Difference between revisions of "Khajuraho" - New World Encyclopedia

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'''Khajuraho''' (Hindi खजुराहो) is a village in the [[States and territories of India|Indian state]] of [[Madhya Pradesh]], located in [[Chhatarpur District]], about 385 miles (620 kilometres) southeast of [[Delhi]], the capital city of [[India]].
+
'''Khajuraho''' (Hindi खजुराहो), a village in the [[States and territories of India|Indian state]] of [[Madhya Pradesh]], located in [[Chhatarpur District]], about 385 miles (620 kilometres) southeast of [[Delhi]], the capital city of [[India]].
  
−
The Khajuraho group of monuments has been listed as a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]].
+
The [[Khajuraho group of monuments]] has been listed as a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]].
  
 
One of the most popular [[tourist destinations in India]], Khajuraho has the largest group of [[medieval]] [[Hindu]] and [[Jain]] [[temple]]s, famous for their [[erotic sculpture]]. The name Khajuraho is derived from the [[Hindi]] word ''khajur'' meaning ''[[date palm]]''.
 
One of the most popular [[tourist destinations in India]], Khajuraho has the largest group of [[medieval]] [[Hindu]] and [[Jain]] [[temple]]s, famous for their [[erotic sculpture]]. The name Khajuraho is derived from the [[Hindi]] word ''khajur'' meaning ''[[date palm]]''.
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
−
The city was once the original capital of the [[Chandela]] [[Rajput]]s, a Hindu dynasty that ruled this part of India from the 10th to the 12th centuries. The Khajuraho temples were built over a span of a hundred years, from 950 to 1050. The Chandela capital was moved to [[Mahoba]] after this time, but Khajuraho continued to flourish for some time.  
+
The city, once the original capital of the [[Chandela]] [[Rajput]]s, had been home to a Hindu dynasty that ruled that part of India from the 10th to the 12th centuries C.E.. The [[Khajuraho temples]] had been built over a span of a hundred years, from 950 to 1050. The Chandela capital moved to [[Mahoba]] after that time, but Khajuraho continued to flourish for some time.  
  
−
The whole area was enclosed by a wall with eight gates, each flanked by two golden palm trees. There were originally over 80 Hindu temples, of which only 22 now stand in a reasonable state of preservation, scattered over an area of about 8 square miles (21 km²).
+
A wall with eight gates enclosed the whole area, each flanked by two golden palm trees. Originally over eighty Hindu temples stood there, of which only twenty two now stand in a reasonable state of preservation, scattered over an area of about eight square miles (21 km²).
  
−
Unlike other cultural centers of North India, the temples of Khajuraho never underwent massive destruction and a number of them have survived. They are fine examples of Indian architectural styles that have gained popularity due to their salacious depiction of the traditional way of life during medieval times. They were rediscovered during the late 19th century and the jungles had taken a toll on some of the monuments.
+
Unlike other cultural centers of North India, the temples of Khajuraho never underwent massive destruction and a number of them have survived. They serve as fine examples of Indian architectural styles that have gained popularity due to their salacious depiction of the traditional way of life during medieval times. Rediscovered during the late 19th century, the jungles had taken a toll on some of the monuments.
  
−
==Geography==
+
==Description==
−
Khajuraho is located at {{coor d|24.85|N|79.93|E|}}<ref>[http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/35/Khajuraho.html Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Khajuraho]</ref>. It has an average elevation of 283&nbsp;[[metre]]s (928&nbsp;[[foot (unit of length)|feet]]).
+
Khajuraho situates at {{coor d|24.85|N|79.93|E|}}<ref>[http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/35/Khajuraho.html Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Khajuraho]</ref>. It has an average elevation of 283&nbsp;[[metre]]s (928&nbsp;[[foot (unit of length)|feet]]).
 +
 
 +
'''Demographics'''
  
−
==Demographics==
 
 
<!-- See [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Indian cities]] for details —>{{Infobox Indian Jurisdiction |
 
