Badami Cave Temples

Badami was the capital of the early Chalukya dynasty from the 6th to 8th centuries CE, and its four cave temples — three Hindu and one Jain — are among the earliest and finest examples of Indian rock-cut architecture. Carved directly into a sandstone cliff overlooking the artificial Agastya Lake, the caves combine intricate sculpture (including a celebrated depiction of Nataraja in 18 dance poses) with a rare fusion of Nagara and Dravidian temple styles, foreshadowing the later temple architecture of Aihole and Pattadakal nearby.

Badami holds a special place in India’s postal history: it was the site of Karnataka’s first-ever Permanent Pictorial Cancellation, released in 1987, decades before the Philately Passport program packaged the idea into a travel companion for the whole state. One PPC has since been added for every district — the Philately Passport is, in effect, the completion of an idea that started here.

Getting there: Badami is roughly 5-6 hours by road from Bengaluru, and well connected from Hampi and Bagalkot town. The post office sits in the main town, a short walk from the cave temple entrance.