Monument Name Khajuraho Location Khajuraho State Madhya Pradesh Timings Timings : 8am to 6pm. Coordinates 23.2313, 77.4976 Wikipedia Links http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khajuraho Entrance Fee Other Details

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Khajuraho - after the Taj it is the most frequently visited monument in India. Khajuraho is a unique example of Indo-Aryan architecture. The Chandela rulers between 950-1050 built these temples. There were 85 temples, which were built, and only 22 of them survive today.

Unlike other temples Khajuraho temples are said to have a theme (women), which comes in front while going through the temples. A celebration of womankind, her myriad moods and facets. There are carvings of a woman writing letter, applying makeup to her eyes, combing her tresses, dancing, and playing with her child. Innocent, coquettish, smiling, seductive, passionate and beautiful, all depicted in intricate detail, sharply etched, sculpted with consummate skill. One opinion says Chandelas were followers of the tantric cult, which believes that gratification of Earthly desires is a step towards attaining the infinite liberation, Nirvana. For many centuries these temples were concealed in the dense jungles to be discovered by Captain T.S Burt in 1838. But tourists were allowed here only after the basic tourist infrastructures were built in the area.

Vishwanath Temple

A three headed image of Brahma is enshrined in this temple. The approach is equally impressive, with lions flanking the northen and elephants the southern steps that lead up to it. A Nandi-Bull faces the shrine.

Sculptures

The image together with its pedestal is carved out of one piece of yellow sandstone and is exquisitely finished to a glossy lustre. The colossal Varaha is s powerfully modelled sculpture of a boar decorated all over with neat rows of figures of gods and goddesses totalling 674 executed in relief. On the front of the muzzle between the two nostrils is depicted four-armed Saraswati seated in 'lalitasana' holding 'veena' in one pair of hands and lotus and book in the other. The nine planets divided into groups of four and five are carved respectively on the right and left sides of the muzzle below the ears.

Water-divinities riding on 'makaras' and carrying water jars are carved on the hoofs to represent the rise of the boar from the waters and the 'Dikpalas' are figures on the legs to suggest the cosmic character of the deity. The tail end of the serpent, which was described by Cunningham as supporting the Boar's tail, is now mutilated. To the mouth end of the serpent is attached a mutilated dwarf figure with a peculiar head which may represent Garuda.

On the proper left of this dwarf figure occurs two ornamented female feet of probably Bhudevi (the earthy-goddess). The left tusk of the Boar is chipped off together with the main figure of Bhudevi, which it should have supported. One of Bhudevi's arms was also intact, resting against the Boar's neck till 1838, but only slight traces of it have now survived.

Externally the pillar brackets support a ribbed awning, which is surmounted by a few simple mouldings. The pyramidal roof comprises nine stepped 'kapota'-shaped tiers separated by plain recessed courses. The neck is surmounted by crowning members comprising a pair of 'chandrikas' (capstones) a plain 'amalaka' (cogged wheel), a capstone and a 'kalasa' (pitcher).

The temples of Khajuraho were built by the rulers of the Chandella dynasty between the 10th and the 12th centuries. Legend has it that there were originally 85 temples, but there is no independent evidence for this number, and currently 25 temples have been identified. Earlier occupation dates back to the Gupta period. The temples withstood the ravages of time and Muslim invaders - amazingly, they seem to have been forgotten from the 13th century onward - until they were rediscovered by the British Captain T.S. Burt in 1838. The temples were probably used for worship by the royal family and court, and present a continuous development of central Indian temple architecture during the Chandella period.

The sculptures which cover the temple walls are justly famous, both as individual works of art and as architectural elements which combine in amazing profusion to decorate fabric of the building. They depict a heavenly court with major and minor divinities, attendants, beautiful maidens, dancers and musicians, mythical animals, and erotic couples.

Khajuraho is a World Heritage site. Originally supplied with abundant waterworks by means of tanks and canals, the temples are now displayed in a beautiful, park-like setting.

Vishvanatha Temple (Khajuraho, India)

Facing approximately north, from the entrance to the West Group. Vishvanatha temple is on the left. A modern temple is on the right.

Lakshmana Temple

View of the temple from the northwest corner.

Kandariya Mahadeva Temple (Khajuraho, India)

View from the southwest. Dating from the mid-11th century, this east-facing Shiva temple is a culmination of the design seen earlier in Lakshmana and Vishvanatha temples. Kandariya Mahadeva's shikara rises about 30m (100 feet) above the platform which it shares with the older Devi Jagadambi temple. 84 fractal replicas adorn the main tower in a soaring, mountainous profusion.

Kandariya Mahadeva temple, Khajuraho (Chamunda)

Chamunda, one of the Seven Mothers, is the slayer of two demons named Chanda and Munda. This statue, although damaged, brilliantly captures the goddess's terrifying aspect. It is located on the base of the south wall, in the second niche from the right (east).

