Cave 1 of Badami cave temples is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It has a square shaped sanctum hollowed in the control back wall. It has paintings of couples passionately in love on the ceiling. There are paintings of amorous couples on the ceiling. Other sculptures include Shiva and Goddess Parvati with a coiled serpent and the 18 armed Nataraja in about eighty one dancing poses. This cave must have been carved before 578 A.D. as in this year cave 3 was completed.
Before the entrance on the right side there is an image of Shiva nataraja with eighteen arms. In two hands above his head he holds a snake. In the right hand he holds a damaru, a garland and a lasso. He carries a trident, a veena in his left hand. The moon crest is seen on his forehead. Shiva is seen here in eighty one positions if one considers the left and right hand at a time. There is a small gateway to the west where there is a sculpture of Mahishasuramardini Durga. Durga`s killing of the demon is also known. She holds a disc and a conch in her two hands respectively.
On the pedestal there are ten dwarfs. On top there are two celestial beings. On her right side Kartik is seated on his peacock. On her left side there is the image of Lord Ganesha. Ganesha holds his dish with sweets in the left hand. In the verandah on the western side there is Ardhanarishvara. The ascetic Bhringi is close by that image. Lord Shiva and Vishnu in one image is known as Harihar which is on the eastern side in the verandah. The attributes in this image are the same as the image of Ardhanarishvara. At his side Parvati and bull Nandi are seen. Beside Lord Vishnu is his consort Lakshmi and Garud. On the right side of the image of Harihar stands a doorman; on top is Shiva and Parvati seated on the bull Nandi. Below that there is an image of a bull-elephant combination. In the ceiling one can see the image of Gandharvas. In its centre is Adishesh or the King of the snakes, with a human head. The sculptures on the sixteen pillars have an erotic implication.