<!-- See [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Indian cities]] for details —>{{Infobox Indian Jurisdiction |
 
native_name = Khajuraho |  
 
native_name = Khajuraho |  
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[[As of 2001]] India [[census]]<ref>{{GR|India}}</ref>, Khajuraho had a population of 19,282. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Khajuraho has an average literacy rate of 53%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 62%, and female literacy is 43%. In Khajuraho, 19% of the population is under 6 years of age.
+
As of 2001 India [[census]]<ref>{{GR|India}}</ref>, Khajuraho had a population of 19,282. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Khajuraho has an average literacy rate of 53%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 62%, and female literacy is 43%. In Khajuraho, 19% of the population is under 6 years of age.
  
 
== Architecture ==
 
== Architecture ==
−
The Khajuraho temples, constructed with spiral superstructures, adhere to a northern Indian [[shikhara]] temple style and often to a [[Panchayatana]] plan or layout. A few of the temples are dedicated to the [[Jain]] pantheon and the rest to Hindu deities - to God's Trio, [[Brahma]], [[Vishnu]] and [[Shiva]], and various [[Devi]] forms, such as the [[Devi Jagadambi temple]]. A Panchayatana temple had four subordinate shrines on four corners and the main shrine in the center of the podium, which comprises their base. The temples are grouped into three geographical divisions: western, eastern and southern.
+
The Khajuraho temples, constructed with spiral superstructures, adhere to a northern Indian [[shikhara]] temple style and often to a [[Panchayatana]] plan or layout. A few of the temples had been dedicated to the [[Jain]] pantheon and the rest to Hindu deities - to God's Trio, [[Brahma]], [[Vishnu]] and [[Shiva]], and various [[Devi]] forms, such as the [[Devi Jagadambi temple]]. A Panchayatana temple had four subordinate shrines on four corners and the main shrine in the center of the podium, which comprises their base. The temples group into three geographical divisions: western, eastern and southern.
−
[[Image:Khajuraho-Lakshmana temple.JPG|left|thumb||200px|Lakshmana temple at Khajuraho, a [[panchayatana]] temple. Two of the four secondary shrines can be seen. [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Khajuraho_tempel_india.jpg Another view]]]
+
[[Image:Khajuraho-Lakshmana temple.JPG|left|thumb||200px|Lakshmana temple at Khajuraho, a [[panchayatana]] temple. Two of the four secondary shrines can be seen. [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Khajuraho_tempel_india.jpg Another view]]
 +
 
 +
Kandariya Mahadeva
  
 
With a graded rise secondary shikharas (spires) cluster to create an appropriate base for the main shikhara over the sanctum. [[Kandariya Mahadeva]], one of the most accomplished temples of the Western group, comprises eighty-four shikharas, the main being 116 feet from the ground level.  
 
