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“मनुष्य अपने विश्वासों से बनता है,” जैसा वह विश्वास करता है वैसा ही वह है' - भागवद गीता

Travel & Culture

Temples Of Khajuraho

Date : 01-Dec-2022

 India is known to have more than 2 million Hindu temples. These temples reflect the variety of Indian culture and way of life. Temple architecture in India has always embodied an underlying vision. It is a representation of experience, space and time.

The art and architecture involved in the construction of Hindu Temples is well defined in the Shilpa Shastra. It mentions three main kinds of temple architecture in India: Nagara or the Northern Style, Dravida or the Southern style and Vesara or the Mixed style.

The defining features of a Nagara style are Garbhagriha (Sanctum Sanctorum), Shikhara (Curvilinear tower), and Mandapa (Entrance Hall). The Nagara style developed gradually as the earlier temples had only one Shikhara, while the later temples were constructed with multiple Shikharas and the Garbhagriha can always be found under the tallest tower.

The Temples of Khajuraho are a magnificent example of the Nagara style of temples as the temples consist of a sanctum, a narrow ante-chamber (antarala), a transept (mahamandapa), additional halls (ardha mandapa), a mandapa or nave and an ambulatory passage (Pradakshina-path) which is lighted by large windows.

Khajuraho, known for its ornate temples, was built by the Chandela rulers between 900 CE to 1130 CE. The first mention of Khajuraho and its temples is in the accounts of Abu Rahyan al Biruni ( 1022 CE) and Ibn Batuta (1335 CE). The temples were said to have been spread across 20 square kilometres and there were around 85 temples in the 12th century. The ravages of time have reduced the number of temples in Khajuraho to just 20 today.

The Chandela Empire ruled central India from the tenth to the fourteenth centuries. Chandelas were well known for their interest in art and architecture. Although followers of Shaivism, the Chandelas were also said to have been inclined towards Vaishnavism and Jainism as well.

The carvings at the temples seem to be predominantly about Hindu deities and mythology. The architectural style also follows Hindu traditions. This can be validated by various factors. A predominant feature of the construction of a Hindu temple is that the face of the temple should be towards the direction of sunrise. All the temples of Khajuraho have been built with this in mind. Moreover, the carvings reflect the four goals of life in Hinduism, viz, dharma, kama, artha, moksha.

The monuments built by the Chandelas were famous for their architectural and sculptural glory. The Chandelas were also deeply interested in performance arts and the various forms of music and dance. This is evident from the sculptural representation of various scenes of music and dance depicted on the walls of these temples.

Erotic imagery is very common in the Temples of Khajuraho. Sculptures of celestial nymphs with broad hips, heavy breasts and languishing eyes are commonly found in the Kandariya Mahadeva and Vishwanath Temple. These sculptures are believed to reflect the idea of female beauty and fertility. Other scenes depicted on the walls of the temples are a part of the Narathara (the human life cycle) signifying how sexual procreation and kama are an essential aspect of human life.

The major focus of the study of the Temples of Khajuraho have been on the sculptures. The walls of these temples have some of the best sculptures of the time, making Khajuraho a representation of excellent artistic features. It is believed that the temples constitute five different sets of sculptures:

  1. cult images
  2. the parivara, parsva and avarana devatas
  3. the apsaras and the surasundaris
  4. secular sculptures of miscellaneous themes (dancers, musicians, disciples and domestic scenes)

mythical creatures (vyalas, sardula and other animals)

These sets of sculptures and erotic images represent scenes from day to day life.

Quite a few stories revolve around the history of these temples. One theory posits their construction can be understood as a part of the proliferation of the Siva-Sakti cult. The other theory is that the temples are a representation of the devadasis who were once a major part of the temple activities. The most beautiful women were brought from Magadha, Malwa and Rajputana to be trained as devadasis in the Temples of Khajuraho. People say that the Surasundaris, who cover the interior and the exterior walls of the temples, were taken from real life and juxtaposed with the sculptures of Gods and Goddesses. Another theory says that the sculptures represent the life-cycle of a normal human being. It is difficult to state with certainty which of these theories is correct, as no written texts describing the construction exist today. Regardless of the reason behind the sculptures, what we do know is that we have been gifted with a set of the most ornate, intricate and beautiful sculptures extant anywhere in the world.

