Kan: ಐಹೊಳೆ aihoḷe
‘Aryan Village’ [Ayyavole, Aryapura, Aivalli, Ahivolal] Archaeological Site/Ancient City, Karnataka.
From Skt: arya, ‘noble’, ‘excellent’; and Kan: p/v→halli, ‘village’, ‘settlement’.
Aihole is a major archaeological site featuring over 120 Buddhist, Jain and Hindu temples stone and cave temples dating from the 6th-12thC. These stone and cave monuments are scattered along the Malaprabha river valley. Given its age it has had plenty of time to metamorphose from Aryapura or Aryapalli to Ayyavalli and then Aihole.
For related place names see Indian Place names and Karnataka place names.
8thC Durga temple comples, Aihole Ms Sarah Welch
