TEMPLES - WEST GROUP

Khajuraho, better known as Jejakbhukti in the Middle Ages, then Bundelkhand from the ^14th century onwards, was the capital of the Chandela dynasty in the ^10th century. In keeping with tradition, they adorned their palaces with temples. There were 85 of them, but only 25 still bear witness to this sumptuous era. From 1500 onwards, the Chandela empire began to decline and the temples fell into oblivion. Most of them are made of sandstone and mark the high point of Hindu temple construction in Madhya Pradesh. The origin of the erotic sculptures, which forged Khajuraho's identity, remains a mystery, but today they attract visitors from all over the world. In fact, you'll want to come early in the morning, when the temple opens, to avoid the crowds, especially during the tourist season.

Varaha Temple. This is actually a small shrine dedicated to one of Vishnu's avatars, the boar. Standing on a platform, it rests on 14 pillars and dates back to around 900, making it one of the oldest monuments in Khajuraho.

Lakshmana Temple. Construction of this temple was undertaken by the Chandela king Yashovarman around 930. It took no less than twenty years to complete. The temple is built on a large platform and contains all the main elements: ardhamandapa (entrance porch), mahamandapa (hall), antarapa (intermediate space between the sanctuary and the other rooms of the temple) and garbhagriha (sanctuary). The sikhara (tower) is protected by numerous smaller sikharas. The outer walls are adorned with two tiers of sculptures featuring divine representations and erotic scenes. Inside, the sanctuary door is embellished with several representations of Vishnu, and a four-armed figure stands in its center.

Kandariya Temple. This is the largest of all Khajuraho's temples. Built between 1025 and 1050, it marks the apogee of the Chandela era. It is dedicated to Shiva, and its 31-metre-high sikhara, like the linga, symbolizes this god in a phallic way. Its symmetrical proportions, magnificent sculpted ornamentation and architectural complexity make it one of the finest temples on the site. The friezes on the outer base feature elephants, horses, warriors, dancers, acrobats and musicians. The temple boasts 872 statues, each about 1 metre high, with numerous erotic representations - some of the most detailed and acrobatic on the site! Inside, the sanctuary houses a statue of Shiva with four arms, surrounded by Brahma on his right and Vishnu on his left.

Mahadev temple. Just to the right of the Kandariya temple, this small temple is in a rather poor state of preservation and is especially noteworthy for its statues of sardula (a mythological figure half-beast, half-man) caressing a lion.

Jagadambi temple. On the right of the platform. Originally dedicated to Vishnu, this temple was later transformed into a place of worship for Parvati, his sister, whose image is preserved in the inner sanctum. Its simpler structure and less elaborate ornamentation suggest that it was built after 1025.

Chitragupta temple. The only temple in Khajuraho dedicated to Surya, the sun god. Its structure is comparable to that of the Jagadambi temple: garbhagriha, mahamandapa and lateral transepts, ardhamandapa, but no ambulatory inside. It is nevertheless much more imposing. Its outer walls feature some of the finest erotic sculptures in the world, as well as an eleven-headed Vishnu in a niche on the south façade. The sanctuary features a representation of Surya riding a chariot drawn by seven horses.

Parvati temple. This small temple originally dedicated to Vishnu now contains a representation of Gauri (another name for the goddess Parvati) riding an iguana.

Vishvanath temple. This temple dedicated to Shiva is one of Khajuraho's finest achievements. It was surrounded by four smaller sanctuaries, only two of which have survived. Inside, an inscription refers to two linga, one made of emerald, the other of stone, which would have been sheltered by the Vishvanath temple. The Nandi shrine rests on twelve pillars and houses an enormous ox, Shiva's vehicle, measuring 2.20 metres in length.

Pratapeswar temple. This brick-and-mortar temple dates from the early ^19th century. It houses a small black shivalinga.

Matangesvara temple. Located outside the garden, near the entrance, this is the only remaining temple in the group of Khajuraho temples. Devotees come to prostrate themselves before a 2.5-meter-high linga. Its much less elaborate construction suggests that it is more recent than the other temples in the western group.

Sound and Light: at nightfall, a Sound and Light show is offered, as for all sites maintained by the Archaeological Department of India. The show lasts one hour. Chairs are set up in front of a lawn overlooking most of the site's temples. Rather basic lighting illuminates the temples for very short periods, while a soundtrack recounts the history of Khajuraho and the building of its temples. We found the content rather poor, and there's nothing to explain the presence of erotic statues on the temples. Given the high entrance fee, you won't get much for your rupees, especially if your understanding of English is tenuous...