KhajurahoAttractions
Khajuraho : The name of Khajuraho, is derived from the Sanskrit words Kharjuravahaka. Kharjura means date palm and vahaka means one who carries. Locals living in the Khajuraho village always knew about and kept up the temples as best as they could. They were pointed out to the English in the late 19th century when the jungles had taken a toll on the monuments. In the 19th century, British engineer T.S. Burt arrived in the area, followed by General Alexander Cunningham. Cunningham put Khajuraho on the world map when he explored the site on behalf of the Archaeological Survey of India and described what he found in glowing terms. Khajuraho is situated in the heart of northern part of the state Madhya Pradesh in India. It is famous for its splendid temples. These temples were built during the reign of the Chandela dynasty. The amazingly short span of 100 years, from 950 AD - 1050 AD, saw the completion of all the temples, in an inspired burst of creativity. Today, of the original 85, only 22 have survived the ravages of time; these remain as a collective paean to life, to joy and to creativity; to the ultimate fusion of man with his creator.
In the temple architecture of India, the Khajuraho complex remains unique. One thousand years ago, under the generous and artistic patronage of the Chandela Rajput kings of Central India, 85 temples, magnificent in form and richly carved, came up on one site, near the village of Khajuraho. The Khajuraho Group of Monuments has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is considered to be one of the “seven wonders” of India.
The temples of Khajuraho are dedicated to Gods and Goddesses like Shiva, Jagadamba and Vishnu. These temples are example of exemplary sculptural art and architecture. The city is known to the world for its erotic sculptures. These temples are thousand years old. Temples of Khajuraho have been standing for more than 10 centuries during this period they have witnessed carnage and have faced natures fury. Apart from its temples Khajuraho has also another tourist attraction in its Khajuraho dance festival that is held every year. You can see the erotic sculptures on Kandariya Mahadev Temple.
Place of attractions :-
The Western Group of Temples : There are several temples are in this group. Most popular and famous is Kandhariya Mahadev Temple - The largest and most typical Khajuraho temple it includes about 900 statues and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. One can also visit Chusath Yogini Temple dedicated to Goddess Kali, Chitragupta Temple, Laxmana Temple etc.
The Eastern group of Temples : In this group, mostly are Jain temples. Parsvanatha Temple, Ghantai Temple : A Jain temple, it describes in sculpture the 16 dreams of Mahavira’s mother, and a multi-armed Jain goddess perched on a winged Garuda. Adinatha Temple : Dedicated to the Jain saint, Adinatha, the temple is gorgeously adorned with sculptures of yakshis.