The Khajuraho Group of Monuments is a group
of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain temples in Madhya Pradesh, India, about 175
kilometres (109 mi) southeast of Jhansi. They are one of the UNESCO World
Heritage Sites in India. The temples are famous for their nagara-style
architectural symbolism and their erotic sculptures.
Most Khajuraho temples were built between 950
and 1050 by the Chandela Rajput dynasty. Historical records note that the
Khajuraho temple site had 85 temples by the 12th century, spread over 20 square
kilometers Of these, only about 25 temples have survived, spread over 6 square
kilometers. Of the various surviving temples, the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple is
decorated with a profusion of sculptures with intricate details, symbolism and
expressiveness of ancient Indian art.
The Khajuraho group of temples were built
together but were dedicated to two religions, Hinduism and Jainism, suggesting
a tradition of acceptance and respect for diverse religious views among Hindus
and Jains in the region.
The Hindu and Jain temple complex at
Khajuraho in central India has become a major tourist site for Indians and
International tourist. Built nearly a thousand years ago, but abandoned two
centuries later, Khajuraho remained a minor pilgrimage site into the present
century. The Khajuraho temples include thousands of sexual relief carvings,
much publicized throughout India. Khajuraho temples were built during the
Chandela period, a dynasty which survived for five centuries before falling to
the onslaught of Islam. The history tells us that in the ancient India, the
kings did not sponsor directly the making of rock-cut caves, stupas or temples.
None of the stupas have sculptures of the Kings and rulers of those times. But
with the arrival of the medieval period, rulers began to patronize personally
the making of temples.
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The personal attention of the ruler led to
the making of the larger temples, especially from the 10th or 11th century
onwards, under the Cholas in south India. Similarly changes were seen under the
rule of the Chandela in the central India. Chandela dynasty was well
established and there was peace and prosperity in 10th and 11th century. Art
and culture flourished there as the kings were great patrons of poetry and
theatre. The symbol of their cultural achievements was at their capital city of
Khajuraho, where between the 10th and 12th centuries, one of the most splendid
temple cities in the history of the world was created. There were originally 85
temples were created out of which only 22 are remain today. The first king who
started construction in Khajuraho was Harsh who built the 64 Yogini Temples.
The most notable prince of this dynasty was King Dhanga whose time is known for
building the most beautiful Khajuraho Temples of Parsvanath and Vishwavanath.
His grandson Vidyadhara built the Kandariya Mahadev Temple. This was the golden
era of central India. Most of the Khajuraho Temples at Khajuraho were
constructed between 950 AD and 1050 AD and are either Hindu or Jain.
The Kandariya Mahadeva temple built in the
early 11th century and dedicated to Shiva. The Lakhmana temple was built in 954
AD by King Dhanga to celebrate independence from the Gurjara Pratihara rulers.
The Lakhmana Temple was dedicated to Vishnu. By the time of Chandela, the
Indian temples form had fully developed. The objective of the temple was that a
devotee comes to it with the aspiration of the self transcendence and to
receive the grace of the deity in the garbha griha. The devotees came to the
temple to awaken within themselves and to realize the whole creation of the
world is the manifestation of the deity in the garbha griha. Some believe that
the erotic art suggest the sexual practices. Its noted that only ten percent of
the carvings contain errotic themes and rest of the sculptures depict the
everyday life of the common persons such as women putting on makeup, playing
games, dancing, knotting and unknotting their girdles, and other themes such as
musicians, potters, farmers etc. On the temple walls, one can see Siva, Vishnu,
Brahma, Indira, Agni and their spouses.
The Kandariya Mahadeva
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.
Chausath Yogini temple –
The Chausath Yogini temple is a ruined Devi temple in the Khajuraho town of Madhya Pradesh, India. Dated to the late 9th century, it is the oldest surviving temple at Khajuraho. Unlike the Chausath Yogini temples at other places, it has a rectangular plan.
The Chausath Yogini temple is a ruined Devi temple in the Khajuraho town of Madhya Pradesh, India. Dated to the late 9th century, it is the oldest surviving temple at Khajuraho. Unlike the Chausath Yogini temples at other places, it has a rectangular plan.
Lakshmi temple is dedicated
to Goddess Lakshmi, consort of Lord Vishnu. This structure is one of the
monument among Khajuraho Group of Monuments, a World Heritage Site in India
The Vishvanatha Temple is a
Hindu temple in Madhya Pradesh, India. It is located among the western group of
Khajuraho Monuments, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The temple is dedicated to
Shiva, who is also known as "Vishvanatha", meaning "Lord of the
Universe".
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