Aihole

A Doorway to Another World

Fantastic and full of surprises: the best way to describe the beautiful little town of Aihole. That’s because it’s only here that the majestic temples have to fight for your attention with an even more arresting landscape. The visuals you see here is nothing short of a work of art that provokes reactions of awe.

Also known as the cradle of Indian temple architecture, Aihole has been riddled by myths and legends since the beginning of time. The name itself has an interesting backstory. According to one legend, Lord Parashurama, after avenging the murder of his father, came to the Malaprabha river to wash his axe. The river is said to have turned red with all the blood flowing into it, causing him to exclaim ‘ai ai! Holi’ (ah, the river) out of shock.

Among the most notable structures here is the Durga Fort Temple, which houses the awe-inspiring & carved to perfection idol of the fearsome deity slaying Mahishasura. Besides this, there are close to over fifty temples within and outside the fort's walls that stand testimony to the exquisite Hoysala, Buddhist, Jain, Dravida, Nagara and Rekhanagara style of architecture. Other remarkable sites are the Konta Temple Complex, the Uma Maheswari Temple (dedicated to Lord Brahma), the austere Jain Meguti Temple and the two-storied Buddhist Temple among others.