Kandariya Mahadeva temple, Khajuraho (Bhairava)

Bhairava is a fierce manifestation of Shiva as lord of the cremation grounds. His attributes as shown here include a skull, hand drum, headdress of stylized flames, and canine vahana.

Kandariya Mahadeva and Devi Jagadambi temples

A view from the east. Kandariya Mahadeva is towards the viewer's left; the smaller Devi Jagadambi (mid-11th century) is towards the viewer's right.

South Wall, Parshvanatha Temple

This Chandella-period (mid-tenth century) Jain temple is dedicated to the 23d tirthankara (savior) Parshvanath, the predecessor of Mahavira. The wall sculpture contains much Hindu, as well as Jain, imagery. Click here for a closeup. It is sometimes suggested that the temple was originally Hindu and subsequently donated to the Jains, but actually the Jain religion by Chandella times had incorporated a great deal of Hindu iconography and practice.

Jain religion was codified by the 24th tirthankara, Mahavira (599-527 BC), a slightly older contemporary of the Buddha. Both Jainism and Buddhism originated as reactions to the orthodox Brahminism of their time. All three religions share the fundamental belief in karma, that a person's situation in present life is the result of good or bad deeds accumulated in previous lives. Jainism and Buddhism differ from Hinduism in rejecting priestly ritual and distinctions of caste. However, unlike the Buddha's Middle Way, Jainism considers extreme asceticism to be the road to salvation - the accepted way for a Jain monk to end his life is to starve himself to death.

Jains believe that everything - animals, insects, even plants and inanimate material - has a soul (jiva). The soul is a small particle of pure light, which is obscured by the dark particles of matter surrounding it (this is a very old idea which dates back at least to the Zoroastrians of Persia in the first millennium BC). The aim of Jainist purification is to remove obscuring gross matter in order to liberate the soul within. Jains accept many dietary and behavioral restrictions in order to avoid harming the multitude of souls. For example, they wear gauze masks so as not to breathe in small insects, and will not eat root vegetables such as garlic and onions, since pulling up the root destroys the plant. Indeed, Jains cannot be farmers, since farming involves harm to plants (weeding and harvesting), insects (destroying insects and other vermin that threaten the crop), and the multitude of small animals that live in the soil (ploughing). Because mercantile occupations offer the least chance of direct harm to plants and animals, Jain laymen tend to make their living as traders, merchants, and shopkeepers. Of course, they still must eat the food that farmers provide.

Shantinath Temple

Shantinath is the sixteenth Tirthankara. The enormous statue is 4.5 meters (almost 15 feet) high.

Duladeo Temple

Duladeo in the southern group of temples was built in the late 12th century, making it one of the last Chandella temples. It features a star-shaped ground plan, and the tower has been reconstructed. In this unusual shot, a man is climbing around the roof, with the aid of a helper and a rope, in order to knock off birds' nests and other debris.

Chaturbhuja Tample

Chaturbhuja was built in the early 12th century, and has been heavily restored. Tall in proportion to its length, it contains a well-known image of Vishnu (next page) in the garbhagriha.

Chaturbhuja temple, Khajuraho

This tall (2.7 meters, almost 9 feet) statue was formerly considered to be a Shiva image, but is now thought to be a form of Vishnu (Desai, p. 76).

Yogini Temples, Orissa

Orissa has the distinction of preserving two of the outstanding temples of goddess Yogini, one at Hirapur, a village near Bhubaneswar and another at Ranipur-Jharial in Bolangir district. The temple was built in the 9th century AD and is the center of Tantricism and Shakti even till today. The Bhauma and Somavamsis rulers of Orissa built the Yogini temples. There was a gradual amalgamation of Shaivism, Shaktism and Avajrayana form of Mahayana Buddhism during this period in this region. There are nine Chausanth Yogini temples in India out of which the best kept are at Jabalpur and Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. They were built between 9th and 13th centuries AD.

The Yoginis were considered to be able to confer their devotees with the power to become small or gigantic in size, to control one's body and mind of others, to fly, become invisible, and infinite other useful abilities. The devotees repeated the names of the Goddesses. In the subsequent centuries, when the active use of the shrines reduced, worshippers shifted their venerations to occult paper diagrams. The growth of Yogini cult can be traced to the rural and tribal form of worship. The goddess Yogini derived its form from the local village goddess or the gram devi. The entire development of Yogini worship and the construction of temples are derived from outside the confines of orthodox Brahmanical tradition. The Yogini came into existence in the 7th-8th century AD in the shape of a Sakta-Tantric cult. It continued to flourish as an important manifestation of Shakta Tantricism.

