Khajuraho is a small town located in Chattrapur District, Madhya Pradesh, India. It is one of the most famous tourist destinations in India. The impressive temples in Khajuraho are believed to be built in 9th and 10th century AD by the Chandela rulers. There were 85 temples initially and only 20 of them have survived the ravages of time.

 

Khajuraho temples:

The temples of Khajuraho stand as great examples of Indian architectural styles. They were built with spiral superstructures and most of them are dedicated to Hindu deities Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Devi. The large temples have ardhamandapa, mandapa and maha mandapa. The Mahamandapa or main hall leads to the Garbha Graha that contains the sculpture of God or goddess. The small temples feature pyramid shaped towers. The most famous temples in Khajuraho are Kandariya Mahadeo and Vishvanatha temple.

 

• Kandariya Mahadeo temples:

This is the largest temple in Khajuraho and it features nearly 900 statues. The main deity of this temple is Lord Shiva. The main shrine contains a lingam, a phallic form of Shiva. It is engraved with beautiful sculptures of gods, goddesses and apsaras. The ceilings are beautiful and the pillars supporting them boast of exquisite carvings. The outer walls have sensuously carved erotic figures.

 

• Vishwanatha temple:

Vishvanatha temple is much similar in plan to Kandariya Mahadeo temple. It was built around 1000 AD. Nandi Mandapa is one of the main attractions here and it has a large stone image of Nandi, which is the vehicle of Lord Shiva. You can find some ancient sculptural details in this Vishwanatha temple.

 

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