Madhya Pradesh - The Heart of Incredible India
MightyHikers
Temples Of Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh
LOCATION: Temples
Of Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh (278 km from Gwalior and 328 km from Morena and 6
km from Khajuraho railway station).
BEST TIME TO VISIT: September to December or you can travel any time throughout year.
India is known to have more than 2 million Hindu temples. These temples reflect the variety of Indian culture and way of life. Temple architecture in India has always embodied an underlying vision. It is a representation of experience, space and time. The art and architecture involved in the construction of Hindu Temples is well defined in the Shilpa Shastra
It mentions three main kinds of temple architecture in India: Nagara or the Northern Style, Dravida or the Southern style and Vesara or the Mixed style. The defining features of a Nagara style are Garbhagriha(Sanctum Sanctorum), Shikhara (Curvilinear tower), and Mandapa (Entrance Hall). The Nagara style developed gradually as the earlier temples had only one Shikhara, while the later temples were constructed with multiple Shikharas and the Garbhagriha can always be found under the tallest tower.
The Temples of Khajuraho are a magnificent examnle of the Nagara style of temples as the temples consist of a sanctum, a narrow ante-chamber (antarala), a transept (mahamandapa), additional halls (ardha mandapa), a mandapa or nave and an ambulatory passage (Pradakshina-path) which is lighted by large windows. Khajuraho, known for its ornate temples, was built by the Chandela rulers between 900 CE to 1130 CE. The first mention of Khajuraho and its temples is in the accounts of Abu Rahyan al Biruni (1022 CE) and Ibn Batuta (1335 CE). The temples were said to have been spread across 20 square kilometres and there were around 85 temples in the 12th century. The ravages of time have reduced the number of temples in Khajuraho to just 20 today.
The Chandela Empire ruled central India from the
tenth to the fourteenth centuries. Chandelas were well known for their interest
in art and architecture.
Although followers of Shaivism, the Chandelas were
also said to have been inclined towards Vaishn and Jainism as well.
The carvings at the temples seem to be
predominantly about Hindu deities and mythology.
The architectural style also follows Hindu traditions.
This can be validated by various factors. A
predominant feature of the construction of a Hindu temple is that the face of
the temple should be towards the direction of sunrise. All the temples of
Khajuraho have been built with this in mind.
Moreover, the carvings reflect the four goals of
life in Hinduism, viz, dharma, kama, artha, moksha.
The monuments built by the Chandelas were famous
for their architectural and sculptural glory. The Chandelas were also deeply
interested performance arts and the various forms of music and dance. This is
evident from the sculptural representation of various scenes of music and dance
depicted on the walls of these temples.
Erotic imagery is very common in the Temples of
Khajuraho. Sculptures of celestial nymphs with broad hips, heavy breasts and
languishing eyes are commonly found in the Kandariya MahadevVishwanath Temple
Thoco soulpturas are believea to reflect the idea of female beauty and
fertility. Other scenes depicted on the walls of the temples are a part of the
Narathara (the human life cycle) signifying how sexual procreation and kama are
an essential aspect of human life. The major focus of the study of the Temples of
Khajuraho have been on the sculptures. The walls of these temples have some of
the best sculptures of the time, making Khajuraho a representation of excellent
artistic features. It is believed that the temples constitute five different
sets of sculptures: 1. cult images 2. the parivara, parsva and avarana devatas
3. the apsaras and the surasundaris 4. secular sculptures of miscellaneous
themes (dancers, musicians, disciples and domestic scenes) 5. mythical
creatures (vyalas, sardula and other animals)
These sets of sculptures and erotic images
represent scenes from day to day life.
Quite a few stories revolve around the history of
these temples. One theory posits their construction can be understood as a part
of the proliferation of the Siva-Sakti cult.
The other theory is that
the temples are a representation of the devadasis who were once a major part of
the temple activities. The most beautiful women were brought from Magadha,
Malwa and Rajputana to be trained as devadasis in the Temples of Khajuraho.
People say that the Surasundaris, who cover the interior and the exterior walls
of the temples, were taken from real life and juxtaposed with the sculptures of
Gods and Goddesses. Another theory says that the sculptures represent the
life-cycle of a normal human being. It is difficult to state with certainty
which of these theories is correct, as no written texts describing the
construction exist today. Regardless of the reason behind the sculptures, what
we do know is that we have been gifted with a set of the most ornate, intricate
and beautiful sculptures extant anywhere in the world.
The Temples of Khaiuraho are divided into tree groups, the Western Group, the Eastern Group and the Southern Group. The architecture of the Temples of Khajuraho is very complex. The main components of these temples are: 1. The Garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) with antarala, a narrow ante-chamber 2. The Maha Mandapa, a large hall 3. The Ardha Mandapa and a mandapa, which are smaller additional halls 4. The Pradakshina Path, a circumambulation path. A few temples at Khajuraho are of the Panchayatana type, with four shrines dedicated to the divinities and often another shrine in front of the portico dedicated to the vahana (vehicle) of the principal deity. The Temples of Khajuraho are believed to have been built of light-coloured sandstone imported from the quarries of Panna, from the east bank of the kane River. Iron clamps are also freely employed in the construction of the temples. A few other smaller temples are built partly of sandstone and party of granite.
Thus, the Temples of
Khajuraho perhaps constitute the most humanistic representation of the arts of
our country in the early times.
How to reach Khajuraho Temple:
By Road: 278 km from Gwalior and 328 km from Morena
and 6 km from Khajuraho railway station.
By Train: Khajuraho station which is around 6 kms.
By Air: Khajuraho
airport which is around 3 kms.
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