With a graded rise secondary shikharas (spires) cluster to create an appropriate base for the main shikhara over the sanctum. [[Kandariya Mahadeva]], one of the most accomplished temples of the Western group, comprises eighty-four shikharas, the main being 116 feet from the ground level.  
 +
-----------------
 +
{{Infobox Mandir
 +
|image = Kandariya mahadeva temple.jpg
 +
|creator = Vidyadhara of the [[Chandela]]s
 +
|proper_name = ''Kandariya Mahadeva''
 +
|date_built = ''circa'' 1050
 +
|primary_deity = [[Shiva|Mahadeva]]
 +
|architecture = [[North India]]n
 +
|location = [[Khajuraho]], [[Madhya Pradesh]]
 +
}}
 +
 +
The '''Kandariya Mahadeva ([[Devanagari]]:कंदरिया महादेव, [[IAST]]:Kandariyā Mahādeva) temple''' is the largest and most ornate [[Hindu]] [[temple]] in the medieval temple group found at [[Khajuraho]] in [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[India]]. It is considered one of the best examples of temples preserved from the medieval period in India.<ref>http://www.tribuneindia.com/1999/99mar20/saturday/head1.htm</ref> Khajuraho was once the religious capital of the [[Chandela]] [[Rajput]]s and today is one of the most popular [[tourist destinations in India]]. The Kandariya Mahadeva temple is the largest of the Western group of temples and was built by Vidyadhara, arguably one of the greatest Chandela kings. The temple was built around 1050 on Hindu beliefs dating back to [[1000 B.C.E.]]; The main spire or ''[[shikhara]]'' rises 31 [[metre|m]] to depict Mount Meru, the holy mountain of [[Shiva]] and is surrounded by 84 miniature spires.<ref>http://www.ar.utexas.edu/AV/ARC318L/glossary/building/kandar.html</ref> Inside the sanctum is a marble [[linga]] representing [[Shiva]].<ref>http://vegetarian-restaurants.net/India-Guide/IndianStates/Madhya-Pradesh/Khajuraho.htm</ref> The [[Archaeological Survey of India]] protects the temple, which is part of the [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage site]] at Khajuraho.
 +
 +
==Features==
 +
<!--{{Unreferenced|date=March 2007}}—>
 +
The temple takes its name from ''kandara'' or cave and ''Mahadeva,'' another name for Shiva. Like many other temples in the Khajuraho complex, it has a linear series of access-steps facing the east-west directions. Other features are columned halls with balconies, an entrance porch, and the inner sanctum. Decorating the sides of the temple are over 646 [[statue]]s. At the top of the shikhara is the ''amalaka,'' a circular ring [[Motif (art)|motif]] common in [[North Indian]] [[Hindu temple architecture|temple architecture]]. Many of the side panels depict Shiva in the presence of ''[[apsara]]s'', consorts, and other divinities. These [[erotic]] figures do not span the whole temple and are not to be found among the 226 found inside.
 +
 +
==Analysis==
 +
<!--{{Unreferenced|date=March 2007}}—>
 +
The Kandariya Mahadeva has been praised as the pinnacle of the tradition of medieval Hindu North Indian temple building (''vide'' references). The appearance of the Kandariya is deceptive as it seems to be carved out of a solid piece of stone. Arguably, the complexity and ornateness of design gives one a sense of a closed dimension since the Kandariya can be entered through very few entrances. The [[sculpture]]d figures are well-rounded yet supple and do not display significant musculature or tension despite numerous erotic implications. Most of the sculptures have economy of drapery but are effusively patterned with ornaments and flower motifs. The effect of height of the [[shikhara]]s are advanced by the gradation of the rise. From the front, the various designs, many of which are erotic, are not visible to the worshipper. The east-west axis and this thrust, it is argued, focus the worshipper on the central point inside the temple, where the ''linga'' is kept.
 +
 +
==Notes==
 +
<div class "references-small">
 +
<references/>
 +
</div>
 +
 +
==References==
 +
*[http://news-sv.aij.or.jp/jabs/s1/jabs0208-013.PDF#search=%22kandariya%20mahadeva%22 Article on Hindu temples of India by George Michell and Snehal Singh. This article has technical details on the temple.]
 +
*Surface, Space and Intention: The Parthenon and the Kandariya Mahadeva. Gregory D. Alles. ''History of Religions'', Vol. 28, No.1, August 1988, pp. 1-36.
 +
 +
==External links==
 +
*[http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00routesdata/1000_1099/kandariya/kandariya.html Wesbite with pictures of the Kandariya Mahadeva temple.]
 +
*[http://www.mp.nic.in/culture/monument.htm The official Madhya Pradesh state webpage on monuments]
 +
*[http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/khajuraho/kandariyaindex.htm Kandariya Temple]
 +
 +
 +
<!--Kandariya_Mahadeva_temple|157283170|—>
 +
 +
 +
-----------------
  
