There are few things in the world which are beyond
compare and certain things that inspired human emotions to give an outlet to
his spiritual and physical love. The erotic images of Khajuraho are the
expressions of these human inner feelings . Every facade-wall, window,
pillar, and ceiling of Khajuraho is carved with figures of mythical and
historical origins, and while many of these depict the innocent form of love
on these walls. Forgotten and unvisited until the mid-1960s, Khajuraho is
now, India's biggest single tourist attraction after the Taj Mahal.
Khajuraho
is located in the forest plains of the central Indian state of Madhya
Pradesh in the Bundelkhand region. Khajuraho or 'Khajur-vahika' (bearer of
date palms), also known as 'Khajjurpura' in ancient times, evidently derives
its name from the golden date palms (khajur) that adorned its city gates. It
was discovered in 1838 by a British army engineer, captain T S Burt. The
Khajuraho temples were built in the short span of a hundred years, from
950-1050AD in a truly inspired burst of creativity. Of the 85 original
temples, 22 have survived till today to constitute one of the world's great
artistic wonders.
If Taj Mahal is consider the "Monument of Love" then, the
Khajuraho Temple presents spiritual and physical love in a form of finely
carved statues.
Legend of Khajuraho Temples
Ancient dynasties are often covered in a veil of mystery, largely because
written records are rare and, as is often the case in India, myth and legend
weave their way over time into the history of their origin and their reign.
And when the dynasty leaves a legacy as contradictory as the Khajuraho
temples, with their mix of the religious and the sensuous, the web is woven
of brighter threads, the accompanying legends more colorful.
According to the account of the medieval court poet, Chandbardai, in the
Mahoba-khand of his Prithviraj Raso, Hemvati was the beautiful daughter of
Hemraj, the royal priest of Kashi (Varanasi). One summer night, while she
was bathing in the sparkling waters of a lotus-filled pond, the Moon god was
so awestruck by her beauty that he descended to earth in human form and
ravished her. The distressed Hemvati, who was unfortunately a child widow,
threatened to curse the god for ruining her life and reputation.
To make amends for his folly the Moon god promised that she would become
the mother of a valiant son. 'Take him to hajjurpura', he is believed to
have said. 'He will be a great king and build numerous temples surrounded by
lakes and gardens. He will also perform a yagya (religious ceremony) through
which your sin will be washed away.' Following his instructions, Hemvati
left her home to give birth to her son in a tiny village.
The child, Chandravarman, was as lustrous as his father, brave and strong.
By the time he was 16 years old he could kill tigers or lions with his bare
hands. Delighted by his feats, Hemvati invoked the Moon god, who presented
their son with a touchstone which could turn iron into gold, and installed
him as king at Khajuraho. Chandravarman achieved a series of brilliant
victories and built a mighty fortress at Kalinjar. At his mother's request
he began the building of 85 glorious temples with lakes and gardens at
Khajuraho and performed the bhandya-yagya which expunged her of her guilt.
Khajuraho Temples - An Enigma In Stone
The temples at Khajuraho are divided into three broad groups :
The Western Group
The
Kandariya Mahadev is the best example of the Central Indian style of temple
architecture. It is the largest of the Khajuraho temples and is dedicated to
Lord Shiva. Located close to it is the Matangeshwara temple, the only one in
the entire complex where the deity (Shiva) is still worshipped everyday with
prayers and rituals. The Lakshman temple is finest of the western group of
temples and has four shrines attached to it. The Devi Jagdamba temple is
known for its erotic sculptures and houses Khajuraho's most talked-about
image, the mithuna (the sensuously carved figures of amorous couples). The
temples of Vishvanath and Nandi depict the marriage of Lord Shiva with
Parvati. The Chaunsath Yogini is the oldest of the surviving temples at
Khajuraho and is dedicated to goddess Kali.
The Eastern Group
This is also known as the Jain group. The Jain temples of Parasnath,
Adinath, Shantinagh, and Ghantai have fine examples of elaborate carvings
and are bereft of the erotic sculptures seen in the Hindu temples. These
temples are dedicated to Jain deities, each temple having a finely sculpted
image of the presiding deity. The three Hindu temples here are those of
Vamana, Javari and Brahma. The temples of Brahma and Hanuman are two of the
oldest temples of Khajuraho and are made of granite and sandstone.
The Southern Group
The Southern Group of temples include only two: Duladeo: Though it is a
beautiful erotic image of Khajuraho that this one represents, it is still a
very new temple which seems to have been built after the creativity of
Khajuraho was on its way to a new era and well down its peak. It has more
wooden sculpture that takes away its authenticity somewhat.
Chaturbhuja: Pretty far from the village, this unremarkable temple has a
three meter high statue of Vishnu.
Khajuraho Dance Festival
When
The Stones Come To Life 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 is typical of a
new breed of event, sited at ornate ancient temples to attract visitors by
combining tourism with culture.
Bandhavgarh National Park
Once part of the old Rewa state, Bandhavgarh national park is set amidst
the Vindhya ranges with a series of ridges running through it. Initially
this park was the royal hunting ground for the rulers of Rewa. But in 1968
it was declared a park with an area of only 105.4 sq. km.
