Among the sacred sites of India, the Khajuraho Temples stand as a testament to the nation’s profound cultural and architectural heritage. Dating from between the 9th and 11th centuries, the Chandela dynasty built these temples, which are individually acclaimed for their intricate carvings, exquisite sculptures, and unique architectural brilliance.
The Khajuraho Temples are recognized as UNESCO World Heritage, going beyond their value in history and revealing the artistic, spiritual, and social life of ancient India.
Famous for their exquisite visual expressions of love, adore, and human nature, the temples depict a harmonious union between spirituality and sensuality, uplifting the imagination of people across the globe.
Delving into the hidden beauty of the Khajuraho Temples reveals a glimpse into the glorious past of India besides revealing an eternal legacy of craftsmanship and philosophical depth. In this article let us find out some interesting facts about these beautiful temples of Madhya Pradesh….
Overview of Temples
Khajuraho is located in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh and is a renowned tourist destination in India. The Khajuraho Temples are famous for their erotic sculptures, attracting tourists from around the globe. Visitors are captivated by the intricate carvings and stunning paintings found here.
Around 10 percent of the carvings on the temple walls depict sexual activities, while the remaining 90 percent reflect the everyday life of the people from that era. It is believed that the Chandela kings commissioned these sculptures, although the reasons behind their creation remain a mystery.
There are so many questions that arise as to why the temple walls feature statues of lovemaking, dance postures, spirituality, and love, yet opinions on this topic vary widely. We will discuss all the questions and try to gain deep insights into this magnificent Khajuraho Temple in Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh.
History of Khajuraho Temples
The history of Khajuraho is almost a thousand years old. This city was the first capital of the Chandela Empire.
Chandravarman was the founder of the Chandela dynasty and Khajuraho. Chandravarman was a Rajput king who ruled Bundelkhand in the medieval period. He considered himself a Chandravanshi. The Chandela kings ruled Central India from the tenth to the twelfth century.
The temples of Khajuraho were built by these Chandela kings between 950 AD and 1050 AD.
The Chandelas, after constructing the temples, shifted their capital to Mahoba. Even after this, Khajuraho’s importance remained.
It is said that a historical record stated that Khajuraho had 85 temples established in the 12th century spread over an area of 20 square kilometers. In the present, out of them, only 25 temples are left which cover 6 square kilometers.
Out of all these existing temples, Kandariya Mahadeva Temple is lavishly decorated with minute details, symbolism, and expressions of ancient Indian art.
The temples of the Khajuraho Group of Monuments were built together but dedicated to two religions, Hinduism and Jainism, which implies a tradition of acceptance and respect for different religious views among Hindus and Jains in the region.
Architecture of Khajuraho Temples
The Khajuraho Temples are a phenomenal example of the ‘Nagara Style’ of architecture. The sanctum sanctorum, Shikhara (curved tower), and Mandapa (entrance) are the key features of this style. The entire temple is built upon a massive platform. Light sandstone, iron rivets, and granite stones were utilized in the construction of these temples.
The Khajuraho Temple’s architecture is particularly complex. Its primary components include the sanctum sanctorum, Mahamandap, Sabhagriha, Ardha Mandap (additional hall), and Pradakshina Path. Some of the temples were constructed in the Panchayat style, which features four additional temples positioned at the corners of a central temple.
The carvings on these temples represented the four aims of Hindu life which are Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha. They are renowned worldwide for their erotic sculptures.
It is believed that in the 12th century, there were 85 temples spread over an area of about 20 km. Most of the temples have been destroyed, and today only 29-25 remain.
There are three major groups of the temples of Khajuraho. These groups include western, eastern, and southern. The Western group temples relate to the Shaiva and Vaishnava sects. Other notable temples of the group are the Chausath Yogini Temple, Kandariya Mahadev Temple, Chitragupta Temple, Devi Jagdamba Temple, Nandi Temple, Laxman Temple or Vishnu Temple, and Varaha Temple among others.
The temples under the eastern group are attributed to the Hindu and Jain sects. Prominent ones are the Brahma, Vaman, Adinath, Parshvanath, and Ghantai temples. On the other hand, Duladeo, who belongs to the Shaiva sect, and Jatkari belonging to the Vaishnav sect fall under the southern group.
Given their architectural importance, these were declared as a ‘World Heritage Site’ in 1986 by UNESCO.
The Secret of Erotic Sculptures in Khajuraho Temple
The idols of the temple represent the Ashta Maithuna ritual. One of the 22 temples, the Kandariya Mahadev temple is very famous for Kama Shiksha. This temple was built by King Vidyadhar around 1065 AD after defeating Mohammad Ghaznavi for the second time. Beautiful pictures of eunuchs, gods goddesses and lovers, etc. have been engraved on the outside walls. You will get to see some unique sex scenes on the middle walls.
