My Visual Travel Experience: Khajuraho

I visited Khajuraho for 2 days back in 2010. I had heard a lot about the famed temples of Khajuraho, known all over the world for their beautiful sculptures of Hindu gods and goddesses, as well as for their erotic sculptures, and I was very keen on seeing them. I managed to see around 10 of the temples on my visit, including all the very well known ones. I flew down from Delhi and I stayed at one of the town's top hotels, Clarks Khajuraho. It was a fascinating visit.

Khajuraho lies in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and the town has about 25,000 inhabitants (2011 census). It is famous for its Hindu and Jain temples and their erotic sculptures. The Khajuraho Group of Monuments have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986, and most of them were built between 950 AD and 1050 AD. There were originally about 85 temples but only around 25 have survived.

The monuments were built by the Chandela Dynasty. Their kingdom was later known as Bundelkhand. The Chandela Dynasty’s capital was in Mahoba, and the Khajuraho temples were built about 50 km from them. Most of the temples were built by the kings Yashovarman, Dhanga and Vidyadhara. The temples are clubbed in three groups, the western group, the eastern group and the southern group. The western group temples are the most visited ones.

The temples were actively used till the end of the 12th century, after which the Chandela Dynasty was defeated by the Delhi Sultanate under Qutb-ud-din-Aibak. Under various Islamic dynasties, the temples suffered significant damage over the next few centuries and were almost forgotten.

In the 1830s, the temples came to prominence after a British surveyor discovered them with the help of local Hindus. Subsequently, Khajuraho went on to become a very popular tourist attraction, both with Indian and global travelers. To cater to the large number of tourists, Khajoraho has very good infrastructure, with flight connections to Delhi and Varanasi, as well as top hotels like Ramada Khajuraho, The Lalit Temple View, Radisson Jass Hotel and Clarks Khajuraho, plus numerous budget hotels.

Kandariya Mahadev Temple is the largest of Khajuraho’s temples. It was built in the reign of King Vidyadhara, and was completed in 1029 AD. It is dedicated to Shiva. It stands in the western group of temples. The temple’s tower stands at a height of 31 meters. The exterior of the temple is covered with sculptures. These include erotic sculptures and sculptures of gods. There is an informative sound and light show that takes place in the evenings, both in English and Hindi, outside the temple.

Kandariya Mahadev Temple

Erotic Sculpture with Upside Down Male Figure,
Kandariya Mahadev Temple

Erotic Sculpture, Kandariya Mahadev Temple

Lakshmana Temple was completed in 939 AD. It is dedicated to Vaikuntha Vishnu, a four headed depiction of Vishnu. It is a part of the western group of temples. The exterior of the temple features divine sculptures as well as erotic sculptures, some featuring erotic scenes involving animals.

Lakshmana Temple

Ganesha, Lakshmana Temple

Apsara, Lakshmana Temple

Erotic Sculpture, Lakshmana Temple

Erotic Sculpture with a Horse, Lakshmana Temple

Vishvanatha Temple was completed in 999 AD and is dedicated to Shiva. It was commissioned by King Dhanga. It is part of the western group of temples. The architecture resembles that of the older Lakshmana Temple and the more recent Kandariya Temple. The walls feature erotic sculptures.

Vishvanatha Temple

Erotic Sculptures, Vishvanatha Temple

Varaha Temple was completed in 950 AD. It has a large monolithic sculpture of Varaha, the boar incarnation of Vishnu. The large statue of Varaha has a height of 1.7 meters and a length of 2.6 meters.

Varaha Temple

Nandi Temple dates back to 1000 AD and has a large monolithic Nandi statue, dedicated to the bull of Shiva.

Nandi Temple

Parshvanatha Temple was built in 954 AD. It was built by a Jain family during the rule of King Dhanga. It is the largest among the town’s Jain temples. The temple walls have sculptures of celestial beings. Despite being a Jain temple, there are also Hindu sculptures centred around Vishnu and his incarnations.

Parshvanatha Temple

Celestial Couple, Parshvanatha Temple

Matangeshvara Temple dates back to 1000 AD. It lies in the western group of temples. It is the only Hindu temple in Khajuraho stll used for active worship and has a large 2.5 meter high linga. 

Matangeshvara Temple

Linga, Matangeshvara Temple

DuladeoTemple goes back to 1125 AD. It is dedicated to Shiva. It was the last of the temples built by the Chandela Dynasty. The walls have sculptures of celestial dancers in erotic postures. It is part of the southern group of temples. 

Duladeo Temple

Celestial Figures, Duladeo Temple

Adinath Temple is a Jain temple going back to 1027 AD. It is dedicated to the Jain Tirthankara Adinatha.  

Adinath Temple

Chitragupta  Temple was built in 1023 AD. It is dedicated to the sun god, Surya, and has a tall sculpture of him riding a chariot of seven horses.

Chitragupta Temple

Khajuraho was fascinating. I was mesmerized by the beauty of the temples; the sheer age of the structures and the fact that they have gracefully survived the passage of time with minimal damage; the intricate detailing of the sculptures; and the fact that even in that era, our ancestors were open enough to graphically depict eroticism in such a beautiful and artistic manner, when even a thousand years later, most of us are so squeamish and embarrassed about it!