Mahakoota
Temples of Karnataka

Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal near Bijapur in Karnataka are centers of Early Chalukyan art. Badami is located at a distance of about 500 km from Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka and is well connected by road.

16 km away from Badami is the archaeological site of Mahakoota where there are several temples from the Early Chalukyan period.

Legend has it that the sage Agastya lived at Mahakoota, on the banks of a tank by name Vishnu Pushkarini. It is believed that Agastya worshipped Vatapi Ganapati here; and that during the expedition of Narasimhavarma Pallavan, this image was taken to Tiruchenkattankudi in Tamilnadu.

The Mahakooteswara temple here, is probably the oldest of the early Chalukyan temples.  It is a Dravidian styled temple. There are several other temples in the vicinity, and all of these collectively are enclosed by heavy walls.

Another of the early Chalukyan sites is Banashankari, bearing an ancient shrine to Parvati, now no longer under worship. A newer 17th century temple enshrines Parvati to whom worship is offered.