In the villages of India, especially in Orissa, each village has a favored deity. Each gram devi, like Ramchandi, Shyamkali, Harachandi, Tarini, Viraja, Bhagavati, Durgamata, Sarala, Bhadrakali, Kamakhya, Bhabani, Mangala, all presides over the well-being of the village. These village goddesses seem to have been gradually transformed and consolidated into potent numerical groupings of sixty-four acquiring thereby a totally different character. The remains of Yogini temples in various parts of the country clearly reveal that the exponents and followers of this esoteric cult made vigorous attempts to popularize it and this cult was of impelling and vital significance from the 9th to the 12th century.

The Yogini temple at Ranipur-Jharial has a circular wall, which is just 2 meters high and contains 64 niches within its inner perimeter. All the niches except one contain an image of the Goddess Yogini. Some of the idols are depicted with sensual bodies and ornamented bodices. Some others have horrific shrunken features and a few others with animal heads. The temple was worshipped between 9th to 13th century AD in expectation of acquiring supernatural powers by the goddess.

Hirapur Temple The Yogini temple at Hirapur was probably built towards the end of the Bhauma rule, i.e., 9th century AD, as the sculptures strongly resemble those of the famous Mukteshwar temple of Bhubaneswar, which was erected in the 9th century. The Hirapur temple is the smallest among all the Yogini temples and measures 30 ft in diameter with stonewalls barely eight feet high. It is built of coarse sandstone blocks with laterite in foundation. The Yoginis are carved from fine-grained gray chlorite. The inner walls of the temple have sixty-four niches with sixty Yoginis still in position. It is the only temple, which has sculptures on its outer walls. We can see nine niches each containing a female figure made of sandstone. Each figure stands upon a large severed human head, holding a curved knife or javelin in one hand and a skull cup in the other. The entrance of the temple is unusual as it has a projecting entrance way flanked by doorkeepers. There is a skeletal male of fearsome presence on either side of the narrow vestibule. He is wearing a garland of skulls and snake anklets with one figure holding a severed human head. On the pedestal below are two more similar skeletal figures holding skullcaps and jackals beside them.

The sculptures of Hirapur temple are inordinately graceful. Faces are exquisitely carved often depicting a gentle smile and with hair style of various styles and heavily ornamented. The architecture of this temple blends a extremely original sculptural tradition with extraordinary workmanship.

Khajuraho is a fascinating village situated in the state of Madhya Pradesh,India. The fascinating temples of Khajuraho,India's unique gift of love to the world,represent the expression of a highly matured civilization. It is one of the very famous tourist places for both foreign and Indian tourists in India.

Temples of Khajuraho attract the visitors with their sculptural art,which is very exquisite and intricate. Perfect in execution and sublime in expressions these Khajuraho temples are a dedication to the womanhood. The artist's creative instincts have beautifully captured various facets and moods of life in stone.

History And Mythology

The beautiful temples that dot the town of Khajuraho are believed to have been built by the mighty Chandela rulers in 9th and 10th century AD. The engravings on these temples are highly sensual and erotic.

Tantricism and the Shakti cult,where the pancha makaras (five tenets),namely,matsya (fish),madira (wine),maithun (sexual activity),mamsa (meat),and mudra (gesture) were to release the human spirit from the bondage of the flesh,have been described as the possible explanations for the sculptural sensuality of Khajuraho.

Out of 85 temples,only 20 have survived the ravages of time. Made of sandstone blocks fitted together,the temples are aligned east-west. For convenience,these may be divided into western,eastern,and southern groups of temples. The temples at Khajuraho are divided into three broad groups:

The Western Group

This is the largest and paramount group with most of its constituent temples laid out roughly in two rows. The Lakshmana Temple,the Matangesvara Temple and the Varaha Temple form one complex and the Visvanatha and Nandi temples are not far from this complex.

The Kandariya Mahadeo is considered the most evolved example of central Indian temple architecture. Dedicated to Lord Shiva,this temple is also the largest of Khajuraho's temples. The Lakshmana Temple is one of the oldest and finest of the western group of temples. Although the general norm in other temples is three bands of sculpture,this temple has only two. Recurrent themes are battles,hunting,and women.

The temple of Devi Jagdamba is considered by many to be one of the most erotic temples of Khajuraho. The temple houses Khajuraho's most talked-about image,mithuna,and the sensuously carved figures. The temple of Vishvanath and Nandi celebrates the marriage of Lord Shiva with Parvati. From traditional images of women fondling babies and writing letters,they are seen also as the most provocative of images.

Chaunsat Yogini is the oldest of the surviving temples of Khajuraho. This temple is dedicated to goddesses Kaliand is the only temple in Khajuraho that is built in granite. Other important temples in the western group are the temples of Lakshmi and Varaha,Mahadev,Chitragupta,Parvati,and Matangesvara. The eastern group of monuments,situated in close proximity to the Khajuraho village,includes three Brahmanical temples known as Brahma,Vamana and Javari and three Jain temples,the Ghantai,Adinath and Parsvanath.

