Aihole

Aihole is a small village in Karnataka that houses more than 100 early medieval Hindu and Jain temples, making it one of the most important sites of the early Chalukya dynasty. The temples were built between the 6th and 8th centuries CE and are considered a laboratory of Indian temple architecture: Chalukya builders systematically experimented here with ground plans, superstructure forms, and sculptural ornamentation that would go on to shape all of South Indian sacred building. Among the highlights is the Durga Temple, whose unusual apsidal plan echoes early Buddhist chaitya halls. The temple complex has been on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List since 2015. Unlike better-known Karnataka sites such as Hampi, Aihole remains relatively unvisited, allowing for an unhurried exploration of sandstone shrines in various states of preservation.