Agastya Lake
15°55′11.3″N 75°41′11.5″E / 15.919806°N 75.686528°E
| Agasthya lake | |
|---|---|
| Agastya lake or Vatapi lake | |
| Location | Badami |
| Type | Artificial lake |
| Etymology | Agastya |
| Built | 5th-7th century |
Interactive map of Agasthya lake | |
Agastya lake, also sometimes written as Agasthya lake or referred to as Vatapi lake, is an artificial lake built c. 5th-7th century in Badami, Karnataka, South India.[1] It is a popular tourist spot,[2] as it is overlooked by the Badami cave temples.[3]
The name Vatapi lake comes from the fact that Badami was previously called Vatapi.
Holiness
According to Hinduism, the sage Agastya was the one that created the lake, thus giving the name.[4] He was a revered sage of the religion.[5]
The Mahabharata, a book that frequently talks about Agastya, mentions the lake:
When he reaches Agastya's lake, a man, devoted to the worship of Gods and ancestors, who stays there for three nights, obtains the fruit of the Laud of the Fire.
The meaning of "the fruit of the Laud of Fire" is unknown.
The water of the lake is considered to be holy due to the origins of the lake. As such, it is frequently used to wash clothes.[7]
Structure
The lake is fully surrounded by the Badami cave temples. On its east coast, the Bhutanatha group of temples is located.[8][9][10] Most of Badami's temples are located nearby or surrounding the lake.[11][12]
The lake is a tourist spot precisely because it is overlooked by the cave temples, providing a view.[13][3]
Method of construction
It is not exactly known how was the lake built, due to there not being any records of its construction, even though it is well established that it was man-made.[14][15]
One source says that a dam was built in to the east of Badami between the bases of the hills forming a large tank to supply of water to the town.[16]
According to religion, as mentioned earlier, it is said that the vedic sage Agastya created the lake.[4]
Incredible India, a government funded tourism website, says that the lake was built as a strategic water deposit to source water to Badami.[17]
Date of construction
It is widely debated when was the lake built. Many sources place the date in the 5th century, but others place it around the 6th or 7th century.[13]
Incredible India, claims that the lake was built in the 7th century.[17]
Flood
In September 2022, after heavy rain, along with other rivers and lakes, Agasthya lake flooded, damaging the Badami cave temples.[18]
References
- ^ Sc, Subhash C. Biswas D. (29 September 2014). India the Land of Gods. PartridgeIndia. p. 226. ISBN 978-1-4828-3655-4. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
- ^ "Lure of an overnight stay at NK". The Hindu. 21 January 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
- ^ a b "Badami: Agatsya Lake – A view from the Badami caves". YatrikaOne. 18 August 2019. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
- ^ a b "Agasthya lake". www.avathi.com. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
- ^ Wendy Doniger (1981). The Rig Veda: An Anthology : One Hundred and Eight Hymns, Selected, Translated and Annotated. Penguin Books. pp. 167–168. ISBN 978-0-14-044402-5.
- ^ Buitenen, Johannes Adrianus Bernardus; Fitzgerald, James L. (1973). The Mahābhārata. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-84664-4.
- ^ "India 2007, part 9 (Badami, Pattadakal)". Svuda podji. 10 January 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
- ^ Chugh, Lalit (23 May 2017). Karnataka's Rich Heritage – Temple Sculptures & Dancing Apsaras: An Amalgam of Hindu Mythology, Natyasastra and Silpasastra. Notion Press. ISBN 978-1-947137-36-3.
- ^ Gupta, Hari Prakash (6 May 2023). Incredible Temples and Sanatan Sanskriti. Blue Rose Publishers. p. 115. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
- ^ "Badami cave temple | Bhutanatha Temple | Agastya theertha lake". Karnataka Tourism. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
- ^ Abram, David; Guides (Firm), Rough (2003). South India. Rough Guides. p. 337. ISBN 978-1-84353-103-6. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
- ^ Chugh, Lalit (8 April 2016). Karnataka's Rich Heritage - Art and Architecture: From Prehistoric Times to the Hoysala Period. Notion Press. ISBN 978-93-5206-825-8. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
- ^ a b "10 caves in India that carry valuable secrets of their historical past". The Times of India. 13 November 2025. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
- ^ Sen, Aloka Parasher (23 October 2024). Handbook on Urban History of Early India. Springer Nature. p. 158. ISBN 978-981-97-6230-9. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
- ^ Thammaya, Chaitanya (14 October 2020). "Badami Caves: Exploring The Cave Temples Of Badami". Travel.Earth. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
- ^ Fergusson, James (1880). The Caves Temples of India. W. H. Allen. p. 405.
- ^ a b "Explore Badami The Ancient City of Karnataka". Incredible India. Government of India. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
- ^ "Dharwad: 50,000 hectares flooded, 1,172 buildings damaged". The Times of India. Times News Network (TNN). 7 September 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2025.