The temple of Parsvanath is the largest of the Jain temples in Khajuraho and the finest. The temple was originally dedicated to Adinath and latter to Parsvanath. It is the finest example of the sensitive art without any sexual motifs. Shantinath is the youngest of all the temples in Khajuraho. The temple has a four and a half meter statue of Adinath.

Mostly in ruins now,The temple of Ghantai has fine columns and chains and bells,with a figure of a Jain goddess on a garuda. The temple of Brahma and Hanuman is also one of the oldest temples at Khajuraho. The temple is built mostly of granite and sandstone. Two other notable temples are Javari and Vamana temple. The Southern Group : The southern group of monuments comprises the Duladeo and the Chaturbhuja temples. The Duladeo is about a kilometer south of the Khajuraho village and half a mile southwest of the Jain group of temples.

The Duladeo is somewhat new and built in a time when the creativity of Khajuraho was well down its peak. The temple has wooden structures that take away its authenticity somewhat. The other temple is of Chaturbhuja,pretty far from the village. The temple has a 3-m-high statue of Vishnu.

Apart from the temples,another place that can be visited here is the Archeological Museum. It has a very good collection of sculpture,inscriptions,and architectural objects.

The Khajuraho Group of Temples Comes under the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

The Sun temple at Konark is situated on the northeastern corner of Puri or the Chakrakshetra. It is also known as Konaditya. The name Konark is derived from the words Kona meaning corner and Arka meaning sun. Konark is also known as Arkakshetra. The temple was built in 1278 AD by the Ganga king Narasimha Deva. It is also referred to as the Black Pagoda. The ruins of this temple were excavated in late 19th century AD. According to local legends, Samba, the king of Krishna and Jambavati entered the bathing chamber of Krishna's wives and was cursed by Krishna with leprosy. It was decreed that he would be relieved of the curse if he worshipped the Sun God on the seacoast north east of Puri. King Samba reached Konaditya Kshetra and discovered an image of Surya seated on the lotus. He worshipped him and was relieved of his curse. The magnetic dome of the temple caused ships to crash near the seashore. Thus the dome was removed and destroyed and the image of the Sun God was taken to Puri.

Sun Temple Konark The entire temple has been conceived as a chariot of the sun god with 24 wheels, each about 10 feet in diameter, with a set of spokes and elaborate carvings. The temple is shown as being driven by 7 horses. Two lions guard the entrance, crushing elephants. A flight of steps leads to the main entrance. The Nata Mandir is intricately carved. The Jagmohan is intact while the shikhar of the garbhagriha has fallen. There are sculptures of animals, flowers, warriors on the horses and several interesting motifs. There are three images of the Sun God, positioned to catch the rays of the sun at dawn, noon and sunset.

The Sun temple at Konark is widely known not only for its architectural grandeur but also for the intricacy and profusion of sculptural work. It is listed in the UNESCO World heritage Site.

The Ajanta caves consist of 30 caves constructed from 200 BC to 250 AD. These caves are situated 104 km from Aurangabad and 52 km from Jalgaon Railway Station. A party of British army officers on their hunting expedition discovered the caves accidentally. British Captain John Smith spotted the tiger on the far side of the River Waghora standing against the facade of the cave on the horseshoe shaped cliff.

Ajanta Caves represents two basic types of Monastic Buddhist architecture the Chaitya or prayer hall (Cave Nos. 9,10,19,26 & 29) and Vihara or monastery (remaining 25 caves). These caves suggest a well-defined form of architecture, broadly resolving into two phases with a time gap of about 4 centuries from each other. The Hinayana Phase includes two Chaitya Halls, i.e., Cave Nos. 9&10 and 4 Viharas, i.e., Cave Nos. 8, 12, 13 & 15A. The Mahayana Phase includes 3 Chaitya Halls, i.e., cave nos. 19 & 26 and 29 and 11 exquisite viharas i.e., and cave nos. 1,2,4,6,7,11,15,17 and 20 to 24). The Ajanta sculptures of the Mahayana Phase establish a formal religious imagery while that of the Hinayana period are virtually devoid of carvings.

A few paintings, which survive on the walls of Caves 9 and 10, go back to the 2nd century BC. The second group of the paintings started in about the fifth century AD and continued for the next two centuries. The themes are intensely religious in tone and concentrate on Buddha, Bodhisattvas, incidents from the life of Buddha and the Jatakas. The paintings are executed on a ground of mud-plaster in the tempera technique. Cave No. l is one of the finest monasteries and the interior paintings here, are among the best at Ajanta.

The Ellora caves are situated on the ancient north-south trade route or the dakshinapath. The name of the village was Verul, which has been corrupted to Ellora today. The ancient temples and monasteries are located on the Charanadari hills in Deccan. The caves at Ellora are an amalgamation of three different religions, i.e., Buddhism, Brahmanism and Jainism. They were excavated between the 5th and the 13th centuries AD.

