Parshvanath temple constructed after
Lakshmana is the jaina temple. This Jaina temple also
has love-making and cohabiting couples. But, sexual
representation is totally depart on it even when its
contemporary, the Lakshamana temple, show it blatantly.
There are depictions of maithuna on the garbhagriha
wall in the interior of the temple. Erotic figures on
the Jaina temple are vital, as the Jainas are known
for their demanding attitude to sex.
The three famous temples of Khajuraho- Lakshmana, Vishvanath
and Kandariya, present erotic groups on the wall similar
to the antarala which lies between the balconies of
mahamandapa and the garbhagriha.
The outer walls of the Vishvanatha and Kandariya are
divided in their altitude into three sculptural zones
giving the artists six compartments for flourish on
the antarala walls, one on each side of the temple.
In Vishvanatha temple, the under compartments of the
north and south antarala walls are filled by divine
groups, each containing of a god flanked by two associates.
Whereas in Kandariya temple, built twenty five years
later, even the lower booth of the antarala wall are
filled by orgiastic groups in place of the divine groups.
Perhaps the erotic group, being favored and alluring,
held greater interest to the builders than the divine
group which was chaste and sober. The space provided
by the compartments on the antarala walls not only made
it important for the artists to portray a group figures
but that in course of time there also emerged to be
a propensity to replace the deities by the erotic figures.
The Surya temple represents romantic motifs on the
jangha along with the figures of deities and surasundaries,
and also on the plinth, superstructure, cornices etc.
The description is civilized and elegant, and contrasts
entirely with that of Modhera temple. At Konarak, the
erotic motif is allover and is seen in all larger parts
of the temple. It is organized on the lotus pedestals
and in temple created mundis and thus venerated by the
builders of the temple. Thus, he place give out to the
erotic motifs of the temples is in harmony with the
architectural canons of region. The sectarian affiliation
of the temple is not the determining factor in the treatment
of erotic motifs on the temple.
An fascinating and notable discovery was made, it was
clearly disclosed that the nature and type of erotic
motifs were deteriorated by the architectural conventions
of the region. Each region emerge to have had its own
version of erotic motifs reflected in the size and placement
occupied to them in the architectural scheme of the
temple and the nature and extent of erotic display.
The architect has placed erotic sculptures on the wall
portion between the two balconies in the three major
Hindu Sandhara temples. This wall portion is actually
the architectural juncture of the big hall (mahamandapa)
and the sanctum sanctorum (garbha griha).
Forms, once accepted in art, have a inclination to
become conventionalized and presume the character of
motifs. The method of conventionalization became a major
factor in Indian culture, leading to endurance and inertia
in the use of motifs.
Both the magico-religious and secular aspects of sex
have fused together in the actual behaving of sexual
motifs in temples. There is an basic association between
sex and religion and their intimate connection as manifest
in the religion associated with the Hindu temples.
The magico-sexual themes represented in art contain
male and female exposing generative organs, the achievement
of the coital act and also the refined versions of these
in the form of surasundaries with exposed pudenda, love-making
couples etc.
The couple illustrate the power of vegetation is in
themselves a centre of energy. The force of vegetation
is being increased by the fact of being ‘represented’.
The couple having magico-religious purpose, is considered
to be a centre of divine energy.
Sexual behaving include the subject such as Ascetics
and royal persons in sex-play, bestiality, dance and
revelry in erotic scenes, lotus pedestals provided for
sexual figures etc.
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