Bhutanatha Temple Badami

Getting there

• By air

  Kalaburagi Airport (GBI) is among the nearest airports to the temple.

• By train

  Badami Railway Station (BDM) is the nearest railway station.

Why devotees come here

Bhutanatha Temple in Badami, Bagalkot district, Karnataka, is a Shiva temple on the banks of Agastya Lake. Its main shrine was built in the 7th century, and the Badami Cave Temples lie a brief walk beyond it.

Legend says a demon was vanquished here by Shiva. The temple is dedicated to him as the master of souls, spirits and ghosts. It stands on the banks of Agastya Lake, and its sanctum holds a Shiva linga.

The main shrine was built by the Badami Chalukyas in the 7th century. The Kalyani Chalukyas added the outer hall, the mandapa or temple hall, in the 11th century. The same dynasty also built the Malikarjuna Temple nearby.

The main temple is a blend of South Indian Dravidian and North Indian Nagara architecture. The sanctum is topped by a three-storey Dravida-style superstructure. The temple sits in Badami, a town in Bagalkot district, Karnataka, 30 km from Bagalkot and 128 km from Bijapur.

Tips for your visit

• The Badami Cave Temples are a brief walk beyond Bhutanatha Temple, so you can see both in one visit.
• Pattadakal, 22 km from Badami, is the place to study Western Chalukya architecture.
• The Badami Fort, once the home of the Chalukyan rulers, is also in the town.
• Banashankari Temple in Cholachagudd is another temple to see in Badami.

Questions people ask