Khajuraho is a small town of Madhya
Pardesh. It is known the world over, for its unique temple which reflects
human emotions that gives an outlet to the spiritual and physical love. This
obscure village of central India was discovered in 1838 by a British army
engineer, captain T S Burt.
Khajuraho derived its name from the word 'khajur' meaning the date palm,
was a quiet unknown town till, a chance discovery made it a popular tourist
destination.
Legend about the Khajuraho temple
Khajuraho
was once the religious capital of the Chandela Rajputs, a tribal dynasty who
ruled this part of India from the tenth to the twelfth centuries. The
creators of Khajuraho claimed descent from the moon as is testified by the
fascinating legend behind the creation of this great dynasty and the
temples. Hemwati, the lovely young widowed daughter of a Brahmin priest, was
seduced by the moon-god while she was bathing in a forest pool. As the
moon-god prepared to leave, Hemvati threatened to curse him for having
molested her chastity, at which the moon-god blessed her with an invincible
son, who grew up to become a reputed world ruler and from whom will sprung a
thousand royal branches. The child Chandravarman, founder of the Chandela
dynasty. It is believed that Brihsapati, the preceptor of gods' descended on
the earth to write his horoscope.
Brought up in the forests by his mother who sought refuge from a censorious
society, at an age of sixteen, the young Chandravarman was so strong that he
killed a tiger with a piece of stone and a full grown lion with a small
stick. It is said that she implored him to build temples that would reveal
human passions, and in doing so bring about a realization of the emptiness
of human desire.
It is also believed that Chandelas were followers of the Tantric cult,
which believes that gratification of earthly desires is a step towards
attaining the infinite liberation or 'nirvana'.
The temples of Khajuraho was built in hundred years, from 950-1050 AD in a
truly inspired burst of creativity. The whole area was enclosed by a wall
with eight gates, each flanked by two golden palm trees. There were
originally over 80 temples, of which only 22 temples now stand there which
scattered over an area of about eight square miles.
The temples of Khajuraho are divided
into the following three parts.
The Western Group of Temples
The western group of temples is located along the main road that approaches
the temple. This temple will be the first that visitors will come across.
This is the largest and most important group with most of its constituent
temples laid out roughly in two rows. The Lakshmana Temple, the Matangesvara
Temple and the Varaha Temple form one complex. These temples form an
irregular row running north-south, while the Chitragupta, Jagadambi and the
Kandariya Mahadeva temples form a more regular, parallel row, about a
furlong to their west.
The western group of monuments is best maintained by the Archaeological
Survey of India amidst a setting of green lawns, colorful shrubs and
flowerbeds.
The Eastern Group of Temples
The eastern group of monuments, situated in close proximity to the
Khajuraho village, includes three Brahmanical temples known as Brahma,
Vamana and Javari which is flanked by three Jain temples, the Ghantai,
Adinath and Parsvanath. The Brahmanical temples are located along or near
the Khajuraho-Sagar, while the Jain temples are situated farther south and
can be conveniently approached by a metalled road.
The Southern Group of Temples
The southern group of monuments comprises the Duladeo and the Chaturbhuja
temples. The Duladeo is about a kilometre south of the Khajuraho village and
half a mile southwest of the Jain group of temples. The Chaturbhuja Temple
is a mile further south and is close to the Khajuraho airport.
Varaha Temple
Varaha Temple was built during the reign of Harshadeva circa 900-925 AD.
This small rectangular temple, built on a rock foundation, faces the
southeastern portion of the Lakshmana Temple. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the
temple has a 'phamsana' (pyramidal) roof of receding tiers, supported on
twelve pillars, there being a short frontal projection, supported on two
other pillars, which serves as the entrance.
Khajuraho Dance Festival
Every spring the stones of Khajuraho come to life during the prestigious
7-day Khajuraho Dance Festival when the glory of the temples is celebrated
with true fervor and joy. It is a cultural festival for the celebration of
the Indian classical dance and music, believed to have basically originated
in the Hindu temples. The festival showcases all forms of classical dance.
How to get there
Air:
Khajuraho is linked with Delhi, Agra and Varanasi. Flying from Delhi to
Agra takes 35 minutes and from Agra to Khajuraho, it takes 40 minutes. From
Varanasi to Khajuraho, it's a 45 minutes flight
Rail:
There is no direct train to Khajuraho. The most convenient station is
Jhansi, which is linked to Delhi and other major northern cities. Satna is
another convenient railway station.
Road:
Khajuraho is connected by regular buses with Satna, Harpalpur, Jhansi and
Mahoba. Khajuraho is 391 km from Agra, 117 km from Satna, 176 km from
Jhansi, 350 km from Bhopal, 280 km from Gwalior, 480 km from Indore, 210 km
from Jabalpur.