The Buddhist caves numbering 1 to 12 were excavated during the 5th and the 7th centuries AD, when the Mahayana sect flourished in this region. Cave no. 10 is known as the Visvakarma and is a chaitya hall. The facade of the cave is highly ornamental. There is a beautiful image of Buddha set on a stupa. The Brahmanical caves from cave no. 13 to 29 belong to Shaivite sect. The Kailasa temple or the cave no 16 is the most gracious example of the rock-cut temples in India. The Jain caves are from no 30 to 34. They represent the last phase of architectural activity in Ellora.

The Ajanta and the Ellora caves are included in the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Site.

Hampi was the capital-city of the Vijaynagar Empire. The city was founded by Harihara and Bukka in 1336 AD. It was captured by Muslim ruler after the battle of Talikota in 1565 AD and fell into declination and abandonment. The ruins of the city spread over an area of more than 26 sq. km protected by the river Tungabhadra in the north and by rocky granite on the other three sides. The city was believed to have been on the site of the kingdom of Kishkindha associated with the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. Hampi, the abode of Lord Virupaksha and his consort Pampadevi, has a hoary past. Local legends speak of the penance of Shiva on the Hemakuta hill and his subsequent marriage with Parvathi. The ancient kingdom of Kishkindha associated with the Ramayana was situated close to present day Hampi. Hampi or Hampe is generally held to be a later Kannada form of the term Pampa, the ancient name of the river Tungabhadra.

Vijayanagar kings were patron of art and architecture as evident by the vast ruins of Hampi. Some of the recent excavations have unearthed beautifully preserved temples, one of them underground, and the ruins of what must have been once splendid palaces and gateways. The Vittala Temple is situated two km away from Hampi bazaar. The temple was never finished or consecrated. The incredible sculptural work of the Vittala Temple is of the finest quality and is the pinnacle of Vijayanagar art. The outer pillars are known as the musical pillars as they echo when tapped. The stone chariot or cart in front of the temple is very beautiful and the wheels even used to turn. This Royal Enclosure area of Hampi is quite different from the northern section. Within various stonewalled enclosures here, are the rest of Hampi's major attractions. The former is a delicately designed pavilion in a walled compound known as the Zanana Enclosure. The building gets its name from the lotus bud carved in the center of the domed and vaulted ceiling. The Elephant Stables is a grand building with eleven doomed chambers for housing the state elephants. Further south are the Royal Enclosure with its various temples, the Underground Temple and the Queen's Bath.

There are several other places worth watching at Hampi like Virupaksha temple, Ugra Narsimha, Shivalinga, Singaradu Hebbagilu, Hazara Rama temple and Achuta Raya temple. Hampi is the world's largest open-air museum. The monuments of Hampi are listed in the UNESCO's World Heritage Site.

Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple The Meenakshi Temple complex is dedicated to Shiva and his consort Parvati known here as Sundareswarar and Meenakshi. Kulasekara Pandya built the original temple but the entire credit for making the temple as splendid as it is today goes to the Nayaks. The Nayaks ruled Madurai from the 16th to the 18th century AD. They left an imperial impression of their rule in the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple. The temple complex is within a high-walled enclosure. There are two sanctums one for Meenakshi and the other for Sundareswarar, surrounded by a number of smaller shrines and thousand pillared halls. The temple has 12 impressive gopuras. The soaring towers of granite rise from solid granite bases, and are covered with stucco figures of deities, mythical animals and monsters painted in vivid colors. According to legends, Madurai is the actual site where the wedding between Shiva and Meenakshi took place. The soaring and exquisitely carved towers that enclose the temple are dedicated to Meenakshi. The south gateway contains the twin temples of Shiva and Meenakshi and is about nine storeys high.

The Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple and Madurai city originated together. According to a mythical tradition, Indra once committed sin by killing a demon, who was performing penance. He could find no relief from remorse in his own kingdom so he came down to earth. While passing through a forest of Kadamba trees in Pandya land, he felt relieved of his burden. His attendants told him that there was a Shivalinga under a Kadamba tree beside a lake. Indra was certain that the linga had helped him and so he worshipped it and built a small temple around it. It is believed that it is this linga, which is still under worship in the Madurai temple. The shrine is called the "Indra Vimana".

Khajuraho Vishwanath Temple Khajuraho was the capital city of the Chandelas. Khajuraho is situated in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. There were 85 temples constructed by the Chandelas between AD 950 and 1050 out of which only 25 have survived. The temples at Khajuraho are brilliant examples of temple architecture of the Medieval India. The earliest temples of Khajuraho were built in coarse granite. However, the temples dating back to later period are mostly built in fine-grained buff, pink and pale yellow sandstone, quarried from neighboring areas. The temples belong to different religious sects like Shaiva, Vaishnava and Jain and mark the culmination of the northern Indian or Nagara style of temple architecture.

