks back bewildered. The old lady makes her way to the other side and sits on the floor of the auto. For those of you know what an auto-rickshaw is like, it’s easy to grasp what I mean when I say that every available and not-so-available inch of space in our tam-tam was utilized. The auto driver drops us off at the central temple complex. Once again, we see a cluster of temples housed within an ASI compound. Aihole, the ASI guide tells us in his accented English, was the primary school for sculptures. The place is simply littered with temples. I am serious. This small little town hosts anywhere between 120-130 temples in an approximately 7 km radius in addition to two cave temples in the hills around. The KSTDC property here has a neat loo complex a few feet away from its Mayura hotel, bar-attached. Too many men were enjoying their afternoon drink there and we quietly make our way back rather than step in and take the stares. The museum building inside the main temple complex of Aihole houses a clean but monkey-infested washroom too. None of them lunge for our bag this time, though one inquisitive creature did express interest in joining us inside the washroom.
Now, for the temples. The Durga temple is simply put, different. It is ‘apsidal’ in shape. I think they mean its kinda oval in shape. The guide we hire after a lot of haggling (Rs.100) tells us that the British-built Indian Parliament building is inspired by this temple. It seems plausible as we take in the unusually high base, the columns that encircle the temple and rise to the roof. He clarifies the reasons for the rather lame names of the temples around us. No Durga worship happened in this temple, he says. The British who surveyed the area gave it some convenient names. This temple, for instance, was near the durg or the fort wall, hence the ‘Durg or Durga’ temple; where they found an old mendicant by name Lad Khan is the Lad Khan temple; the Gowdas were found either living in or patronizing one called the Gowda temple now. The guide points to us iron bar reinforcements that hold the stones together, purportedly done by the Chalukyas. I am not completely convinced. Some of the temples are crumbling down and have been fenced off completely. Look closely at the roof of the temple in the picture - a style completely of its own unlike any other that you would have seen. The Gowda temple (or was it some other) has an imaginatively carved stone ladder. Rather precarious, but effective to get one up through a hole to the roof. We spot Hiranyakashyapa – another recurring theme, or maybe so because it’s one of the few things we ignorant ones easily recognize.
Search for food was definitely one of the overwhelming themes of our trip. Aihole offers very few options apart from potato chips and sweatier Dairy Milk. It offers even fewer options to get back to Badami. Unless you have your own private car, that is. We were even tempted to see if we could get some firangs to give us a ride back. An ASI parking supervisor took pity on us and we negotiated a fair 70 rupee trip back to Pattadakkal. Very fair, at 7 bucks a kilometer just like in Bangalore! We made the crazy cripple van tout at Pattadakkal very happy by getting into his van. And a noisy ride later we were back in Badami. Our search for food took us to Badami Court – the food is nothing to write home about. After a lesson on the dangers of ordering caramel custard in a pretentious Badami restaurant, we returned to some much needed sleep at our hotel. Badami has its fair share of restaurants, but every one has a bar attached. These are a male preserve and day or night, it’s intimidating to have to walk through one to the ‘family room’ that most of the restaurants have.
Now, for the temples. The Durga temple is simply put, different. It is ‘apsidal’ in shape. I think they mean its kinda oval in shape. The guide we hire after a lot of haggling (Rs.100) tells us that the British-built Indian Parliament building is inspired by this temple. It seems plausible as we take in the unusually high base, the columns that encircle the temple and rise to the roof. He clarifies the reasons for the rather lame names of the temples around us. No Durga worship happened in this temple, he says. The British who surveyed the area gave it some convenient names. This temple, for instance, was near the durg or the fort wall, hence the ‘Durg or Durga’ temple; where they found an old mendicant by name Lad Khan is the Lad Khan temple; the Gowdas were found either living in or patronizing one called the Gowda temple now. The guide points to us iron bar reinforcements that hold the stones together, purportedly done by the Chalukyas. I am not completely convinced. Some of the temples are crumbling down and have been fenced off completely. Look closely at the roof of the temple in the picture - a style completely of its own unlike any other that you would have seen. The Gowda temple (or was it some other) has an imaginatively carved stone ladder. Rather precarious, but effective to get one up through a hole to the roof. We spot Hiranyakashyapa – another recurring theme, or maybe so because it’s one of the few things we ignorant ones easily recognize.
Search for food was definitely one of the overwhelming themes of our trip. Aihole offers very few options apart from potato chips and sweatier Dairy Milk. It offers even fewer options to get back to Badami. Unless you have your own private car, that is. We were even tempted to see if we could get some firangs to give us a ride back. An ASI parking supervisor took pity on us and we negotiated a fair 70 rupee trip back to Pattadakkal. Very fair, at 7 bucks a kilometer just like in Bangalore! We made the crazy cripple van tout at Pattadakkal very happy by getting into his van. And a noisy ride later we were back in Badami. Our search for food took us to Badami Court – the food is nothing to write home about. After a lesson on the dangers of ordering caramel custard in a pretentious Badami restaurant, we returned to some much needed sleep at our hotel. Badami has its fair share of restaurants, but every one has a bar attached. These are a male preserve and day or night, it’s intimidating to have to walk through one to the ‘family room’ that most of the restaurants have.
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