Khajuraho is world famous for Hindu temple UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India. Which is known for its magnificent and magnificent architectural sculptures. A vibrant cultural asset, and a thousand voices that sink into the mind. The Khajuraho Temples are like the final point in the cycle of time and space that complete the social structures that unite human feelings and sensibilities in a common sense. I am sure you will excited to see Khajuraho temples for once in Life for love and Salvation.
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Khajuraho Temples Overview
Khajuraho Temples’ are famous for its Nagara-Style of architecture and graceful sculptures of nayikas (Hindu Mythological female main character) and deities. It is like a canvas born of clay, stretched over pieces of wood and represents life in its purest form and are among the most important examples of Indian art.. The architectural style of each temple in Khajuraho praises the arts of wrestling, royalty, meditation, spiritual education, kinship, etc. And the main attraction of the Khajuraho temples is the erotic sculptures and art. If you notice, many temples of Khajuraho are decorated with erotic sculptures.
Love, is a word that is often heard around us, but see the irony that the more people go to search for it, the more disappointment they will get. This is because our so-called religious leaders and guides have not allowed that thing to come out of the veil, which is the primary point of love. It may be that such people raise their eyebrows on hearing this, Khajurhaho Temples, has very bluntly tried to establish the fact that the primary point of love is sex and People who look at sex with hatred can never love. It is to be believed that there is a bridge, a journey, a path between sex and salvation. intercourse is the first step of that ladder Samadhi is the final fulfilment of the soul.
Man has to approach a woman as he is going to a temple for his prayers, a woman approaches her man as she approaches the divine because when two of them makes love, they actually pass through the temple of the divine.
It took almost a hundred years for these sets of Hindu and Jain temples to take shape. Originally a collection of 85 temples, the number has been reduced to 25. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the temple complex is divided into three zones: western, eastern and southern. The western group has most of the temples, the eastern group has carved Jain temples while the southern group has only a few temples. Jain temples in the eastern group of temples were built during the reign of Chandela dynasty to support the flourishing Jainism in the region. The temples on the western and southern sides are dedicated to various Hindu deities. Of these, eight temples are for Lord Vishnu, six for Lord Shiva and one each for Lord Sri Ganesha and Surya, while three are for Jain Tirthankaras. Kanderia Mahadev Temple is the largest among all other temples.
Khajuraho Temples History and Built by
The Chandela rulers built temples over a period of 100 years, with each king building a temple. Most of the temples were built by Dhanagadev and Yashvarman kings. The temples were built near Mahoba which used to be the center of the Chandila kingdom. The temples are named after the palm trees that used to be the gates of the complex in earlier days.
Khajuraho Temples were built between 950 – 1050 during the Chandela dynasty. However, according to the Puranas, the Khajuraho temples were built by Lord Soma’s son, who saw a beautiful young woman bathing in a river. Enjoy Khajuraho Temples with Best Tourist Guide in India. The name Khajuraho is derived from the Hindi word Khajoor, which means ‘palm tree’. It is said that once this city was surrounded by nothing but palm trees and hence got its name. But there is another story, which says that the name originated from the palm tree Vahaka.
Today, of the 85 temples that were originally built, 20 remain. Of these 20, Kanderia Mahadev is the most famous. The temples here were originally built in the Kalingar region, 35 km from the medieval city of Mahoba. This beautiful city is mentioned in the writings of the historian Abu Rayhan Al-Biruni Farsain. They are said to have been in use till the 12th century.
However, after the invasion of the Muslim Sultan Qutb-ud-Din Aibak and the subsequent fall of the Chandila kingdom, they were gradually abandoned. These beautiful sculptures can also be mentioned in the memoirs of the Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta, who describes it as “It contains idols that have been mutilated by Muslims, many yogis whose confused The locks have grown long on her body.
