A small town located in the Bundelkhand region on Madhya Pradesh is world famous for its Hindu and Jain temples built from 950 to 1050 AD. A UNESCO world heritage site, it is an extremely famous tourist and archaeological site known for its sculptured temples dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, and Jain patriarchs. Khajuraho was one of the capitals of the Chandela kings, who from the 9th to the 11th century CE developed a large realm, which at its height included almost all of what is now Madhya Pradesh state. Historical records note that the Khajuraho temple site had 85 temples by 12th century, spread over 20 square kilometers. Of these, only about 20 temples have survived, spread over 6 square kilometers.
The Khajuraho group of temples were built together but were dedicated to two religions—namely Hinduism and Jainism—suggesting a tradition of acceptance and respect for diverse religious views among Hindus and Jains.
MAIN HIGHLIGHTS:
The temples in Khajuraho are broadly divided into three parts : the Eastern group, the Southern Group and the Western group of temples of which the Western group alone has the facility of an Audio guided tour wherein the tourists are guided through the seven eight temples. There is also an audio guided tour developed by the Archaeological Survey of India which includes a narration of the temple history and architecture.
Lakshman Temple – Of the 85 original temples-most constructed of hard river sandstone-about 20 are still reasonably well preserved. Both internally and externally the temples are richly carved with excellent sculptures that are frequently sensual and, at times, sexually explicit. The temples are divided into three complexes-the western is the largest and best known, containing the magnificent Shaivite temple Kandariya Mahadev, a 31m high agglomeration of porches and turrets culminating in a spire. Modern Khajuraho is a small village, serving the tourist trade with hotels and an airport. Khajuraho’s name derives from the prevalence of khajur, or date palms, in the area. The large Lakshmana Temple took 20 years to build and was completed in about AD 954 during the reign of Dhanga, according to an inscribed slab in the mandapa (pillared pavilion in front of a temple). It’s arguably the best preserved of all the Khajuraho temples. One can see carvings of battalions of soldiers here – the Chandelas were generally at war when they weren’t inventing new sexual positions. Varaha , dedicated to Vishnu’s boar incarnation, and the locked Lakshmi are two small shrines facing the large Lakshmana Temple. Inside Varaha is a wonderful, 1.5m-high sandstone boar, dating from AD 900 and meticulously carved with a pantheon of gods.
Kandaria Mahadev Temple – This temple is located right adjoining to Lakshmana temple almost similar, little elevated and great view. This is without any doubt the prime attraction of the group of temples. The carvings are extremely intricate and are much more detailed than other temples around. The name of the temple, meaning “the Great God of the Cave”, is the largest and most ornate Hindu temple in the medieval temple group found at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, India. It is considered one of the best examples of temples preserved from the medieval period in India. The temple is dedicated to Shiva, in the form of a linga. It was made in 1030 by King Vidhyadhara of Chandela dynasty.
The main deity image is located in the central shrine, and the outside of the shrine and the exterior of the temple are richly decorated with sculptures. In some design schemes, one views the entire range of existence looking upwards from bottom to top, with plant and animal life near the bottom and the gods and semi-divine beings in various sculptural registers extending towards the heavens at the temple’s summit. The steeply rising superstructure, and overall mountainous form of this temple are references to the mythical source of creation, the primordial Mount Meru, around which the world came into being.