−
These shikharas—subordinate and main—attribute to the Khajuraho temples their unique splendor and special character. With a graded rise of these shikharas from over the [[ardhamandapa]], porch, to [[mandapa]], assembly hall, [[mahamandapa]], principal assembly hall, [[antarala]], vestibule, and [[garbhagriha]], [[sanctum sanctorum]], the Khajuraho temples attain the form and glory of gradually rising [[Himalaya]]n peaks. These temples of Khajuraho have sculptures that look very realistic and are studied even today.
+
Those shikharas (subordinate and main) attribute to the Khajuraho temples their unique splendor and special character. With a graded rise of those shikharas from over the [[ardhamandapa]], porch, to [[mandapa]], assembly hall, [[mahamandapa]], principal assembly hall, [[antarala]], vestibule, and [[garbhagriha]], [[sanctum sanctorum]], the Khajuraho temples attain the form and glory of gradually rising [[Himalaya]]n peaks. Those temples of Khajuraho have sculptures that look remarkably realistic that even contemporary art scholars study.
  
−
The [[Saraswathi]] temple on the campus of [[Birla Institute of Technology and Science]], [[Pilani]], India is modeled after the Khajuraho temple.
+
The [[Saraswathi]] temple on the campus of [[Birla Institute of Technology and Science]], [[Pilani]], India imitated Khajuraho temple.
  
 
==Landscape==
 
==Landscape==
−
The Khajuraho temples are now set in a parkland landscape. When India gained independence from Britain in 1947 the landscape setting was semi-desert and scrub. The archaeological park now has something of the character of an English public park, with mown grass, rose beds and ornamental trees. This may be popular with visitors but has no relationship with the historic landscape at the time the temples were built.  
+
The Khajuraho temples now stand in a parkland landscape. When India gained independence from [[Britain]] in 1947 the landscape setting had been semi-desert and scrub. The archaeological park now has something of the character of an English public park, with mown grass, rose beds and ornamental trees. That may be popular with visitors but has no relationship with the historic landscape at the time the temples first stood.  
  
−
The development of [[landscape archaeology]] as an academic discipline raises questions concerning the earlier landscape of Khajuraho and the original relationship between the temple complex and the surrounding area. There are no records of what the original landscape might have been, but it is known that a large community of priests used the temple complex and that Indian gardens in the tenth century were predominantly tree gardens. They did not have lawns or herbaceous flowering plants.
+
The development of [[landscape archaeology]] as an academic discipline raises questions concerning the earlier landscape of Khajuraho and the original relationship between the temple complex and the surrounding area. No records of what the original landscape might have been exist, but records state that a large community of priests used the temple complex and that Indian gardens in the tenth century had been predominantly tree gardens. They lacked lawns or herbaceous flowering plants.
  
 
==The statues and carvings of Khajuraho==
 
==The statues and carvings of Khajuraho==
 
<!--[[Image:Kandariya mahadeva temple.jpg|thumb|Kandariya Mahadeva temple]]—>
 
<!--[[Image:Kandariya mahadeva temple.jpg|thumb|Kandariya Mahadeva temple]]—>
 
[[Image:Khajuraho - Kandariya Mahadeo Temple.jpg|thumb|right|200px|View of Kandariya Mahadeo Temple (11th century) at Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh, India)]]
 