Story of Khajuraho Temples
According to legend, Hemvati was a beautiful woman, after whom the Khajuraho temples were created. One day, while she was taking a bath in a pond in Varanasi, the Moon God was mesmerized by her beauty, and could not wait to see her. She gave birth to a child and named him Chandravarman. However, she feared that her child would face harassment as she was born out of wedlock. She was so distraught that she cursed the moon god, She fled to the forests for shelter and raised her son Chandravarman alone. However, Chand promised him that his son would one day reign. who later predicted that the child would grow up to be a great king. As predicted, the child actually became a great king, who founded the Chandila dynasty. One day, after Hemvati’s death, her son saw her in his dream, where he asked her to build a temple that depicts human emotions.
These temples of great importance till the 18th century were discovered by Captain TS Burt of the British Army in the forests of Khajuraho
More than 90% of the sculptures reflect daily life as well as symbolic values according to ancient Indian culture. What can be seen here is a hybrid fantasy animal whose body is a lion, wolf-lion hybrid and elephant-lion hybrid called Vela.
Today they are maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India and are monitored by the World Heritage Convention under the UNESCO World Heritage Site Treaty.
The Khajuraho temples are widely known for their erotic sculptures and carvings. (Mesopotamia Erotic Clay Plaque of Sex Between Male and Female found 2000 Bce), but the Konark Sun Temple in Odisha has similar sculptures. Interestingly, there are several theories of the existence of these idols and they are based on Hindu iconography and are part of the core belief system that revolves around the four principles of Hinduism, humans life cycle of Karma, Dharma, Kama and Moksha.
Interestingly, only 10 per cent of the carvings in the temple complex depict sexual themes. The rest of the wishes reflect the everyday life of the common man present in that era. While some sculptures show women wearing make-up, there are other sculptures depicting potters, musicians, farmers and other ordinary people. The most common belief, which has no basis, is that the carvings are in Khajuraho temples, implying that the carvings depict sexual relationships between deities.
Khajuraho Temple Architecture
The temples follow the design sensibility of the Nagara style of architecture and are made of sandstone and granite. All temples face the sun except the Chhatrabhuj temple, which is a common beauty in Hindu temples. The gods of male and female deities represent the interdependence of male and female power. The temples follow a basic mandala design consisting of a square and a circle. The entire region is divided into three regions which together form the Pentagon. Most of the buildings in Khajuraho are made of sandstone. However, the uniqueness lies in the fact that no mortar was used to join the stones. The stones were held together using mortise and tenon joints and held in place by gravity. The three regions have the following temples:
The western group of temples includes Kanderia Mahadev Temple, Lakshmana Temple, Chosat Yogini Temple, Jagdambi Temple, Chhatragupta Temple, Matangeshwar Temple, Vishwanath Temple and Varaha Temple.
The eastern group of temples includes the Ghantai Temple, Parshvanath Temple, Adinath Temple, Brahma Temple, Hanuman Temple, Javari and Vamana Temple.
The southern group of temples includes the Bijamandal Temple, the Dilhadeva Temple, the Jatkari and the Chatrabhuj Temple.
10 Famous Temples in Khajuraho
1. Kandariya Mahadev Temple
Among the Khajuraho group of temples, the Kandariya Mahadev Temple is the largest and tallest Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The architectural style of the temple resembles that of Mount Kailash with a central peak at a height of 31 metres.
The Shiva Linga located in the marble temple is the main attraction of the temple. Here you can see about 800 carved sculptures and 646 sculptures.
2. Chausath Yogini Temple
Chaustha Yogini Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to 64 Yoginis, meaning different forms of the Goddess. This temple of Khajuraho is the oldest and most of the idols have been destroyed.
The structure of the temple is like a courtyard surrounded by many temples and yoginis reside in these temples. Chaustha Yogini Temple, a tantric temple dedicated to 64 deities, is the oldest temple in Khajuraho. A mysterious wind swirls around him, though all the temples are empty. The palm tree is believed to be full of energy and 64 yoginis are believed to control the essence of life, balancing both body and mind together. Reading various tantric theories, one of them compared love as a metaphor to mithun, which represents the sexual image of the life force – the union of Shiva and Shakti. Philosophy extends to architecture as well. Some also see the design as a symbol of the union of Shiva and Savitri.