Temples at Khajuraho are built upon a stone terrace called the adhisthana or jagati, over which rise the jangha or walls of the inner compartments. It also has canopied windows with balconies to admit air and light into the interior. The roof comprises of turrets of varying heights, culminating in the tall and graceful curvilinear shikhara representing mountain Meru. The Khajuraho temples are almost all aligned on the east to west axis with the entrance facing east. A profusely carved arch leads to the oblong porch or ardhamanadapa, behind which is the large assembly hall or mandapa, which is open on three sides. There is a larger hall mahamandapa or a closed hall with a corridor around it. This hall finally leads into the vestibule or the antarala. Beyond this is the garbhagriha or sanctum, entered through another ornate doorway, which houses the cult deity.

The larger temples have both inner and outer ambulatory passages or sandharas. And some have subsidiary shrines on the four corners making the structure of a panchayatna style or five shrined complex. Both the interiors and the exterior are beautifully carved. A series of friezes runs right round the temple, from the basement to the projections and the recesses of the walls above. The inside walls, doorways, pillars, pilasters, niches, architraves and ceilings all display a wealth of ornamentation which has few parallels. The sculptures of Khajuraho have immense beauty in expressing the innumerable aspects of Indian life - god and goddesses, guardians of the eight directions, sensuous and graceful apsaras (nymphs), surasundaris (attendants of higher divinities), salabhanjikas (tree nymphs) in infinite moods and postures.

The Stones of Passion

Right through the Mughal invasion and the early British forays into India, Khajuraho temples in India remained unknown. Rediscovered in this century, they are fine reminders of India's glorious past.

To some, Khajuraho Temples are the most graphic, erotic and sensuous sculptures of India, the world has ever known. But Khajuraho has not received the attention it deserves for its significant contribution to the religious art of India there are literally hundreds of exquisite images on the interior and exterior walls of the shrines.

Architecturally these temples are unique. While each temple in Khajuraho has a distinct plan and design, several features are common to all. They are all built on high platforms, several metres off the ground, either in granite or a combination of light sandstone and granite. Each of these temples has an entrance hall or mandapa, and a sanctum sanctorum or garbha griha. The roofs of these various sections have a distinct form. The porch and hall have pyramidal roofs made of several horizontal layers. The inner sanctum's roof is a conical tower - a colossal pile of stone (often 30m high) made of an arrangement of miniature towers called shikharas.

The famous Western group of temples are designated as the World Heritage Site and is enclosed within a beautifully laid out park. The Lakshmana and Vishwanath Temples to the front and The Kandriya Mahadev, Jagadami and Chitragupta Temples displays the best craftmanship of Khajuraho Quick bytes State :

Major Groups of Khajuraho Temples

For the purpose of convenience, the village of Khajuraho has been divided into three directional areas in which are located the major groups of temples .

Western Group Temples

These groups of Khajuraho temples are entirely Hindu, and constitute some of the finest examples of Chandela art at its peak. The largest being the Kandhariya Mahadev, followed by a granite temple - Chaunsath Yogini. The Chitragupta Temple is dedicated to the Sun God, while the Vishwanath Temple sports a three-headed image of Brahma the Creator of the Universe. The Lakshmana Temple is superbly decorated, while the Devi Jagdambi Temple is dedicated to Goddess Kali. Other temples in the Western Group include the Varaha Temple with a nine-feet high boar-incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the Matangeshwara Temple with a eight-feet high lingam, and the Brahma Temple.

Eastern Group Temples

This group of Khajuraho tempels comprises of two historic Jain temples the Adinath Temple lavishly embellished with sculpted figures, and the Parsvanath Temple, the largest Jain temple, sculpted with charming detail. There are other shrines such as the Vamana Temple with apsaras in sensuous poses, and the Javari Temple that has a richly-carved doorway. Click Here

Southern Group

This group has two impressive Khajuraho temples, mainly belonging to the 12th century the Chaturbhuja Temple, with a massive, carved image of Vishnu, and the Duladeo Temple, one of the last temples of the Chandela era, dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Symbolising a medieval legacy, the Khajuraho temples of India are a perfect fusion of architectural and sculptural excellence, representing one of the finest examples of Indian art.

Souvenirs from Khajuraho

Being one of the most visited places in India, many shops have developed which offers souvenirs at best of prices. There are number of stalls in front of these temples that presents array of articles which are worth buying.

Khajuraho Dance Festival

Held every year from 25th February to 2nd March, Khajuraho Dance festival provides an exclusive platform to showcase the Indian classical dance forms like Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Odisi, Kathakali etc. For over 25 years now, the carved stones fills with life during the month of Feb.

