Temples in Pattadakal
- 01
Galaganatha Temple
A partly ruined northern-style Shiva temple east of Jambulinga, known for a carved panel of an eight-armed Shiva slaying the demon Andhaka and for Panchatantra friezes.
- Time needed
- 10 to 15 minutes
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Late afternoon, when the low sun lights the carving
- Tickets
- Part of the Pattadakal complex; check current ASI hours and ticket coverage at the gate.
- 02
Jain Narayana Temple
The only Jain temple among the major monuments of Pattadakal, built in the 9th century in a style modelled on a Kanchipuram temple, with seated Jinas in niches.
- Time needed
- 20 to 30 minutes
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning or late afternoon
- Tickets
- Check at the gate whether the main ticket covers this temple and what the current hours are. Jain sites ask for quiet and respect.
- 03
Jambulinga and Kadasiddheshvara Temples
Two small northern-style Shiva temples in the main complex, where Chalukya builders experimented with the curved tower, including carved images of Ardhanarishvara and Harihara.
- Time needed
- 15 to 20 minutes for both
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning or late afternoon light
- Tickets
- Inside the Pattadakal complex; the main enclosure ticket applies. Check ASI hours on the day.
- 04
Kashivishvanatha Temple
A smaller temple with a northern-style curved tower, a ganga-and-yamuna doorway and carved panels that include Ravana lifting Mount Kailasa.
- Time needed
- 10 to 15 minutes
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning light
- Tickets
- Covered by the main enclosure ticket. Check ASI hours on the day of your visit.
- 05
Mallikarjuna Temple
A close cousin of Virupaksha beside it, built in the mid-8th century with a hemispherical roof, carved pillars of epic scenes and a Nataraja above the doorway.
- Time needed
- 10 to 20 minutes
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning, paired with Virupaksha
- Tickets
- Covered by the main enclosure ticket. Check ASI hours and whether footwear must come off on the day.
- 06
Papanatha Temple
A mid-8th-century temple south of the main group that blends northern and southern styles, with Ramayana scenes and a carved ceiling with Nataraja and reclining Vishnu.
- Time needed
- 20 to 30 minutes
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Late afternoon, after the main enclosure
- Tickets
- This temple stands outside the main enclosure; check on site whether your ticket covers it and what the current hours are.
- 07
Sangameshvara Temple
The oldest large temple at Pattadakal, begun under Vijayaditya in the early 8th century and never fully finished, with a simple, powerful southern-style tower.
- Time needed
- 15 to 25 minutes
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning light on its east face
- Tickets
- Covered by the main enclosure ticket. Check current ASI hours and fees before you go.
- 08
Virupaksha Temple
The largest and most accomplished temple at Pattadakal, built around 740 CE and still in worship, with a three-storey tower and carved pillars full of epic scenes.
- Time needed
- 45 to 60 minutes
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Early morning, when the stone is cool and worshippers are present
- Tickets
- Covered by the ASI ticket for the main enclosure. Footwear comes off at the temple, and the usual rules for an active Shaiva shrine apply: modest dress and quiet near the sanctum. Check current photography rules on site.
Culture in Pattadakal
- 09
Pattadakal Dance Festival
An annual dance festival associated with the temples of the Badami Chalukya heartland, usually held in January or February, with classical performances against the sandstone temples.
- Time needed
- An evening, or two to three days around the festival
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- January or February, per Karnataka Tourism; confirm each year
- Tickets
- Entry arrangements vary by year and venue and are set by the state organisers. Check the Karnataka Tourism website and local announcements before you travel.
Landmarks in Pattadakal
- 10
Pattadakal Group of Monuments
A compact riverside cluster of 7th- and 8th-century Shiva temples and one Jain shrine, inscribed by UNESCO in 1987, where northern and southern temple styles sit side by side.
- Time needed
- 2 to 3 hours for the main enclosure; add time for Papanatha and Jain Narayana
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Early morning or late afternoon; November to February for comfortable temperatures
- Tickets
- Entry to the main enclosure is ticketed by the Archaeological Survey of India, with different rates for Indian and foreign visitors. Carry cash as a backup and check current hours and fees on the official ASI ticketing site before you travel.
Close enough to combine