3. Lakshmana Temple
Lakshmana Temple is one of the largest stone temples of Khajuraho and was dedicated to Lord Vishnu. This temple is the most popular among the group of temples of Khajuraho.
The main architectural attractions of this temple are elaborate outer wall sculptures, avatars of Lord Vishnu, some erotic structures and sculptures of elephants and horsemen etc.
4. Adinath Temple
Adinath Temple is a famous Jain temple dedicated to Jain Tirthankara Adinath. Although it is a Jain temple, Hindu deities were depicted on the outer walls.
The main architectural attractions of this temple are various sculptures related to Jain and Hindu deities like Yakshani, Chakreshwari, Ambika, Garuda, etc. Adinath’s lotus position is a must see in the Adinath temple.
5. Matangeshwar Temple
Matangeshwar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. This temple is very famous in Khajuraho and ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) has also declared this temple as a monument of national importance.
Here in this temple Lord Shiva is considered as Baba Mathang. You can get to see many Shiva Lingas in this temple. The roof of this temple is decorated with beautiful architectural sculptures but the exterior and interior parts of the temple are planned.
6. Javari Temple
The Juwari Temple at Khajuraho was dedicated to Lord Vishnu. But the main idol of Lord Vishnu is fragmented and headless. The architectural attractions of this temple include the entrance gate, the beautiful Makara Arch and other magnificent temple ceilings with various idols of Lord Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu.
The sculptures carved on the outer walls of this temple are the masterpieces of the great architect.
7. Devi Jagdamba Temple
Devi Jagdamba Temple is a beautifully decorated temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati in Khajuraho. The temple is known for its magnificent erotic sculptures and three band carvings around the temple.
The main attraction of this temple is the tomb of Goddess Parvati Devi. Among the architectural attractions of the temple are many sculptures of male and female couples, Surasundari, Sardula etc.
8. Chitragupta Temple
Chhatragupta Temple is a Hindu deity temple dedicated to the sun god Surya in Khajuraho. The temple is known for its ornate and elaborate carvings. The main architectural attractions of this temple are a large hall with an octagonal roof and idols of 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu.
And other attractions of Chhatragupta temple are some erotic sculptures like Mathura couple, Surasandras, Apsara etc.
9. Parsvanath Temple
Parsavnath Temple is the largest Jain temple among the Khajuraho group of temples. The interior structure and elaborate carvings of this temple are excellent examples of the architectural style.
The main attraction of this temple is its main Prashvanatha temple which has small texts. And the exteriors of the temple have sculptures and carvings of various Hindu deities.
10. Chaturbhuj Temple
Chhatrabhuj Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. In this temple, on a high platform, the four-armed Lord Vishnu has significance.
The architectural attractions of this temple are also famous for the idols of Lord Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu at the entrance and sculptures of Digpal, Apsaras, Ashtavas and mythical lions etc.
Khajuraho Temple Light & Sound Show Timings
A light and sound show has been organized by the tourism department of Madhya Pradesh at Khajuraho temple. The two shows are available in two languages: English and Hindi. And the Khajuraho temple timings for these shows are different for winter and summer. The winter time from October to February is from 6.30 pm to 7.25 pm. The summer time from March to September is from 7.30 pm to 8.25 pm. The entry fee for Indian visitors is Rs 250 while foreigners have to pay Rs 700. There is no entry ticket for children under 5 years old. The gate and ticket counter for the light and sound show are separate from the main entrance of the temple complex. Entry tickets for Khajuraho Temple Light and Sound Show cannot be booked in advance.
Khajuraho Temple Timings
Darshan timings at Khajuraho Temple are from 8 am to 6 pm.
Khajuraho Temple Address
Khajuraho Temple is located in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. Address of Khajuraho Temple is Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh 471606.
