Khajuraho : Where the Stones Come Alive - Travel - EzineMark

Khajuraho is a sleepy little hamlet situated in the Bundelkhad region of Chhatarpur District in Madhya Pradesh. Khajuraho is famous all over the world for its group of ancient Hindu and Jain temples, displaying thousands of intricate rock-carved sculptures. Khajuraho group of temples are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Vindhya Mountain Range provides a striking background for Khajuraho, giving it a surreal appeal.

The temples of Khajuraho were constructed during the period of 950 to 1050 AD, by the monarchs of Chandela dynasty. Once the Chandela dynasty declined, the Khajuraho temples were in a state of abandon and deterioration. This state of negligence continued till 1838, when a British army engineer, Captain T.S. Burt, discovered them. Dense covers of date palms were found to be in the area, due to which Khajuraho got its name ? Khajuraho: Pathway (Raah) lined with dates (Khajur).

Prior to that, the place was known as Vatsa.

Originally, Khajuraho group of temples were around 80 in total, of which only 25 remain today. These Khajuraho temples are geographically grouped into three: western, eastern and southern. The main temples of Khajuraho are Chausath Yogini, Brahma, Kandariya Mahadev, Varaha, Lakshman, Vaman, Adinath and Duladev. Khajuraho temples are designed upon five-part architectural design consisting of Ardhamandapa, Garbha Griha, Mahamandapa with Pillars and Pradakshina.

Khajuraho is the manifestation of the aesthetics of Indian Philosophy. The sandstone temples of Khajuraho became famous for the erotic sculptures depicted on their walls. Most of these sculptures are life-like and depicts the minutest details of human body structure.

It is remarkable that the erotic sculptures are featured only on the outer walls of the temples and never on the inside walls or the sanctum sanctorum.

Interestingly, though Khajuraho temples are famous for their erotic sculptures, such sculptures represent only a small percentage (about 10%) of the entire collection of sculptures. Majority of the sculptures depicted on the walls of Khajuraho temples are those depicting the day to day life and activities of common man, and that of animals like elephants and horses. These intricate stone carvings serve as the testament of the skilled workmanship of that era.

Presently, Khajuraho is under the protection of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Excavations conducted by ASI in Khajuraho have unearthed more temples. It is also one of the seven wonders of India.Evenings in Khajuraho are filled with shows on art and history of the place. Khajuraho hosts an annual Indian classical dance event, the Khajuraho Dance Festival, in the month of February.The best time to visit Khajuraho is from September to March. Khajuraho will surely impress its visitors and leave them absolutely awe-struck with the stunning beauty and intricacy of its exceptional sculptures.

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Source: http://travel.ezinemark.com/khajuraho-where-the-stones-come-alive-7d33ba25a682.html

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