Temple town of Khajuraho is much different from any
other temple city of India. It is not about religion
and worshipping and deities. The temples of Khajuraho
are instead famous for the eroticism etched on its walls
in the form of sculptures. An amalgamation of science
and art of architecture, these 10th-11th century temples
have a very interesting legend behind them that connects
them to the origin of Chandela dynasty. It is said that
in a fit of passion and lust, the Moon God seduced and
ravaged a beautiful Brahmin girls known as Hemvati,
resulting in the birth of Chandravarman (the founder
of the Chandela dynasty). Later, Chandravarman had a
dream where his mother requested him to make a temple,
which would reveal all aspects of the treasure of passion
and erotic fantasy to the world.
Thus he brought an artistic revolution by building
the famous Khajuraho temples, in the town, which was
his capital. Some people also believe these erotic art
forms to be the visual depiction of Kamasutra, art of
sex or the relations between Shiva and Parvati, the
divine couple. Khajuraho temples got lost into obscurity
and were only discovered by chance but they quickly
became India's second most favored tourist destination
after Taj Mahal. This temple complex is perhaps the
largest group of medieval temples. Other than eroticism,
these sculptures also depict other refined courtly accomplishments
such as music and dance. Only 22 temples have survived
out of the original 85 temples. It displays one of the
most unique stone-carving work and was declared a World
Heritage Site in 1986.
| Location: |
In Madhya Pradesh, India. |
| Significance: |
Well-known for the sculptures in erotic poses
in its temples |
| Climate: |
Khajuraho has extreme tropical climate with temperature
as high as 47°C in summers and as low as 4°C
in winters. |
How to Reach:
By Air:
Khajuraho has daily domestic flights to and from Agra,
Varanasi and Kathmandu.
By Train:
The nearest railway stations to Khajuraho are Mahoba,
Satna and Jhansi. All of these are well connected to
most of the major cities of India.
By Road:
Khajuraho has frequent bus services and good roads to
and from the major cities of India including Panna,
Mahoba, Satna, Jabalpur, Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore, Agra
and Jhansi.
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