The Temples of Khajuraho are divided into three groups, the Western Group, the Eastern Group and the Southern Group.

The architecture of the Temples of Khajuraho is very complex. The main components of these temples are:

  1. The Garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) with antarala, a narrow ante-chamber
  2. The Maha Mandapa, a large hall
  3. The Ardha Mandapa and a mandapa, which are smaller additional halls
  4. The Pradakshina Path, a circumambulation path.

A few temples at Khajuraho are of the Panchayatana type, with four shrines dedicated to the divinities and often another shrine in front of the portico dedicated to the vahana (vehicle) of the principal deity.

The Temples of Khajuraho are believed to have been built of light-coloured sandstone imported from the quarries of Panna, from the east bank of the Kane River. Iron clamps are also freely employed in the construction of the temples. A few other smaller temples are built partly of sandstone and partly of granite.

Western Group of Temples -

The Western Group of Temples are situated on the west of the Bamitha-Rajnagar road on the banks of Sib-Sagar.

They comprise six major edifices and are dedicated to the Shaivite and Vaishnavite cults.

1) Chausath Jogini Temple -

The temple premises consists of 64 small cells corresponding to the number of Yoginis, the female attendants of Goddess Kali, after whom the temple is named. No images remain on any of the 64 cells. This temple stands on the low rocky eminence to the south west of the Sib-Sagar Lake. This is the only temple in Khajuraho which is built entirely of granite and is oriented north-east and south-west. The temple stands upon a massive plinth and comprises a courtyard which is 104 feet in length and 60 feet in breadth. It is surrounded by 65 cells, of which only 35 have survived. The cells are roofed with small spires or sikharas, the lower part of which are adorned with triangular ornaments in imitation of the chaitya windows. There is no dated inscription to show the precise age of the temple.

2) Kandariya Mahadeva Temple -

Largest of all the temples in Khajuraho, it dates back to the 10th century CE. It is 109 feet high and 60 feet wide . The interior arrangement of the temple differs from the usual construction of a Hindu temple as it has an open passage around the sanctum, thus forming a high altar at the inner portion of the temple. The walls of the Kandariya temple carry nearly nine hundred images. The height of the figures varies from 2.5 feet to 3 feet. The entrance of the temple is in the shape of an arch and is decorated with figures of deities and musicians. Also, the entrance of the sanctum has elaborate floral carvings interspersed with figures of ascetics engaged in penance. The female figures at the base of the jambs are identified to be Goddess Ganga (River Ganga) and Goddess Jumna (River Yamuna). The Goddesses are accompanied by their respective vehicles, the crocodile and the tortoise. Inside the sanctum stands a marble linga, the symbol of Lord Shiva. There are also numerous figures of apsaras or nymphs in all sorts of delicate postures.

3) Devi Jagdamba Temple -

Around 77 feet in length and 50 feet in breadth, this temple is now known by the name of Devi Jagdamba or the ‘Mother Goddess of the World’. It was originally believed to have been dedicated to Lord Vishnu as his figure occupies the centre of the entrance to the sanctum. It also has the figures of Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma to the right and left. Inside the sanctum, there is an elaborate statue of a four-armed female figure holding lotus flowers. Another figure of Goddess Laxmi (consort of Lord Vishnu), is also present in the temple. Based on some inscriptions found here it is assumed that the temple was built in the tenth or eleventh century, the period in which the Chandela rule flourished. A figure of Yama lies on the south side of the sanctum while a figure of Lord Shiva (eight handed and three headed) is present on the lower niche.
 

 
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