[[Image:Khajuraho - Kandariya Mahadeo Temple.jpg|thumb|right|200px|View of Kandariya Mahadeo Temple (11th century) at Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh, India)]]
−
The Khajuraho temples do not contain sexual or [[erotic art]] inside the temple or near the deities; however, some external carvings bear erotic art and [[Tantric sexuality|tantric sexual]] poses. Also, some of the temples that have two layers of walls have small erotic carvings on the outside of the inner wall. There are many interpretations of the erotic carvings. According to some current Hindu interpretations, they portray that, for seeing the deity, one must leave his or her sexual desires outside the temple. They also show that divinity, such as the deities of the temples, is pure like the [[Atman (Hinduism)|atman]], which is not affected by sexual desires and other characteristics of the physical body. Meanwhile, the external curvature and carvings of the temples depict humans, human bodies, and the changes that occur in human bodies, as well as facts of life. Some 10% of the carvings contain sexual themes; those reportedly do not show deities, they show sexual activities between people. The rest depict the everyday life of the common Indian of the time when the carvings were made, and of various activities of other beings. For example, those depictions show women putting on makeup, musicians, potters, farmers, and other folks. Those mundane scenes are all at some distance from the temple deities. A common misconception is that, since the old structures with carvings in Khajuraho are temples, the carvings depict sex between deities.<ref>[http://www.liveindia.com/khajuraho/8a.html  "Khajurajo," liveindia.com]</ref>  
+
The Khajuraho temples lack sexual or [[erotic art]] inside the temple or near the deities; some external carvings bear erotic art and [[Tantric sexuality|tantric sexual]] poses. Also, some of the temples that have two layers of walls have small erotic carvings on the outside of the inner wall. Many interpretations of the erotic carvings prevail. According to some current Hindu interpretations, they portray that, for seeing the deity, one must leave his or her sexual desires outside the temple. They also show that divinity, such as the deities of the temples, embody purity like the [[Atman (Hinduism)|atman]], which stands above sexual desires and other characteristics of the physical body. Meanwhile, the external curvature and carvings of the temples depict humans, human bodies, and the changes that occur in human bodies, as well as facts of life. Some 10% of the carvings contain sexual themes; those reportedly lack images of deities, they show sexual activities between people. The rest depict the everyday life of the common Indian of the time when the carvings had been made, and of various activities of other beings. For example, those depictions show women putting on makeup, musicians, potters, farmers, and other folks. Those mundane scenes have been placed at some distance from the temple deities. A common misconception prevails that, since the old structures with carvings in Khajuraho served as temples, the carvings depict sex between deities.<ref>[http://www.liveindia.com/khajuraho/8a.html  "Khajurajo," liveindia.com]</ref>  
  
−
Between 950 and 1050, the Chandela monarchs, followers of the [[Tantra|Tantric]] tradition, built these temples. Adherents of Tantrism teach that gratification of earthly desires is a step towards accomplishing [[Nirvana]]. In olden days, before the [[Mughal]] conquests, when boys lived in hermitages, following ''[[brahmacharitva]]'' until they became men, they could learn about the world and prepare themselves to become householders through examining these sculptures and the worldly desires they depicted.<ref>[http://www.cultureholidays.com/Temples/khajuraho.htm Article on Khajuraho Temples]—Accessed on March 06, 2007</ref>
+
Between 950 and 1050 C.E., the Chandela monarchs, followers of the [[Tantra|Tantric]] tradition, built those temples. Adherents of Tantrism teach that gratification of earthly desires constitutes a step towards accomplishing [[Nirvana]]. In ancient times, before the [[Mughal]] conquests, when boys lived in hermitages, following ''[[brahmacharitva]]'' until they became men, they could learn about the world and prepare themselves to become householders through examining those sculptures and the worldly desires they depicted.<ref>[http://www.cultureholidays.com/Temples/khajuraho.htm Article on Khajuraho Temples]—Accessed on March 06, 2007</ref>
  
 
==References==
 
==References==

Revision as of 22:59, 4 November 2007

Khajuraho Group of Monuments*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
A typical temple at Khajuraho with divine couples. Note lace-like ornamentation on the major and the minor shikharas.
State Party Flag of India India
Type Cultural
Criteria i, iii
Reference 240
Region** Asia-Pacific
Inscription history
Inscription 1986  (10th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List.
** Region as classified by UNESCO.

Khajuraho (Hindi खजुराहो), a village in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, located in Chhatarpur District, about 385 miles (620 kilometres) southeast of Delhi, the capital city of India.

The Khajuraho group of monuments has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

One of the most popular tourist destinations in India, Khajuraho has the largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples, famous for their erotic sculpture. The name Khajuraho is derived from the Hindi word khajur meaning date palm.

