BADAMI

town, northern Karnataka (formerly Mysore) state, southwestern India. The town was known as Vatapi in ancient times and was the first capital of the Calukya kings. It is the site of important 6th- and 7th-century Brahmanical and Jaina cave temples. Dug out of solid rock, the temples contain elaborate interior decorations. Pop. (1991 prelim.) 19,919.