The Khajuraho Group of Monuments
The Khajuraho Group of Monuments is a group of Hindu and Jain temples in Madhya Pradesh, India, about 175 kilometres southeast of Jhansi. They are one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India.
Khajuraho Temples are among the most beautiful medieval monuments in the country. These temples were built by the Chandella ruler between AD 900 and 1130. It was the golden period of Chandella rulers. It is presumed that it was every Chandella ruler has built atleast one temple in his lifetime. So all Khajuraho Temples are not constructed by any single Chandella ruler but Temple building was a tradition of Chandella rulers and followed by almost all rulers of Chandella dynasty.
The first recorded mention of the Khajuraho temples is in the accounts of Abu Rihan al Biruni in AD 1022 and the Arab traveler Ibn Battuta in AD 1335. Local tradition lists 85 temples in Khajuraho out of which only 25 temples are surviving after various stages of preservation and care. All these temples are scattered over an area of about 9 square miles.
Khajuraho is believed to be the religious capital of Chandellas. Chandella rulers had tried to discriminate politics from religious & cultural activities, so they established their political capital in Mahoba which is about 60km. away from Khajuraho and religious/cultural capital in Khajuraho. Whole Khajuraho was enclosed by a wall with about 8 gates used for entry/exit. It is believed that each gate is flanked by two date/palm trees. Due to these date trees present Khajuraho get its name Khajura-vahika. In hindi language, “Khajura” means ‘Date’ and “Vahika” means ‘Bearing’. In history Khajuraho is also described with the name of Jejakbhukti.
Facts About The Khajuraho Group of Monuments
1. Origin of the Name
The city derives its name from the Hindi word 'khaujur' which means 'date' as the city walls were adorned with date palms. During ancient times, Khajuraho was known as Khajjurpura.
2. Temples Built in Sandstone
most of the temple structures are built in sandstone, along with varying shades of pink, buff and yellow.
3. The Degenerated Temples
During the medieval period, there were 85 temples in Khajuraho, out of which only 22 Hindu temples remain, the rest being ruined due to natural calamities.
4. The Erotic Sculptures
Though the common perception is that the Khajuraho temples are rich in erotic and sensual sculptures, only around 10% of these sculptures depict sensuality, the rest of them displaying various aspects of daily life like potters and farmers at work, musicians composing, women dressing up, etc.
5. Best Preserved Monuments of Antiquity
The Archaeological Survey of India has ranked Khajuraho monuments as the best preserved monuments of antiquity.
6. The Interiors of the Temples
The rooms inside the temples are inter-connected on the East-West line. Each of the rooms has an entrance, a hall, a sanctum and a vestibule.
7. Images of Gods and Goddesses
The images of Gods and Goddesses at the Khajuraho temples represent the various manisfestations of Shakti and Shiva, or the Yin and Yang, the female and male principles.
8. Division of Temples
The Khajuraho cluster of temples are divided into three groups - Western, Eastern and Southern.
9. Rediscovery of Temples
The temples that were built during the medieval period were later rediscovered only in the 20th century, after which they have been preserved.
10. High Point of Architectural Genius
The temples of Khajuraho are believed to be the high point of Indian architectural genius during the medieval times.
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