History

The city, once the original capital of the Chandela Rajputs, had been home to a Hindu dynasty that ruled that part of India from the 10th to the 12th centuries C.E.. The Khajuraho temples had been built over a span of a hundred years, from 950 to 1050. The Chandela capital moved to Mahoba after that time, but Khajuraho continued to flourish for some time.

A wall with eight gates enclosed the whole area, each flanked by two golden palm trees. Originally over eighty Hindu temples stood there, of which only twenty two now stand in a reasonable state of preservation, scattered over an area of about eight square miles (21 km²).

Unlike other cultural centers of North India, the temples of Khajuraho never underwent massive destruction and a number of them have survived. They serve as fine examples of Indian architectural styles that have gained popularity due to their salacious depiction of the traditional way of life during medieval times. Rediscovered during the late 19th century, the jungles had taken a toll on some of the monuments.

Description

Khajuraho situates at 24.85° N 79.93° E[1]. It has an average elevation of 283 metres (928 feet).

Demographics


  Khajuraho
Madhya Pradesh • India
Map indicating the location of Khajuraho
Location of Khajuraho
Coordinates: 24°51′N 79°56′E / 24.85, 79.93
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Area
• Elevation
• 283 m (928 ft)
District(s) Chhatarpur
Population 19,282 (2001)

Coordinates: 24°51′N 79°56′E / 24.85, 79.93

As of 2001 India census[2], Khajuraho had a population of 19,282. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Khajuraho has an average literacy rate of 53%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 62%, and female literacy is 43%. In Khajuraho, 19% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Architecture

The Khajuraho temples, constructed with spiral superstructures, adhere to a northern Indian shikhara temple style and often to a Panchayatana plan or layout. A few of the temples had been dedicated to the Jain pantheon and the rest to Hindu deities - to God's Trio, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, and various Devi forms, such as the Devi Jagadambi temple. A Panchayatana temple had four subordinate shrines on four corners and the main shrine in the center of the podium, which comprises their base. The temples group into three geographical divisions: western, eastern and southern.

Lakshmana temple at Khajuraho, a panchayatana temple. Two of the four secondary shrines can be seen. [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Khajuraho_tempel_india.jpg Another view

Kandariya Mahadeva

With a graded rise secondary shikharas (spires) cluster to create an appropriate base for the main shikhara over the sanctum. Kandariya Mahadeva, one of the most accomplished temples of the Western group, comprises eighty-four shikharas, the main being 116 feet from the ground level.

Kandariya Mahadeva
290px
Name: Kandariya Mahadeva
Creator: Vidyadhara of the Chandelas
Date built: circa 1050
Primary deity: Mahadeva
Architecture: North Indian
Location: Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh

The Kandariya Mahadeva (Devanagari:कंदरिया महादेव, IAST:Kandariyā Mahādeva) temple is the largest and most ornate Hindu temple in the medieval temple group found at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, India. It is considered one of the best examples of temples preserved from the medieval period in India.[3] Khajuraho was once the religious capital of the Chandela Rajputs and today is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. The Kandariya Mahadeva temple is the largest of the Western group of temples and was built by Vidyadhara, arguably one of the greatest Chandela kings. The temple was built around 1050 on Hindu beliefs dating back to 1000 B.C.E.; The main spire or shikhara rises 31 m to depict Mount Meru, the holy mountain of Shiva and is surrounded by 84 miniature spires.[4] Inside the sanctum is a marble linga representing Shiva.[5] The Archaeological Survey of India protects the temple, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site at Khajuraho.

Features

The temple takes its name from kandara or cave and Mahadeva, another name for Shiva. Like many other temples in the Khajuraho complex, it has a linear series of access-steps facing the east-west directions. Other features are columned halls with balconies, an entrance porch, and the inner sanctum. Decorating the sides of the temple are over 646 statues. At the top of the shikhara is the amalaka, a circular ring motif common in North Indian temple architecture. Many of the side panels depict Shiva in the presence of apsaras, consorts, and other divinities. These erotic figures do not span the whole temple and are not to be found among the 226 found inside.

