KHAJURAHO Location : Bundelkhnad in Madhya Pradesh Known For : Erotic Sculpture and Temple Heritage Renowned As : World Heritage Site Best Time To Visit : October-February

Bhopal Mandu

Indore Jabalpur

Gwalior Sanchi

Khajuraho – Temples, Sculptures, Festivals

MP Festivals

Pilgrim Destinations

This is the place where the stones seem to be in some poetic discussion with nature, the temples speaks eloquently about the aura of the history it had witnessed and people cannot stop accolading the glamour of the town. Yes this is indeed Khajuraho, that seemed to have stood against the waves of time. Got its name from the Khajur (date) trees, this village cum town of Khajuraho invite tremendous tourist participation from all around the world. The major attraction of the town definitely lies in its temples and the annual dance festival. You must visit this town to discover and share the flamboyancy with with these temples were built. You should surely enjoy the rural life and should enjoy the interwoven culture that is still primitive in the villages.

The History Has it All

• History

To unveil the history of the great temple city, one has to come to the very land. Since the written records are rare, one has to believe the local versions of the story ad legends. The rulers of the Chandela dynasty are believed to have been the discoverers of this town and they are the ones who gave India this temple heritage. It took around 100 years from 950 to 1050, to construct this town and built around 80 temple. Today only 22 of them survive.

Legend has it that this town was the result of the dream of the first ruler of Chandela, Chandarvarman, in which he saw his mother Hemavati, who instructed him to construct temples that would reveal human passion. Hemavati was ravished by the moon god and as as result Chandarvarman was born. To save her of humiliations, she denounce the world and began living in the forest. The unique history and theme of Khajuraho has made it the most visited human destinations of the world. So what are you waiting for. Come to Khajuraho and become a part of history.

Khajuraho – Temple Architecture of India

Khajuraho Temples

Monuments

Want to listen to the songs of the stone, come to Khajuraho. The erotic sculptures of the Khajuraho temples make it a important tourist attraction. Millions of tourist from all over the world come to witness to see the life of the skilled artisans who had worked hard to transform their thoughts into sculptures. Included in the list of world heritage sites, these temples are divided in three groups – the Eastern group, Western group and the Southern group. The most important among the three groups is the western group that includes the finest of all the temples, with the Kedariya Mahadeo temple, which is the largest. Other temples are the Chaunsat Yogini Temple, Vishwanath Temple, Chitragupta Temple Shrine, Matangeshwara Temple, Parsavanatha Temple, Parsavanatha Temple,Duladeo and Chaturbhuja temple.
The sculptures on the walls of the temples revolves around the activities and moods of a women. It is said that if these were to be describes to have a theme, then without a jot of doubt, it would have been women. This site has such significance that your travel expedition to India will be incomplete of you do not visit these temples.

Attractions Beside the Temples in the Temple City

• Rural Charms

The State Museum of Tribal & Folk Arts is a place that has a fine collection of the real masterpieces of the tribal folk and culture that is displayed in the Chandela Cultural Complex. This Museum has more than 500 representative items of terracotta, metal craft, woodcraft, tribal and folk paintings, tattoos, jewellery and masks.
Once you are through with the temples of Khajuraho, you must save time time to visit the Archaeological museum in Khajuraho. The design and structure of the museum is the main attraction and it houses the remains of the 10th and 11th century. Influence of the Hindu and Jain cultures can be seen in these objects whose number exceed 2000. Some of the most popular among them are the Nritta Gansha, Uma-Maheshwara, Andhakasuravadhamurti and Vaikuntha.
Want to feel more of Khajuraho then visit the Dhubela Museum, located 64 km from Khajuraho. The various items in the museum belong to the Shakti cult and this museum is also has a variety of paintings and weapons.

Enjoy some boating and angeling at the dam on the Khudar river. You can also relish the joy of boating o the Benisagar Lake while lies at a distance of 7 kms from Khajuraho. At the confluence of the Ken and Simri river, 20 kms, is another lake by the name of Ranguan Lake. You should visit the 50 years old Rajgarh fort at a distance of 25 kms from Khajuraho. Ajay Garh fort is another important monumental heritage that is located at a distance of 80 kms from the small town of Khajuraho.
Panna diamond mines are also easily accessible from here. At just 56 kms lies the diamond store house of India. You can also enjoy the Panna diamond tour once you are around.

Festivity of Classical Dance

• Khajuraho Dance Festival

If you miss the most important event of the town then there is no way you can repent. So visit this town during the month of February and March, when the whole town is flooded with the preparation to hold the biggest dance festival of the nation. This annual week long celebration involves dance and music performances by the revered classical dancers and singers. The major dance styles that are displayed are Kathak, Bahratnatyam, Kathakali and Odissi. Besides these performances there are also workshops and seminars organised by the artisans of the country. An open market held here displays the local handicrafts. Do not miss buying these local artifacts that are native to Khajuraho and will not be available anywhere else.
Maha Shivratri that clashes with the Khajuraho festival, is also a very important festival of the people. This festival marks the marriage of Lord Shiva with Maa Parvati and during this festival the 2.5 m tall lingam in the Kandariya Mahadeo temple and it is appareled as a bridegroom, with white and saffron dhotis, and a huge, conic, silver paper crown is placed. The overnight ceremony is performed by the son of the chief priest who consecrate the lingam with sacred water. The chanting of hymns continues throughout the night, until the Brahmins stand and throw leaves and flower petals over the lingam. This ritual of throwing the leaves and petals is the sign that the wedding is complete. This celebration is aberrant to anywhere else in India, so you must see it being performed with your own eyes.

Knack for Shopping – Come to Khajuraho

• Shopping

Do you have an avocation for collection of traditional influence, then you will love the bazaars of Khajuraho. There are metal wares, dhokra pieces of art, jewelry, bamboo articles and artifacts that reflects a traditional chromaticism. The tribal artifacts are the best here. Look for the unique textile fabrics and potteries that will sure make your eyes go wild with desire. You should always buy the small stone images of the gods and goddess. Ethnic weaving style and printed dress material of Khajuraho are also renowned all over the world.
Since it is not a big town, but a small village, so the bazaars are mainly located in the heart of the village. There are basically local shops that display the selling items and there is not a better option than buying it from them.

Avenue the City of Temples

You should visit this town at the time when the weather is neither too cool nor too hot. The best time from the atmospheric angle is from October to March, but you must plan the visit in February or March, which is the time the whole town is drenched in the mood of festivity. You must vist at this time to experience the real joy of Khajuraho.
If you want to travel via air then this city is directly linked with the most part of the country with regular flights. In case you choose the options of trains for reaching this destination, then Mahoba and Harpalpur. This ancient city can also be accessed from Jhansi, one of the major towns that connect Khajuraho to the major towns and cities of Madhya Pradesh. Besides these, a good road network connects Khajuraho to nearby cities like Chhatarpur, Mahoba, Harpalpur, Satna, Panna, Jhansi, Gwalior, Agra, Sagar, Jabalpur, Indore, Bhopal, Varanasi and Allahabad.