Badami Caves by local guide, Karnataka, India #IncredibleIndia

#BadamiCave
#Badami
#Karnataka
#India
#Ardhanarishvara
#Harihara
#Gandharveda
#Nataraja

Cave 1 is about 59 feet (18 m) above ground level on the north-west part of the hill. Access is through a series of steps that depict carvings of dwarfish ganas in different postures as if they hold the cave floor. The verandah, with an inner measurement of 70 feet (21 m) by 65 feet (20 m), has five columns sculpted with reliefs of flower garlands, foliage and jewelry.

Nataraja Carving

The cave portrays the Tandava-dancing Shiva as Nataraja on the rock face to the right of entrance and also part of Gandharveda. The image, 5 feet (1.5 m) tall, has 18 arms (9 in left and 9 on right) in a form that expresses the dance position (about 9x9=81 combinations in total) arranged in a geometric pattern, which Alice Boner – a Swiss art historian and Indologist, states is a time division symbolizing the cosmic wheel. The eighteen arms express Natya mudras (symbolic hand gestures), with some holding objects such as drums, a flame torch, a serpent, a trident and an axe. Shiva has his son Ganesha and the bull Nandi by his side. Adjoining the Nataraja, the wall depicts the goddess Durga of Shaktism tradition slaying the buffalo-demon Mahishasura. The sculptors had excellent knowledge of the natya mudras of Bharatanatya (a very popular classical dance in southern part of India), because there is no chance to correct any errors and it has to be perfectly carved at the first place otherwise the entire cave has to be abandoned.

Shiva's dance is Ugra tandava natya (angry mode) dancing on a Rakshasa (daemon), but here the dance is particularly called Lalitha Natya Chatur tandava (which is a happy mode) and you could see that the dance performed on a lotus flower and the sons of Shiva are also participating in the dance, Ganesha is dancing and Karthikeya is playing an musical instrument Mruthungam along with Nandi on the other side.

Mahisasura Mardhini Carving

On the right side of the Nataraja carving is an amazing carving of Mahishaasura mardini with Chaturbhuja (Chatur means 4, Bhuja means hands). The sculpture depicts the killing of the Assura (daemon) Mahishaasura by Goddess Durga. Mahishasura was the son of Mahisi and great grandson of Bhahmarishi Kashyapa.

On the left of the entrance is a two-handed Shaiva dvarapala who holds a trident, and below him is a bull-elephant fused image where they share a head; seen from left it is an elephant and from right a bull.

Harihara Carving

Once inside the veranda, the cave presents a carved sculpture of Harihara, a 7.75-foot (2.36 m) high sculpture of a fused image that is half-Shiva and half-Vishnu. He is flanked on respective sides with the goddesses Parvati and Lakshmi.

Ardhanareshwara Carving

To the right, toward the end of the wall, is a relief sculpture of Ardhanarishvara, a fused image of Shiva and his consort Parvati. One half of the image has Shiva with a moon on his mukuta (head), snakes in his hands, earings and next to the half that represents Parvati is an attendant carrying a tray of jewels. Next to the Ardhanarishvara half that represents Shiva is Nandi the bull, and skeletal Bhringi, a devotee of Shiva. The Bhringi sadhu carvings shows the advance knowledge of anatomy for the whole body which includes the Skulls, Ribs, bones on hands and legs.

The carvings of Ardhanareshwara and Harihara were carefully built with a vision by the Chalukya kings delivering message to the Chalukya citizens about the equal rights for men and women in the society and need to mutually respect each other. There is no great male and no great female.

Inside this cave, the sons of Shiva, Ganesha and Kartikeya, the god of war and family deity of the Chalukya dynasty, are seen in one of the carved sculptures on the walls of the cave, with Kartikeya riding a peacock. The roof of the cave has five carved panels with the central panel depicting the Nagaraja, with flying couples on both sides. The head and bust are well formed and project from the centre of the coil. In another compartment a bas-relief 2.5 feet (0.76 m) in diameter has carvings of a male and female; the male is Yaksha carrying a sword and the female is Apsara with a flying veil. The succeeding panel has carvings of two small figures and the panel at the end is carved with lotuses.

All the figures are adorned with carved ornaments and surrounded by borders with reliefs of animals and birds. The lotus design is a common theme. On the ceiling are images of the Vidyadhara couples as well as couples in courtship and erotic Mithuna scenes. Through a cleft in the back wall of the cave is a square sanctuary with more carved images. In the mantapa is a seated Nandi facing the garbha ghruha (sacrum sanctum) containing a Shiva linga.