Analysis

The Kandariya Mahadeva has been praised as the pinnacle of the tradition of medieval Hindu North Indian temple building (vide references). The appearance of the Kandariya is deceptive as it seems to be carved out of a solid piece of stone. Arguably, the complexity and ornateness of design gives one a sense of a closed dimension since the Kandariya can be entered through very few entrances. The sculptured figures are well-rounded yet supple and do not display significant musculature or tension despite numerous erotic implications. Most of the sculptures have economy of drapery but are effusively patterned with ornaments and flower motifs. The effect of height of the shikharas are advanced by the gradation of the rise. From the front, the various designs, many of which are erotic, are not visible to the worshipper. The east-west axis and this thrust, it is argued, focus the worshipper on the central point inside the temple, where the linga is kept.

Notes

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

External links


Those shikharas (subordinate and main) attribute to the Khajuraho temples their unique splendor and special character. With a graded rise of those shikharas from over the ardhamandapa, porch, to mandapa, assembly hall, mahamandapa, principal assembly hall, antarala, vestibule, and garbhagriha, sanctum sanctorum, the Khajuraho temples attain the form and glory of gradually rising Himalayan peaks. Those temples of Khajuraho have sculptures that look remarkably realistic that even contemporary art scholars study.

The Saraswathi temple on the campus of Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, India imitated Khajuraho temple.

Landscape

The Khajuraho temples now stand in a parkland landscape. When India gained independence from Britain in 1947 the landscape setting had been semi-desert and scrub. The archaeological park now has something of the character of an English public park, with mown grass, rose beds and ornamental trees. That may be popular with visitors but has no relationship with the historic landscape at the time the temples first stood.

The development of landscape archaeology as an academic discipline raises questions concerning the earlier landscape of Khajuraho and the original relationship between the temple complex and the surrounding area. No records of what the original landscape might have been exist, but records state that a large community of priests used the temple complex and that Indian gardens in the tenth century had been predominantly tree gardens. They lacked lawns or herbaceous flowering plants.

The statues and carvings of Khajuraho

View of Kandariya Mahadeo Temple (11th century) at Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh, India)

The Khajuraho temples lack sexual or erotic art inside the temple or near the deities; some external carvings bear erotic art and tantric sexual poses. Also, some of the temples that have two layers of walls have small erotic carvings on the outside of the inner wall. Many interpretations of the erotic carvings prevail. According to some current Hindu interpretations, they portray that, for seeing the deity, one must leave his or her sexual desires outside the temple. They also show that divinity, such as the deities of the temples, embody purity like the atman, which stands above sexual desires and other characteristics of the physical body. Meanwhile, the external curvature and carvings of the temples depict humans, human bodies, and the changes that occur in human bodies, as well as facts of life. Some 10% of the carvings contain sexual themes; those reportedly lack images of deities, they show sexual activities between people. The rest depict the everyday life of the common Indian of the time when the carvings had been made, and of various activities of other beings. For example, those depictions show women putting on makeup, musicians, potters, farmers, and other folks. Those mundane scenes have been placed at some distance from the temple deities. A common misconception prevails that, since the old structures with carvings in Khajuraho served as temples, the carvings depict sex between deities.[1]

Between 950 and 1050 C.E., the Chandela monarchs, followers of the Tantric tradition, built those temples. Adherents of Tantrism teach that gratification of earthly desires constitutes a step towards accomplishing Nirvana. In ancient times, before the Mughal conquests, when boys lived in hermitages, following brahmacharitva until they became men, they could learn about the world and prepare themselves to become householders through examining those sculptures and the worldly desires they depicted.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Khajurajo," liveindia.com
  2. ↑ Article on Khajuraho Temples—Accessed on March 06, 2007

Further reading

  • Phani Kant Mishra, Khajuraho: With Latest Discoveries, Sundeep Prakashan (2001) ISBN 8175741015

See also

  • Kandariya Mahadeva
  • Hemvati
  • Kalinjar
  • Beejamandal
  • Jain temples of Khajuraho

External links

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