Aihole in Bagalkot District of Karnataka State

Aihole in Bagalkot District of Karnataka State - How to Reach & Timings: Aihole has been in Hindu stories for a long time. On the Malaprabha river bank, north of the village, there is a rock that looks like an axe, and a rock in the river shows a footprint. The legends say that Parashurama, the sixth incarnation of Vishnu, washed his axe here after killing Kshatriyas, who were abusing their military power and killing them. This is how the land got its red colour. A local tradition from the 1800s said that Parashurama had left his footprints in the river. A place near the Meguti hillocks has signs that people lived there in the past. People have called Aihole the "cradle of Hindu rock architecture" because it is essential in history.

Aihole in Bagalkot District

Aihole is a beautiful village on the banks of the Malaprabha river. It was the capital of the early Chalukyan dynasty from the sixth to the eighth centuries. In the inscriptions, Aihole is called both Ayyavole and Aryapura. It is known as the birthplace of Hindu temple architecture. About 125 temples are split into 22 groups and spread all over nearby villages and fields. Most of these temples were built between the 6th and 8th centuries, but some were made earlier.

Today, you can only see small pieces of a fort built in the sixth century. In Morera Angadigalu, near the Meguti hillocks in Aihole, many prehistoric sites have been found. Near some temples, archaeologists have found old pottery and the bases of buildings made of bricks from before the Chalukyan era. Every day, more temples are found, which shows that people at Aihole were experimenting a lot with temple architecture more than 1400 years ago.

Timings: 6.00 am to 5.30 pm.

How To Reach Aihole

By Air:

Aihole does not have an airport. Hubli, which is located 106 kilometres distant, has the closest airport. The airport in Belgaum is also close by; it is almost 189 kilometres away. From Aihole to Belgaum, you would need to take a taxi. Regular flights are available from Mumbai and Bangalore to Hubli and Belgaum. Both airports offer taxi services for hire.

By Train:

Nearly 34 kilometres away, Bagalkot is the closest railway station. All significant cities are rail-connected to Bagalkot. Hiring a taxi will allow you to complete the remaining distance.

By Road:

This city can be extensively explored on foot because it is so tiny. In the centre of the town, there are also bus services available.

Aihole in Bagalkot District of Karnataka State - How to Reach & Timings