Khajuraho Group Of Temples


Khajuaroa temples are located in Madhya Pradesh which is one of the most beautiful temples in India. In 1986 it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
 
There are a total of 25 temples still standing out of said 85 temples. These were built between 900 and 1130 AD by the Chandella rulers. It is said that every Chandella ruler built one temple during his reign. So it was a kind of tradition between them. 
 
Khajuraho temples are the most beautiful medieval monuments in India.
 
Khajuraho Group Of Temples
FACTS ABOUT KHAJURAHO TEMPLES
The Khajuraho Group of Monuments is a set of Hindu and Jain temples located approximately 175 kilometres (109 miles) southeast of Jhansi in Madhya Pradesh, in the Chhatarpur district.

The terms "Khajura" and "Vahika" in Hindi mean "Date" and "Bearing," respectively. In the past, Khajuraho was also known as Jejakbhukti.

The temple is situated in the Vindhya Mountain range in Central India.

The Chandella rulers erected these temples between 900 and 1130.

In 1986, UNESCO recognized these temples as World Heritage Sites.

The Khajuraho temples are made of sandstone, with a granite base that is almost buried.

The temples are renowned for their erotic sculptures and Nagara-style architectural symbolism.

Khajuraho has temples for Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Jainism.

Every Chandella ruler is believed to have built at least one temple during his reign. As a result, no single Chandella king is responsible for the construction of all Khajuraho Temples. The Chandella dynasty's rulers all followed the practice of building temples.

The Khajuraho temples were first mentioned by Abu Rihan al Biruni in AD 1022 and the Arab explorer Ibn Battuta in AD 1335.

The number of temples in Khajuraho is estimated to be around 85, with only 25 remaining after different levels of preservation and care. All of these temples are located over a 9-square-mile area.

After the fall of the Chandella kingdom in AD 1150, Muslim invaders destroyed and disfigured the Khajuraho Temples, which resulted in the people fleeing Khajuraho.
khajurao temple
Kandariya Mahadev, the most visited temple, has a Shikhara (spire) that rises 116 feet and occupies an area of around 6,500 square feet.

The Khajuraho temples were hidden under forest cover from the 13th century until the 18th century when they were rediscovered by the British engineer T. S. Burt.
 
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES OF THE TEMPLES
The temples of Khajuraho are an excellent representation of Nagara temple design. They feature a sanctum, a small ante-chamber (antarala), a transept (maha mandapa), additional halls (ardha mandapa), a nave or mandapa, and a circumambulation path (Pradakshina-path) lit by large windows.

The temple carvings mainly depict Hindu deities and mythology, in keeping with the Hindu architectural style. One of the key features of a Hindu temple is that it should face the direction of sunrise, which all of Khajuraho's temples do. Additionally, the carvings represent the four life goals of Hinduism: dharma, kama, artha, and moksha.

The Chandelas' monuments were renowned for their architectural and sculptural beauty. The Chandelas had a great love for the performing arts, as well as various forms of music and dance, as evidenced by the sculptures of musical and dancing scenes on the temple walls.

The Temples of Khajuraho are also known for their erotic iconography. The Kandariya Mahadeva and Vishwanath Temple feature sculptures of celestial nymphs with large hips, massive breasts, and yearning eyes. The sculptures represent the theme of female beauty and fertility. Other images on the temple walls depict the Narathara (human life cycle), emphasizing the importance of sexual procreation and kama in human life.

The sculptures on the walls of the Khajuraho Temples have been the subject of much research. The temples are home to some of the finest sculptures of that time, giving Khajuraho an excellent aesthetic appeal. The temples feature five distinct sets of sculptures:

• images of cults
• the devatas parivara, parsva, and avarana
• the surasundaris and the apsaras
• sculptures of various secular subjects (dancers, musicians, disciples, and domestic scenes)
• mythical creatures (villas, sardula, and other animals)

The Khajuraho Temples are divided into three groups: the Western Group, the Eastern Group, and the Southern Group.

The architecture of the Khajuraho Temples is highly complex, featuring the following key elements:

• the Garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) with an ante-chamber (antarala)
• a large hall known as the Maha Mandapa
• small additions to the main hall, such as the Ardha Mandapa and mandapa
• a circumambulation path known as the Pradakshina Path.

Some of the temples in Khajuraho are of the Panchayatana type, featuring four shrines dedicated to divinities and another shrine in front of the portico dedicated to the major deity's vahana (vehicle).
khajurao temple
The Khajuraho Temples were constructed using light-coloured sandstone imported from the Panna quarries on the east bank of the Kane River. The temples' construction also extensively utilized iron clamps. Some smaller temples are constructed of both sandstone and granite.
 
WESTERN TEMPLES
The Western Group of Temples can be found on the banks of Sib-Sagar, west of the Bamitha-Rajnagar route.

