Location
The
temples of Khajuraho are located in the heart of central India, in the state
of Madhya Pradesh.
Overview
The fascinating temples of Khajuraho were built during the reign of
Chandela dynasty, in 10th century. These exquisitely carved temples
represent the rich cultural heritage of India. Khajuraho, the small temple
town, is now designated by UNESCO as a world heritage site for its
archaeological & historical monuments. Originally there were 85 temples,
of which 22 still exists with great architectural beauty. Khajuraho temple
complex site is one of the most popular tourist places in India among
foreign as well as Indian tourists.
Architecture
The temples have a very unique architecture that are different from the
temples of their period. The erotic carvings on stone represents various
facets and moods of life. Most of the temples are built of sandstone with
various shades of buff, pink and pale yellow. Each structure stands on a
high platform and has three main compartments like the entrance
(Mukhashala), the assembly hall(Mandapa) and the actual sanctum (garbha
griha).
Attractions
» Temples - The temples at Khajuraho are divided
into three broad categories the Western Group, the Eastern Group and the
Southern Group.
The
Western Group of temple complex consists of temples like
Lakshmana Temple, Matangesvara Temple, Varaha Temple, Visvanatha Temple,
Nandi temple etc. These are maintained by the archaeological survey of
India.
The
Eastern Group of Temples are situated near the
Khajuraho village which consists of three Brahmanical temples and three Jain
temples. The Brahmanical temples are known as Brahma, Vamana and Javari. The
Jain temples are named as the Ghantai, Adinath and Parsvnath.
The
Southern Group of temples complex has temples like
the Duladeo and the Chaturbhuja Temple. The Duladeo temples are dedicated to
lord Shiva and the Chaturbhuja temple has a huge carved image of Vishnu.
» Khajuraho Dance Festivals - Held in the month of
March, Khajuraho Dance Festival attract tourists from all over the world. A
large number of artists from all parts of India come here to participate in
various classical dance performances.
How to Reach
» Air - The small town Khajuraho has its own airport
which is well linked with Delhi, Varanasi, Agra & Kathmandu by daily
airline service.
» Rail - The nearest railheads are at
Harpalpur(94km) and Mahoba(61km). Jhansi(175km) and Satna(117km) are the
convenient rail heads for visitors from Delhi, Agra, Mumbai, Chennai &
Varanasi.
» Road - A good motorable road network connects the
city with all the major cities in and around Madhya Paradesh by regular bus
services.
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