The world renowned temple town of Khajuraho in the Bundelkhand region in northern Madya Pradesh is designated by UNESCO as a world heritage site for its archeological and historical monuments. The famous erotic sculptures of Khajuraho temples are India's unique gift to the world, representing, as they do, a pageant to life, to love, to joy, perfect in execution and sublime in expression. Khajuraho is situated to the west of Varanasi and Allahabad and south of the Ganges, in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Life in every form and mood, has been captured in stone, testifying not only to the craftsman's artistry but also to the extraordinary breadth of vision for the rich and powerful Chandela Rajputs under whose rule the temples were conceived and constructed. Lost among forests for centuries they were accidentally discovered by a British army engineer T. S. Burt in 1838.

The name Khajuraho derives its name from 'khajura'-date palm which grows freely in the area and perhaps because there were two gold khajura trees on a carved gate here. Taken in totality, the sculptures of Khajuraho depict the everyday life of the people and the court in the 10th and 11th centuries.

The Khajuraho temples were built in a short span of hundred years, from 950-1050 AD in a truly inspired burst of creativity. Of the 85 original temples, today only 25 have survived, and is spread over three locations to constitute one of the world's great artistic wonders. The creators of Khajuraho claimed descent from the moon and the legend behind the founding of this great dynasty and the temples is a fascinating one.

Hemawati, the lovely young daughter of a Brahmin priest, was seduced by the moon-god while bathing in a forest pool. The child born of this union was Chandravarman, founder of the Chandela dynasty. Brought up in the forests by his mother who sought refuge from a censorious society, Chandravarma, when established as a ruler, had a dream visitation from his mother. It is said that she implored him to build temples that would reveal human passions. Chandravarman began the construction of the first few temples and successive rulers added to the complex. It is also possible that the Chandelas were followers of the Tantric cult, which believes that gratification of earthly desires is a step towards attaining the infinite liberation of nirvana.

Architecturally too, they are unique, being very different from the temple prototype of their period. Each stands on a high masonry platform with a marked upward direction in the structure, further enhanced by vertical projections to create the effect of grace and lightness. Each of the chief compartments is mounted by its own roof, grouped so that the highest is in the centre, the lowest over the portico; a highly imaginative recreation of the rising peaks of the Himalayas, abode of the gods. Khajuraho temples are the examples of Indo -Aryan architecture. The sculptors have shown many aspects of Indian life 1000 years ago-gods and goddeses, warriors and musicians, real and mythological animals. But two elements appear over and over again and in greater detail than anything else-women and sex. Stone figures of 'apsaras' or celestial maidens, their myriad moods and facets appear on every temple. In between are the 'mithuna', erotic figures, running through a whole Kamasutra of positions and possibilities.

The three main compartments of the temples are the entrance (ardha-mandapa), assembly hall (mandapa) and sanctum (garbha griha), with further additions in the more developed temples.

Three geographical divisions group the temples : Western, Eastern and Southern. Entry fee (for all temples) Indians Rs.10, Foreigners $5. Timings 8am -6pm. Licensed guides are available at the tourist office, the rates ranging from Rs 280 to 400 per day.

Western Group of Temples

The main temples are in this group, conveniently close to the tourist part of Khajuraho. The temples are in a peaceful setting of a beautiful park. The enclosure is open daily sunrise to sunset.

Khandariya Mahadev (1025-1050): The largest and tallest of the Khajuraho's temples, it soars 31 metres high. This is also artistically and architecturally the most perfect temple in Khajuraho. Particularly noteworthy are the entrance arch, the ceilings and pillars of the interior compartments. Dedicated to Shiva, the sanctum enshrines a linga. It has nearly 900 statues most of them nearly 1 metre in height. The main shrine is exquisitely carved, and features in delicate detail, gods, goddesses, musicians, celestial maidens, lovers and of course, some of the famed erotic groups. The 'mithuna' include some of the most energetic eroticism to be seen at Khajuraho.

Chaunsat Yogini : The only granite temple and the oldest surviving shrine of the group (900AD), dedicated to Kali. Only 35 of the original 65 shrines remain.

Chitragupt Temple : Early 11 century, this temple is facing eastwards to the rising sun, the temple is dedicated to the sun-god, Surya. The image of the deity in the inner sanctum is particularly imposing: The idol of Surya can be seen five feet high and driving a seven horse-drawn chariot while on the south facade is a 11 headed statue of Vishnu signifying his 10 incarnations. The group scenes depict royal processions, elephant fights, hunting scenes and group dances, reflecting the lavish lifestyle of the Chandela courts.

The Visvanatha and Parvati templeVishwanath Temple: Built in 1002 AD this temple is dedicated to Shiva. A massive 6 foot high Nandi bull (Shiva's vehicle ) faces the shrine. A three headed image of Brahma is enshrined in this temple. The approach is equally impressive with lions flanking the northern and elephants the southern steps that lead up to it.