The erotic sculptures on the walls of Khajuraho have their importance. Here, three sculptures made from top to bottom on a wall are a replica of a principle described in Kamasutra. The importance of increasing excitement through hugging and kissing at the beginning of sexual intercourse is shown.
In another scene, a man is shown to have sexual intercourse with three women. There is also a sculpture where the hero and heroine are using nails and teeth to excite each other. This too takes the principle of Kamasutra.
Mythological Significance of Khajuraho Temples
The medieval court pet Chandravardai has described the origin of Chandela in the Mahoba section of Prithviraj Raso. It is said that during the reign of the kings of the Chandela dynasty, the worship branch of the Tantric community used to be very dominant in Khajuraho. The people of this community considered both Yoga and Pleasure (Kama) as the means of salvation. These statues made in the temples of Khajuraho are the result of their activities.
Mythological Story
In Bundelkhand, a popular legend is prevalent regarding the construction of the Khajuraho temple. It is said that once Hemavati, the daughter of royal priest Hemraj was the owner of unparalleled beauty. One day she was bathing in a pond full of lotus flowers on a summer night.
Seeing her beauty, Lord Chandra was fascinated by her. At that very moment, Chandradev appeared in front of the beautiful Hemavati and requested her for marriage. It is said that due to their sweet union, a son was born and that son founded the Chandel dynasty.
Due to fear of society, Hemvati raised that son in the forest on the banks of the Karanavati river. The son was named Chandravarman.
Hemvati’s son Chandravarman was as brilliant, brave, and powerful as his father. At the age of sixteen, he could kill a lion or tiger without any weapons. Seeing the extraordinary bravery of her son, Hemvati worshipped Chandradev who gifted Chandravarman the Parsa stone and made him the king of Khajuraho. Iron could be converted into gold with the Parsa stone.
Why did Hemvati appear in Chandravarman’s dream?
Chandravarman was considered an influential king in his time. Chandravarman’s mother Hemvati appeared in his dream and asked him to build such temples that would send a message to society that sexual desire is considered as important as other aspects of life and a person who fulfills sexual desire should never be guilty.
How many temples were built after the dream?
After Mata Hemvati appeared in his dream, Chandravarman chose Khajuraho for the construction of temples. Making Khajuraho his capital, he performed a huge yagya on 85 altars. Later, 85 temples were built in place of the 85 altars, the construction of which was continued by the later kings of the Chandela dynasty. Out of the 85 temples, only 20-25 temples remain here today. In the 14th century, the Chandelas left Khajuraho and that era ended with that.
How to Reach Khajuraho Temples?
Anyone can reach Khajuraho Temples in three ways- by Air, Train, and Road route. Below is an explanation of these ways:
By Air
Khajuraho has an airport (IATA code: HJR / HJR) that connects Delhi, Agra, Varanasi and Mumbai. One can easily book a cab and taxi outside the Khajuraho Airport. Khajuraho temples are only 2.5 km far from the airport.
By Train
Khajuraho temple is well connected by railway through Khajuraho railway station and Chhatarpur railway station which is 45 km. From Khajuraho, it is well connected to Delhi, Udaipur, and Jhansi.
By Road
The temple is about 50 km away from its district center Chhatarpur. It has a good network of roads and connected to all the major cities of the country. This temple is nicely connected via roads to many cities of India like Delhi, and Bhopal. National Highway 86 connects it to the capital of the state Bhopal.
Conclusion
The Khajuraho Temple is one of the famous tourist attractions in India. This is an ancient temple located in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. Thousands of tourists come to visit this temple every year.
The Khajuraho Temple in Chhatarpur is widely known for its erotic sculptures among tourists from all over the world. The tourists are mesmerized by seeing the carvings and beautiful paintings.
It is believed that the Khajuraho Temple was built by the Chandela dynasty between 950 AD and 1050 AD. It is said that, the worship branch of the Tantric community used to be very dominant in Khajuraho.
The people of this community considered both Yoga and Pleasure (Kama) as the means of salvation. These statues made in the temples of Khajuraho are the result of their activities. I hope you enjoyed reading this article. So when are you planning to visit the beautiful Khajuraho temples?
Frequently Asked Questions
Khajuraho Temple was built by the Chandela dynasty between 950 AD and 1050 AD.
The Khajuraho Temple in Chhatarpur is widely known for its erotic sculptures among tourists from all over the world. The tourists are mesmerized by seeing the carvings and beautiful paintings.
The Khajuraho Temples are a phenomenal example of the ‘Nagara Style’ of architecture. The sanctum sanctorum, Shikhara (curved tower), and Mandapa (entrance) are the key features of this style.
The temples of Khajuraho belong to two different religions Hinduism and Jainism.
Out of the many Khajuraho temples, 8 temples are dedicated to Lord Vishnu, six to Lord Shiva, and one each to Lord Ganesha and Surya while three are to Jain Tirthankaras. Kandariya Mahadev Temple is the largest of all the temples.
The best time to visit Khajuraho, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Madhya Pradesh, is the peak season from November to February.