Pilgrimage Tours
Photo: G41rn8 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped
Banashankari Amma Temple stands at Cholachagudda, about 5 km from Badami in Bagalkot district, and is dedicated to Banashankari — a form of Parvati whose name means the goddess of the forest. The black-stone image in the sanctum shows her seated on a lion, eight-armed, with a demon beneath her foot. The goddess was the family deity of the Badami Chalukyas, and inscriptions record the image being installed in the early 7th century; the temple standing today was rebuilt in 1750 by the Maratha chieftain Parashuram Agale, in a Vijayanagara-influenced style. Its most recognisable feature is the large square temple tank in front, the Haridra Tirtha, edged with pillared colonnades and stone lamp towers (deepa stambhas) that light up during festivals.
October to February is the comfortable window — the Deccan heat around Badami is severe from March to May, and elders will find those months hard. The temple's big occasion is the Banashankari Jatre, held around the full moon of the Hindu month Pausha (usually January) and continuing for close to three weeks, with a chariot procession and a boat ritual on the tank. Expect heavy crowds and packed village roads through the jatre; if you are travelling with elderly parents or small children and want a quiet darshan, come in November, December or February instead.
Nearest airport is Hubballi (Hubli), roughly 105-110 km away, with Belagavi about 140-150 km; Bengaluru is the nearest large international gateway, a long road or overnight rail journey away. Badami has its own railway station on the Hubballi-Solapur line, about 5-6 km from the temple, and autorickshaws and local buses run from Badami town. By road the temple sits on the Badami-Gadag route (SH 57), and most travellers reach it as part of a Badami-Aihole-Pattadakal circuit.
This is a working village temple, not part of the ticketed ASI monument complex at the Badami caves, so plan it as a separate stop. There is no long climb or trek — access is largely level, which suits elderly pilgrims. Modest dress is expected and footwear is left outside; photography rules inside the sanctum are set by the temple and can change, so ask before you raise a camera. Darshan hours also vary by day and during the jatre — confirm with the temple before you travel.
Planned around you, not a fixed departure. Holiday Vibez arranges pilgrimages to Banashankari Temple in Badami for families, elders and temple groups travelling from Chennai, Coimbatore, Kochi and Madurai. Tell us your dates and how many are coming — we build the route around that. 100% customisable.
- Stays near the shrine — so elders aren't driven back and forth at 4am.
- Private transfers — pick-up from your door, not a meeting point.
- Meals that suit the group — including pure-veg and fasting requirements.
- Group travel — 4 people or 40, one coordinator, one itinerary.
- Someone on the phone — when you're in a queue three states from home.
Temple boards run their own darshan queues and quotas. No travel agent can sell you a special one, and agencies that promise "VIP darshan" are either misleading you or breaking the trust's rules. We help you book the official slots and we get everything else right.
Most of the people we send on yatra are over 55, or booking for parents who are. We plan shorter driving days, stays within walking distance where the shrine allows it, and we'll tell you honestly if a site involves a long climb or a trek before you pay — not after.
How far is Banashankari Temple from the Badami caves, and can both be done in one day?
The temple is about 5 km from Badami town, roughly 15 to 20 minutes by autorickshaw or car from the cave temples. Both fit comfortably into a single day, and many travellers add Pattadakal and Aihole to the same trip.
When is the Banashankari Jatre and is it too crowded for elderly travellers?
The fair begins around the Pausha full moon, usually in January, and runs for about three weeks with a chariot procession and a boat ritual on the temple tank. It is genuinely crowded — village lanes, parking and queues are all under pressure. If mobility is a concern, visit outside the jatre. Exact dates shift each year with the Hindu calendar, so confirm with the temple before booking.
Is there a climb or many steps at the temple?
No. Unlike the Badami cave temples, which involve a considerable stair climb, Banashankari temple is on level ground and is one of the easier stops in the area for older pilgrims. The steps down to the Haridra Tirtha tank are optional.
Plan your Banashankari Temple yatra
Family & group yatras · Free expert callback
Enquiry received!
Our travel expert will call you back soon (during Mon–Sat · 9–6 IST).
Ref: —Couldn’t send right now
No problem — reach us instantly on WhatsApp or call and we’ll take your enquiry directly.