India 2016 (part XLII): Khajuraho

Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh:

sculptures at the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple

On the weekend following my short visit to Pushkar, I took the train to Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh (13.5 hours for 660 km!).

Khajuraho is a small town in central India known for its magnificent temples built mostly in the 10th and 11th century. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is particularly famous for its detailed erotic sculptures, although most of the artwork actually depicts scenes of daily life. Originally, there were more than 80 temples in the area, but only about 20 survived until today. I started my exploration with the so-called Western Group of Temples, a fenced-off area including the particularly beautiful Lakshmana, Kandariya Mahadeva, Devi Jagadambi, Chitragupta, and Vishvanatha temples. As you can see in the gallery below, the artwork is unbelievable! Since the ticket also included access to the small Archaeological Museum, I also checked out the few sculptures on display there.

visiting the western group of temples in Khajuraho

Lakshmana Temple

Matangeshwar Temple outside the fenced area

Matangeshwar and Lakshmana temples

Lakshmana Temple

inside the Lakshmana Temple

intricate ornamentation of the Lakshmana Temple

facade of the Lakshmana Temple

sculptures at the Lakshmana Temple

naughty temple art

sculptures at the Lakshmana Temple

facade of the Lakshmana Temple

naughty temple art

the spire of the Lakshmana Temple

Lakshmana Temple

view towards the Vishvanatha Temple

Varaha Temple

Varaha, the boar incarnation of Lord Vishnu

sculptures along the outer wall of the Lakshmana Temple

naughty temple art

small figurines at the outer wall

Kandariya Mahadeva and Devi Jagadambi temples

Kandariya Mahadeva Temple

spire of the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple

details of the spire

Kandariya Mahadeva Temple

facade of the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple

flexible

facade of the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple

sculptures at the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple

naughty temple art

Kandariya Mahadeva Temple

view towards the Devi Jagadambi Temple

Chitragupta Temple in the distance

statue of a vyala

Kandariya Mahadeva and Devi Jagadambi temples

inside the Chitragupta Temple

Vishvanatha Temple

Parvati Temple next to the Vishvanatha Temple

sculptures at the Vishvanatha Temple

facade of the Vishvanatha Temple

naughty temple art

Vishvanatha Temple

inside the Vishvanatha Temple

facade of the Vishvanatha Temple

Nandi

younger temple

Lingam

Kandariya Mahadeva Temple

Archaeological Museum

Following a quick lunch at nearby Raja Cafe, I walked east to the Jain Group of Temples. While the building of the Shantinath Temple is much younger, it incorporates a number of ancient shrines containing beautiful stone sculptures. The style of the Adinath and Parshvanath temples again resembles those of the western group with a large number of sculptures at their facades.

at the Jain group of temples

entrance to the Shantinath Temple

inside the Shantinath Temple

Adinath and Parshvanath temples

Adinath Temple

sculptures at the Adinath Temple

inside Adinath Temple

Parshvanath Temple

sculptures at the Parshvanath Temple

inside Parshvanath Temple

young dogs at the Jain temples

After a much needed break in the shade during which I drank approximately 1.5 litres of water non-stop, I could again bear the mid-day sun and walked north through the narrow, crooked alleys of the old village of Khajuraho. I passed the sad remains of the Ghantai Temple and eventually reached the more impressive Javari and Vamana temples standing amidst meadows. While sitting next to the Vamana Temple, I saw a vulture in a tree maybe 200 m away and took the effort to get a little closer for some photographs. On the way back, I spotted a pretty Indian Roller before passing one of the oldest temples of Khajuraho, the Brahma Temple (completed in 925, actually dedicated to Vishnu). I walked back to the main road with the tiny Hanuman Temple and its many shops, restaurants, and hotels. After a short break in my room, I finished my day of exploration at the oldest of all Khajuraho temples, the Chausath Yogini Temple, built around 885 with 64 little shrines arranged in a rectangle.

on the way to the old village

remains of the Ghantai Temple

inside the old village

Javari Temple

a frog

another frog

Vamana Temple

spire of the Vamana Temple

sculptures at the Vamana Temple

inside the Vamana Temple

statue of Vamana

Vamana Temple

a vulture in a tree

Indian Roller

Brahma Temple

Hanuman Temple

main street of Khajuraho

at the Shivsagar Lake

Chausath Yogini

Lakshmana and Matangeshwar temples

Kandariya Mahadeva Temple

On the next day, I was again sitting in the train returning to Jaipur. The landscape between Khajuraho and Jhansi was really beautiful with forests, lakes, and farmland. During the journey, I spotted three Nilgai antelopes dashing away from the oncoming train and, even more exciting for me, two Sarus Cranes, the tallest of all flying birds!