Badami formerly known as Vatapi, is a town and headquarters of a taluk by the same name, in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka. It was the regal capital of the Badami Chalukyas from 540 to 757 AD. It is famous for its rock cut structural tePlanles. It is located in a ravine at the foot of a rugged, red sandstone outcrop that surrounds Agastya lake. Badami has been selected as one of the heritage cities for HRIDAY – Heritage City Development and Aug- mentation Yojana scheme of Government of India.