Aihole Photoblog

“It is dusk, a time for foreplay to begin @ Aihole “ felt the artisans of the chalukyan era. The artistic freedom for the artisans to depict erotica was witenessed in plenty. For skeptics it may sound like an exaggerated marketing gimmick to promote a tourist destination, for lovers of heritage it real passionate plea inviting them to explore the fourth century passion play exhibited on granite. No wonder Aihole is considered to be school of architecture in Indian History.

 On the banks of river Malaprabha flourished a civilization beyond imagination, unknown to the invading Ghori’s, Ghazni’s, Moghuls, Sultans or even Tipu Sultan. However the amount of artifacts missing from the site of Aihole seems to be mindboggling. If one can conjure up 500 temples in and around this ancient city of Aryapura according to inscriptions, it points out to systematic approach to rediscover the same. ASI has set up an office and doing precisely the work of re-inventing and sprucing up the destination, with a little help from Govt, if they could relocate 50 odd families residing in and around the monuments we could discover an ancient world beyond imagination.

Aihole is considered to be school of  Indian architecture, 6 centuries before Khajuraho was sculpted artisans in Aihole experimented with erotic sculptures under the patronage of Chalukyan emperors.  Most of these artisans might have migrated over a period of time from Ellora and Ajanta zone.  Aihole is located in the close proxmity of  Badami and Pattadakal, don t underestimate this place, it requires almost a full day to cover this destination with Melguti, Ravanpada, Galganatha complex and the main complex of  Durga temple.  


Detailed Travelouge : http://indiabackpacker.blogspot.com/search/label/Aihole