Banashankari Temple, Badami

The Banashankari Temple near Badami is dedicated to Banashankari, a form of Parvati, and is revered across Karnataka. Its origins are traced to the Chalukyas of the 7th century, though some accounts place worship here even earlier. A well-known legend says the goddess came to a Chalukya king in a dream and asked him to build her a shrine, and that his kingdom prospered once he did.

In the sanctum the eight-armed goddess is shown seated on a lion, pressing a demon beneath her feet. Rituals continue through the day, with an evening aarti, and Navaratri and Dussehra are celebrated on a large scale. The biggest event is the Banashankari Devi Jatra, held each year in January and February, which brings pilgrims and visitors from far away. The temple also figures in Kannada fiction and films. The Badami cave temples lie a short distance away.