At 1 km from Badami Bus Station, Cave 1 is a rock-cut cave in Badami, Karnataka. It is one of the locations that all Badami tour packages must include.

Badami Cave 1 existed during the last of the sixth century CE. It is one of the earliest examples of an early medieval Deccan Shiva shrine that has survived with its linga intact. It is the smallest of the Badami cave temples. Its architectural, sculptural, and artistic aspects further imply that it was the initial find. Its specialty makes it a must among the places to visit in Badami.

Architecture of Badami Cave 1

The main architectural layout of Cave 1 is the same as that of Chaitya and Vihara. It is just like the other cave temples at the location. An earlier generation of northern Deccan rock-cut caves used similar strategies. It consists of a pillared verandah or Mukha mandapa, a pillared hall or sabha mandap. It also contains an inner sanctum or garbhagriha excavated into the rear wall.

The porch still features Bhuta Ganas in different moods and extends into a west wing housing a subsidiary shrine. The Ganas form an additional band for this shrine and populate the dados of the sculptural panels within. The single-bayed unit with the subsidiary shrine contains a sculpture of Mahishasuramardhini. Karthikeya accompanies it on its south wall and a relief of Ganesha on its north wall. 

The Mukha mandapa has five bays featuring four rows of square-sectioned pillars and two engaged-corner or cantoned posts. The posts have their floor to describe and detail the transverse bays.

The cave is famous for its exquisite sculptures. Shiva appears as Nataraja, a dancing figure from the Bharata Natya with 18 arms. He is the subject of the cave's most well-known sculpture. The Ardhanareeswara sculpture, a hybrid of Shiva and Parvathi, is another noteworthy piece in the cave. The enormous Harihara (a fusion of Shiva and Vishnu) and their consorts, Parvathi and Lakshmi, are opposite. Another magnificent cave sculpture is Mahishasura Mardini.

The five-hooded Nagaraja, king of snakes, is depicted in exquisite detail on the verandah ceiling, accompanied by endearing celestial couples. Wall brackets support the intricately carved circular pillars in the center hall. The pillars feature scenes from Parvathi's wedding. On the pillars of the verandah, there are sculptures of various dream creatures.