Badami is a modern name and was previously known as "Vataapi", the capital of the early Chalukya dynasty, which ruled much of Karnataka from the 6th to the 8th century.

Badami is situated on the west bank of a man-made lake ringed by an earthen wall with stone steps; it is surrounded on the north and south by forts built during Early Chalukya and in later times.

[2] Badami, also referred to as Vatapi, Vatapipura, Vatapinagari and Agastya Tirtha in historical texts,[3] the capital of Chalukya dynasty in the 6th century, is at the exit point of a ravine between two steep mountain cliffs.

Four cave temples in the escarpment of the hill to the south-east of the town were carved into the cliff's monolithic stone face.

The escarpment is above a man-made lake called Agastya Teertha, created by an earthen dam faced with stone steps.

[9] The inscription, written in the old Kannada language,[3][10] has enabled the dating of these rock cave temples to the 6th century.

Access is through a series of steps that depict carvings of dwarfish ganas in different postures as if they hold the cave floor.

[24][26][19] 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.

[19] The eighteen arms express Natya mudras (symbolic hand gestures),[27] with some holding objects such as drums, a flame torch, a serpent, a trident and an axe.

Adjoining the Nataraja, the wall depicts the goddess Durga of Shaktism tradition slaying the buffalo-demon Mahishasura.

[25] 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.

[26][25] 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.

[28][25] The Bhringi sadhu carvings shows the advance knowledge of anatomy for the whole body which includes the Skulls, Ribs, bones on hands and legs.

Below the raised step is a frieze showing the legend of Vamana dwarf avatar of Vishnu, before he morphs into the Trivikrama form.

[11] Another major relief shows the legend of Vishnu in his Varaha (a boar) avatar rescuing goddess earth (Bhudevi) from the depths of cosmic ocean, with a penitent multi-headed snake (Nāga) below.

[19][33] These show the legend of cosmic ocean churning (Samudra Manthan) and Krishna's birth and flute playing indicating the theological and cultural significance of these in 7th century India.

The ceiling and door head carvings show Gajalakshmi, the swastika symbols, flying couples, Brahma, Vishnu asleep on Shesha and others.

It has intricately carved friezes and giant figures of Trivikrama, Anantasayana, Vasudeva, Varaha, Harihara and Narasimha.

[39] Each column and pilaster is carved with wide, deep bases crowned with capitals that are partly hidden by brackets on three sides.

A moulded cornice in the facia, with a dado of blocks below it (generally 7 feet (2.1 m) long), has about thirty compartments carved with two dwarves called ganas.

This and other epigraphical evidence suggests that the cave temple was inaugurated on the "full moon day, 1 November 578".

The cave shows many Kama scenes in pillar brackets, where a woman and a man are in courtship or mithuna (erotic) embrace.

[46][47] Aspects of the culture, cosmetics and clothing in the 6th century is visible in the art sculpted in this cave, showing a sophisticated tradition.

[55] On the other side of the lake, near the Bhutanatha temple, is a 7th-8th century Chalukya period cave of small dimensions.

Inside, there is a carved statue seated over a sculpted throne with reliefs showing people holding chauris (fans), a Pipal tree,[56] elephants, and lions in an attacking pose.

According to George Michell, the halo, the Pipal tree, and cloak-like dress suggests that this was originally a Buddha statue.

[57] Another theory found in colonial-era texts such as one by John Murray – a missionary in British India and Jainism scholar,[60] states the main image carved in Cave 5 is that of a Jaina figure.

[57] According to Carol Radcliffe Bolon – Assistant Curator at the Smithsonian Freer Gallery of Art, the date and identity of the main statue in Cave 5 remains enigmatic.

Above the reclining carved relief are the ten avatars of Vishnu – Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parashurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, and Kalki.

To the left of the relief is depicted the Trinity – Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma, while to the right is a human couple and a mother cow with a calf feeding.