If you are already visiting Hampi and loved the sandstone ruins, I suggest you take some time and explore a bit more nearby. A little north of Hampi is the small town of Badami famous for the ancient Badami Cave temples.
Badami was once the capital of the glorious Chalukya Empire between 6th and 12th century AD. The Dynasty at its peak ruled large parts of central and southern India. Their reign ranged from present-day southern Gujarat to the northern border of Kerala and all the way to Bay of Bengal in the East.
The town is something like an extension to the sandstone boulder landscapes of Hampi. The caves temples of Badami being the centre of attraction that pulls tourists around the area.
In fact, the towns of Paddakal and Aihole all a few kilometres apart from each other calls for a visit for the history buffs and architecture enthusiast and has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
These are a complex of Hindu and Jain temples in Badami. There are a set of four temples named as Cave 1, 2, 3 and 4.
The cave temples of Badami along with Padakkal and Aihole make a strong candidate for the title of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In fact, some of these are already acknowledged as them. These temples are the oldest Hindu cave temples found in the region dating back to the 6th and the 7th century, far ahead of others that will be built in time. All the cave temples in Badami are cut out of soft sandstone. Each cave follows a story pattern and figurines have a theme. For example, the first three caves depict the Hindu gods of Shiva and Vishnu where the fourth cave has features from Jain icons. Additionally, the first two caves are done in the Deccan style of art while the third cave is a complex fusion of North Negara and southern Dravidian styles.
Cave 1:
The first Badami cave temple is dedicated to Nataraja (Lord Shiva). Lifesize 18 handed Nataraja image striking 81 dance poses welcomes the visitors here.
Cave 2:
This Badami cave temple is flanked by celestial guardians and dwarf statues. This cave shows several of Lord Vishnu’s avatars. Four ornate pillars with carvings of the mythical lion Yali support this temple
Cave 3:
This is the finest as well as the largest of the group. It has giant-sized images of Lord Vishnu seated on a coiled serpent along with other images of the Vaishnava pantheon. As in other caves, every inch of the roof and pillars are carved.
Cave 4:
This cave temple is dedicated to the Jainism. A small cave with images of Jain Tirthankaras, the sanctum holds a large sculpture of Lord Mahavira. This temple leads to the fort and the top of the hill.
Ref : https://www.thestupidbear.com/badami-cave-temples-karnataka-india/