It was a sunny day when we went to Mahakuta and the best thing most of the people doing there to beat that heat was to jump into the Kalyani(Water tank).Remember the famous song Barso Re Megha Megha from the movie Guru.This is the same tank into which Aishwarya Rai jumps in the song.
Mahakuta is around 15kms away from Badami and the temples(there are a group of temples in this complex) here are dated 6th Century and constructed by the Chalukya kings of Badami.Some of these temples are in ruins.At the entrance of this complex, i saw people drying clothes on the ground and there was a cradle tied to the tree which the priest over there was swinging it.Mahakuteswara is the main temple inside the complex.There is a Nandi in front.of this temple.In the middle of the Kalyani, there is a four faced Shiva Linga.This temple complex is home to the Lakulisha, the only known nude form of Shiva.Mallikarjuna temple,Sangameshvara temple,Vishnu temple are some of the others temple in this complex.There are many smaller shrines one side of the Kalyani(Tank),including the identical Sangameshvara and Mahalinga temples.
It looked like there was a huge forest surrounding this complex long back.I definitely felt the sense of it while walking through these temples.Except at the Kalyani where people were jumping in the water and some devotes taking a dip, the rest of the places were pretty much empty.The shout of the birds was all i could hear at the corners of this complex.
Saw quite a few people getting their food packed and eating around this complex.
My view about Mahakuta is that this temple complex is not well maintained and neglected in spite of its architecture.
Check my previous blog about Badami to know more about Badami.