How to reach Khajuraho Temple
Located in northern Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho is famous as the land of Khajuraho Temple. A large number of tourists visit this important tourist destination every year. And this is the reason why Khajuraho is easily accessible and has its own airport very close to the site. The easiest way to reach Khajuraho is by air, the airport is just 2 minutes away from the city. Otherwise you can take a bus from Chhatarpur. Khajuraho city is 44 km from Chitrapur district, 281 km from Gwalior, 375 km from Bhopal, 565 km from Indore, 355 km from Ranchi. The nearest cities from Khajuraho are Harpalpur (94 km), Satna (117 km), Jhansi (175 km) and Jabalpur which is 258 km.
- Nearest Airport :Khajuraho Airport
- Nearest Railway Station :Khajuraho Railway Station
- Nearest Bus Station :Khajuraho Bus Stand
Famous Museums of Khajuraho
The entire city of Khajuraho is a living museum with hundreds of years old temples, the culture is steeped in heritage and the local people revel in the joys of this culture.
If you insist on visiting a few museums to learn more about the city, here are the top museums in Khajuraho.
- Jain Museum
The museum got its name from the collection of Jain sculptures. The museum is located within the Jain pilgrimage complex and was inaugurated in the 20th century. The sculpture gallery houses Tirthankara sculptures, Jain models, Yakshi sculptures and more.
Location: Eastern Group of Temples in Sivagram
Timings: Open from 8 AM to 5 PM (Except Sundays and Public Holidays) - State Museum of Tribal and Folk Art
As the name suggests, this museum houses a unique collection of tribal artefacts, sculptures, tribal paintings and much more. These collections describe the lifestyle, customs and tradition of the tribal people.
The museum has more than 500 objects which include jewellery, folk paintings, ancient masks, terracotta objects and wooden objects.
Location: Chandela Cultural Complex, Khajuraho Town
Timings: Open 12 Noon to 8 PM (Except Mondays and Public Holidays) - Dhubela Museum
This museum has a collection of artefacts falling under different genres. The museum provides an insight into the history, lifestyle and glory of the Bandelas, the dynasty that ruled the region in the past.
Here you can find paintings, costumes, weapons, jewelry and other ancient artifacts from this era. You can also find a collection of modern artefacts in this building.
Location: On the Jhansi-Khajuraho road, near the lake and Purana Qila
Timings: Open from 10 AM to 5 PM (Except Mondays and Public Holidays)
- Archaeological Museum
This museum was inaugurated during the British rule in India. A British officer, W.A. Started by Jardin, this museum houses artifacts from a bygone era. The museum is attached to the main temple complex of Khajuraho. You can find samples of different religions like Jainism, Brahmanism and Buddhism.
You can also see structural masterpieces of Indian architecture in the open air museum in this complex. This is one of the most creative museums to enjoy in Khajuraho.
Location: Opposite Circuit House, Khajuraho
Timings: 10 AM to 5 PM (Except Sundays and Public Holidays)
Each museum has a different closing day. Thus, plan your trip to ensure that you can explore all the museums. Museums won’t take more than a few hours of your time. Plan accordingly. The museum is open from 8 am to 5 pm and is closed on Fridays. The ticket price for Indians, SAARC and BIMSTEC tourists is Rs 10 while foreign tourists have to pay Rs 250. The museum is located near the Matgesvara Temple around the Western Group of Temples.
Best Time to visit Khajuraho Temples
The best time to visit Khajuraho is in winters from October to March. If you are culturally inclined, you should plan your trip around Khajuraho’s annual Khajuraho Dance Festival. A week long classical dance festival is held every February. The celebration of Indian classical dance forms, is a must-attend if you are an enthusiast or want to appreciate the aesthetics of a cultural performance against the backdrop of an ancient temple.
Khajuraho Temples Opening Hours
- Opening Time :06:00:00 am
- Closing Time :06:00:00 pm
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