Lakshmana Temple: Dedicated to Vishnu the large temple date from 930 to 950AD. The lintel over the entrance of this beautiful Vaishnavite temple shows the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, with Lakshmi, Vishnu's consort. The finely carved sanctum has a three-headed idol of Vishnu's incarnations, Narasimha and Varaha.

Matangeswara Temple : Built in 900-925AD it is the only temple still in active worship. The temple dedicated to Shiva, has an interesting circular interior with a eight-feet high lingam, and is outside the precincts of the Western Group.

Mahadeva Temple : This small temple built in 11th century houses one of Khajuraho's best sculptures- a fine sardula figure caressing a lion.

Devi Jagadamba Temple : Dating early 11th cenutry this temple was probably originally dedicated to Vishnu, but later changed to Parvati and then Kali. Some of the best carvings include deities-several of Vishnu, numerous nymphs and amorous couples.

Lakshmi and Varaha : These two small shrines were built in 900-925 AD. Varaha temple is dedicated to Vishnu in his third incarnation as Varaha, the boar. The idol is a nine feet high statue in highly polished sandstone its surface covered with 674 deities.

Eastern Group Temples

Hindu and Jain temples make up the Eastern group on the banks of the Khajur river, close to Khajuraho village. The Jain group of temples lies to the south east side of the village.

Parshwanatha temple Parsvanantha Temple: The group's largest Jain temple and exquisite in detail, the sculptures on the northern outer wall are particularly noteworthy. The themes depict women engrosed in everyday activity in charming detail. Within, a throne faces the bull emblem of the first Tirthankara, Adinatha. The Parsvanath image was installed in 1860. Some of the famous figures at Khajuraho can be seen here, the classic figure of a woman removing a thorn from her foot and another of a woman applying eye make-up.

Ghantai Temple

This small ruined Jain temple has a frieze which depicts the 16 dreams of Mahavira's mother, and a multi-armed Jain goddess on a winged Garuda.

Adinath Temple

Dedicated to the Jain saint, Adinath, the temple is lavishly embellished with sculpted figures, including yakshis.

The Hindu temples of the group are the granite Brahma temple originally a Vishnu temple containing a four-faced linga; nearby Hanuman the monkey god dating 922AD guarding a modern temple on the road out to the Jain enclosure, the Vamana dates 11th century (the dwarf incarnation of Vishnu), which is adorned on its outer walls with carvings of 'apsaras' (celestial nymphs) in a variety of sensuous attitudes, and the Javari temple also dedicated to Vishnu dating from 1075 to 1100AD with a richly carved gateway and exterior sculptures.

Southern Group

The southern group of temples is located 5km from the Khajuraho village.

Duladeo Temple: Dating early 12th century dedicated to Lord Shiva, the apsaras sporting around trees and ornamented figures are the temple's fine and graceful striking features.

Chaturbhuj Temple

This temple has a massive, intricately carved 2.7m high image of four armed Vishnu in the sanctum.

Khajuraho is not something that can be described in words; it has to be experienced. Large number of visitors come to Khajuraho in March for the world famous Khajuraho dance festival. The festival lasts10 days and draws some of the best classical dancers in the country who perform by the Western enclosure, with the floodlit temples providing a spectacular backdrop.

Sound and Light Show

This fascinating Son-et-Lumiere spectacle evokes the life and times of the great Chandela Kings and traces the story of the unique temples from the 10th century to the present day. Mounted in the complex of the Western Group of temples, the 50-minute show runs in Hindi and in English every evening. Amitabh Bachchan, the Indian Super Star, narrates the story of Khajuraho in his mesmerising voice. The show isn't on in the monsoons. Entry fee Indians Rs. 50, foreigners Rs.200.

Archaeological Museum

Located close to the Western enclosure, the museum houses fine sculpture and stone panels of ruined temples in three different display galleries known as the Jain, Buddhist and miscellaneous galleries. The museum has a huge statue of the Buddha and an unusual statue of a dancing Ganesha. Open from 10 am to 5 pm, closed on Fridays.

How to get there

Air

Regular services link Khajuraho airport with Delhi, Agra and Varanasi.

Rail

The nearest rail heads are Harpalpur (94km) and Mahoba (61km, 2 1/2 hrs). Jhansi (172km/ 5 1/2 hrs) is a convenient rail head for those travelling from Delhi and Madras; Satna (117km, 4hrs), on the Mumbai-Allahabad line of the Central Railway for those coming from Mumbai, Kolkata and Varanasi.

Road

Khajuraho is connected by regular buses with Satna (117km, 4hrs), Harpalpur (94km), Jhansi (172km )and Mahoba (61km). Khajuraho is located 600km (11hrs journey) south West of Delhi. There are bus services from Agra (12 hrs), Gwalior (9hrs) and Jhansi.