The Chausath Yogini Temple has 64 compartments, which signify the number of Yoginis, or female attendants of Goddess Kali. There are no images left on any of the 64 cells. It is situated on a low rocky outcropping southwest of Sib-Sagar Lake. The temple is fully constructed of granite and is the only one in Khajuraho that is aligned northeast and southwest. It has a large foundation and a courtyard that measures 104 feet long and 60 feet wide. Although it was previously surrounded by 65 cells, only 35 have survived.

The Kandariya Mahadeva Temple is the largest of all the temples in Khajuraho, built in the 10th century CE. It stands 109 feet tall and is 60 feet wide. Its internal structure differs from that of a typical Hindu temple, with an open corridor surrounding the sanctum, forming a high altar in the temple's interior. The walls of the Kandariya temple are adorned with nearly 900 images, ranging in height from 2.5 to 3 feet tall. The entrance to the temple is arched and decorated with images of deities and musicians. The entrance to the sanctum is also embellished with ornate floral sculptures mixed with depictions of ascetics performing penance. The base of the jambs houses statues of Goddess Ganga and Goddess Jumna.

The Devi Jagdamba Temple, currently known as the 'Mother Goddess of the World,' is around 77 feet long and 50 feet wide. Initially thought to be dedicated to Lord Vishnu due to his image in the centre of the sanctum's entrance, the temple now houses an ornate statue of a four-armed female figure clutching lotus blossoms. Several inscriptions found here reveal that the temple was built during the reign of the Chandela dynasty in the tenth or eleventh century.

The Chitragupta or Bharatji's Temple faces east and is 75 feet long and 52 feet wide. It houses a 5ft statue dedicated to the Sun God (Surya) inside the sanctum. Another interesting sculpture is the eleven-headed picture of Lord Vishnu, which can be found in the central niche to the south of the sanctum.

The Vishwanath Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, also known as Vishwanath or the "Lord of the Universe." The sanctum sanctorum's entrance is 90 feet tall, featuring a depiction of Lord Shiva seated on Nandi (bull). Inside the shrine, a lingam can be found, and two Sanskrit inscriptions etched on stone slabs are present inside the mandapa. The larger inscription on the left recounts the lineage of the Chandela rulers from King Nannuka to King Dhanga and is dated Vikrama Samvat of 1059 or 1002 CE. The temple was built under the direction of King Dhanga, who dedicated it to Lord Shiva by placing a Linga with an emerald inside it, according to the inscription.

The Laxmana Temple, also known as the Chaturbhuj Temple, is approximately 99 feet long and 46 feet wide. It is renowned for its innovative architectural techniques and is thought to have been erected during the 11th century CE.
 
EASTERN TEMPLES
The Eastern Group of Temples is situated near Khajuraho village and comprises of significant Jain and Hindu temples. Three prominent Jain temples are Ghantai Temple, Adinath Temple, and Parsawanatha Temple. On the other hand, the Hindu temples include Brahma Temple, Vamana Temple, and Javari Temple.

Let us take a closer look at each temple.

Brahma Temple, located on the banks of Khajuraho Sagar, is known for the four-faced (chaturmukha) image inside the sanctum. Local devotees mistook it for an image of Lord Brahma, whereas it is of Lord Shiva. The temple is unique as it is made of both granite and sandstone. Lord Vishnu statues occupy the central positions on the sanctum lintels and west windows. This temple was built sometime in the later half of the 9th century CE or the first half of the 10th century CE.

Vamana Temple is situated on the northeast side of the Brahma Temple and has an unusually high platform. The temple is about 63 feet long and 46 feet wide. Inside the shrine, there is an interesting picture of Lord Vamana, the dwarf manifestation of Lord Vishnu, which stands 5 feet tall. The temple also features carved figures of Vishnu's avatars and a figure of Lord Brahma in the bhumisparsa-mudra or earth-touching motion.

Ghantai Temple, named after the bells hung on chains that embellish the pillars of the temple's portico, has 11 nude statues and two Yakshinis representing the Jaina Tirthankaras. Above the temple's entrance, there is a picture of an eight-armed Jaina Goddess riding Garuda and wielding numerous weapons. A Tirthankara image is depicted on each end of the lintel. The nine planets are represented by the nine figures called Navagraha. Above the lintel, the elephant, bull, lion, Lakshmi, garland, and other auspicious elements that the mother of Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, saw in her dream before his birth are shown.

Parsawanatha Temple is the largest of the Jaina temples, with a length of 69 feet and a width of 35 feet. It is assumed to be a shrine of the 22nd Jain Tirthankara Parsawanatha. On the left side of the entrance, there is a naked male figure, and on the right side, a naked female figure, with three-seated female figures above the centre. Over the entrance, there is a ten-armed Jaina Goddess on a garuda, wielding numerous arms and weapons. Three short pilgrim records in characters of the tenth or eleventh century, which is the most likely period of the temple's beginnings, are found on the jambs of the door.

Other notable temples in the Eastern Complex include the Javari Temple, the Adinath Temple, and the Santinatha Temple.

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