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Western Group of Temples:
Of the three main sites, the Western group is the biggest, best preserved and most easily accessible. The magnificent Kandariya Mahadev Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva soars up to a height of 31 m and the sanctum enshrines a lingam. The entrance arch, ceilings and pillars of the interior compartments exemplify the architectural grandeur while the main shrine with its delicately carved figurines is totally stunning. In all, there are about 900 statues in this temple.
Matangeswara Temple built in 900-925 AD is still a living place of worship. Little away from the precincts of the Western Group, this temple has an eight-feet high lingam dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Lakshmana Temple is one of the oldest and the finest of the western group. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the sanctum has a three-headed idol of Vishnu's incarnations, Narsimha and Varha.
Chaunsat Yogini is the only granite temple in the Western section and is the oldest shrine dedicated to Goddess Kali.
Chitragupt Temple faces eastwards to the rising sun and is dedicated to the Sun-god, Surya. The inner sanctum has a five-foot high idol of Sun God driving a horse-drawn chariot. The group scenes depict royal processions, hunting scenes and group dances.
Other temples in the group are Vishwanath Temple, Lakshmi and Varaha Temple and Parvati Temple.
Eastern Group of Temple:
Located on the banks of Khajur River, the Eastern Group comprises Hindu and Jain temples. Parsvanath Temple, the largest Jain temple is also the finest example of art without any erotic motifs. The temple was earlier dedicated to Adinath and later to Parsvanath. Exquisite in detail, the themes depict women engaged in their daily activities. The classic figure of a woman removing a thorn from her foot and another woman applying eye make-up are quite remarkable.
Adinath Temple, dedicated to the Jain saint, Adinath, has exquisite sculptures, including yakshis. The Ghantai Temple is almost in ruins and has a multi-armed Jain Goddess on a winged garuda. Shantinath, the youngest of all the temples is just a century old, with a four and a half metre statue of Adinath.
Other temples of the Eastern Group are Brahma Temple built of granite and guarded by the monkey god, Hanuman; Vamana Temple dating back to 11th century and the Javari Temple with a superbly carved gateway and fine sculptures.
Southern Group of Temple:
Located 5 Km away from Khajuraho village, the Southern Group has two main temples, Dulah Deo and Chatturbhuj.
Dulah Deo or Kunwar Math is one of the finest temples at Khajuraho. It has beautiful sculptures such as shalbhanjika. Measuring 21 m by 12 m, the temple has ardhamanadap, mandapa, maha mandapa, antarala and the garbha griha with no surrounding passage for the usual parikrama. The ceiling of the maha mandapa is a series of diminishing circles of overlapping stones. The sanctum enshrines a lingam. The exteriors exhibit intricate carvings worth seeing.
Chatturbhuj Temple is a set of two temples, almost in ruins, in the village of Jatkari. One of them was dedicated to Lord Shiva and has a marble lingam while the other temple has Lord Vishnu in its sanctum.
Another important attraction in the vicinity is the Archaeological Museum preserving fine sculptures and stone panels from many of the ruined temples. The three different galleries are Jain, Buddhist and miscellaneous galleries, located in the Western Group. Other highlights of the museum include a colossal statue of Lord Buddha and an amazing statue of dancing Ganesha.
Other Activities:
Khajuraho hosts a week long dance festival in the months of February and March. This cultural event takes place in front of Chitragupt Temple against the beautiful backdrop of the other temples. Started in the year 2002, Khajuraho Dance Festival is quite popular amongst locals and tourists from all corners of the globe. The various dance forms portrayed in this festival are Kathak, Odissi, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi and Manipuri.
Son-et-lumiere or the daily evening Sound and Light Show is a spectacular narration of the life and history of the Chandela rulers who built the magnificent temples of Khajuraho, besides other interesting stories related to the temples.
Shopping:
The best places to hunt for souvenirs and antiques are the Western Group bazaars where you can get cheap stone and bronze sculptures, handicrafts and gems. The shops on the way to Javeri Temple sell good handicrafts. Chandela Emporium near Sibsagar has a good collection of gifts, crafts and jewellery. A weekly bazaar at Rajinagar, 5 Km from Khajuraho is quite popular for silver and brass ware.
Excursions:
Panna National Park, one of M P's best tiger sanctuaries is 32 Km from Khajuraho. Tigers, bluebuck, chinkara, leopards, a variety of deer, and wolves can be found in the park.
Raneh Falls, 19 Km from Khajuraho is yet another scenic spot. The highlight is a 5-Km-long, 100-foot-deep canyon made of pure granite in different hues. Surrounded by seasonal waterfalls, the place is ideal for picnics.
Located in the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho
has emerged as a renowned tourist destination from a tiny unknown
village. A World UNESCO Heritage Site, Khajuraho is better known as the
Temple Town.
Famed for its magnificent Jain and Hindu temples and intricate stone
sculptures, Khajuraho remains the epitome of the temple architectural
style and aesthetic sensibility. Of the 85 beautiful temples, only 22
have survived the ravages of time. Made of sandstone blocks fitted
together, these remain as a collective glorification to life, love and
joy, to the spirit of creativity and human relationships. Built by the
Chandela rulers in 9th and 10th century AD, the
temples exhibit carved images of gods and goddesses, celestial maidens
and dancers, animals and musicians, all frozen in stone.
The
unique spiral architecture of these temples makes them even more
interesting. The temples stand on high masonry platforms and have three
sections, the ardhamandapa or the entrance, mandapa or the assembly hall and garbha griha
or the sanctum sanctorum. Each component of the temple is topped by
pyramid-shaped towers rising in tiered succession and culminating at
the shikhara or the pinnacle. Long forgotten, the secluded village of Khajuraho
with its treasure trove was discovered accidentally by a British
officer, Captain T S Burt in 1838, giving it renewed attention and fame.
Tourism Info:
Madhya Pradesh Tourism Office
Khajuraho
Telephone: 07686-274051
Tourist Office
Bus Stand, Khajuraho
Telephone: 07686- 274163 |
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