Meguti hill, Aihole

Three main places here: the Mallikarjuna at the foot of the hill, and the Buddhist and Jain temples up the stone steps. We visited the latter ones first.

Buddhist and Jain shrines

You first come to a two-storied Buddhist shrine: then a few more steps to the summit of the hill, where the Jain temple sprawls over the flattish expanse. The latter is significant not just for its early date but for the so-called “Aihole inscription” on its walls from 634 CE—featuring the earliest known monumental reference to Kalidasa.

Two-storied Buddhist shrine

Jain temple

“Aihole inscription” from 634 CE

Inner sanctuary housing the “Jinendra” from the inscription: I like the austerity of the door jambs here

Dolmen, 2000-1000 BCE

The Mallikarjuna

Situated at the foot of the hill, we spotted this temple right away but had to wait to get to it: small, but I thought exquisite.