Khajuraho: Temples and their exquisite architecture and sculpture
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Devi Jagadambi Temple
Khajuraho, a town in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, located in Chhatarpur District, about 620 kilometres (385 mi) southeast of New Delhi, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. Khajuraho has the largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples, famous for their erotic sculptures.
The temples are grouped into three geographical divisions: western, eastern and southern.
The Khajuraho temples are made of sandstone. The builders didn't use mortar: the stones were put together with mortise and tenon joints and they were held in place by gravity. This form of construction requires very precise joints. The columns and architraves were built with megaliths that weighed up to 20 tons.
The Khajuraho temples do not contain sexual or erotic art inside the temple or near the deities; however, some external carvings bear erotic art. Also, some of the temples that have two layers of walls have small erotic carvings on the outside of the inner wall. There are many interpretations of the erotic carvings. They portray that, for seeing the deity, one must leave his or her sexual desires outside the temple.
The famous temples to see are Chaturbuj Temple, Lakshman temple, Devi Jagadambi Temple, Dulhadeo Temple.
Khajuraho has extreme tropical climate with temperature as high as 47°C in summers and as low as 4°C in winters. Best Season: September to March
How to Reach:
By Air: Khajuraho has daily domestic flights to and from Agra, Varanasi and Kathmandu.
By Train: The nearest railway stations to Khajuraho are Mahoba, Satna and Jhansi. All of these are well connected to most of the major cities of India.
Sandstone ,also used for crafting the Khajuraho temples...different colors.
Besides the temples exemplary for their architecture and bold artistic statement, Khajuraho is just a small modest village with no more than 3000 residents surrounded by the forestland. As Khajuraho gets a fair number of tourists from all over the world every year, hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops have sprung up in large numbers at the entrances to the two distinctive groups of temples here. he Khajuraho group of monuments has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There were originally over 80 Hindu temples, of which only 22 now stand in a reasonable state of preservation, scattered over an area of about 8 square miles.
From here you can explore the Panna Tiger Reserve. Despite the proximity to Khajuraho Panna NP is a really unspoilt park where you probably will not see any other tourist during the whole day. Seeing a tiger is a matter of luck (we didn´t have) but the other animals are somehow less shy than in other parks so you can see them from incredible proximity (we haven´t seen nowhere so many nilgais). Recommendable may be visiting of the elephant pharm (the elephant ride was however not so interesting as in Corbett NP- shorter and more expensive).
Pandav Falls
Pandav Falls are usually included in the day-trip as they are on the way to Khajuraho. It is a really nice, romantic place especially if no other people are there. You have the feeling to be in the Kipling´s Jungle book.
You have to arrange the trip in Khajuraho as there are no "waiting" jeeps at the NP-entrance and you have to take one.
Wildlife at Panna Tiger Reserve
Panna Tiger Reserve is just 25 km from Khajuraho-a mere half an hour drive. Tiger sighting is always a matter of chance but regular sightings are reported. Cheetal, Sambar, Nilgai, Chinkara, Chowsingha, Langoor, Wildboar, Jackal, are frequently sighted.Gorges and falls along the course of the Ken river in the Reserve are bewholding.Dynamic dry deciduous forest undergoes dramatic change from lush green in monsoon to desolate dry grey in summer. Relics of Gondwana period (rule of the tribal people of Central India) are scattered all over the Reserve.Besides the wildlife watchers (around 9000 annually), Panna gets visitors (around 35000 annually) who exclusively visit the famous Pandav Fall.
Click for Photogallery
Devi Jagadambi Temple
Khajuraho, a town in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, located in Chhatarpur District, about 620 kilometres (385 mi) southeast of New Delhi, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. Khajuraho has the largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples, famous for their erotic sculptures.
The temples are grouped into three geographical divisions: western, eastern and southern.
The Khajuraho temples are made of sandstone. The builders didn't use mortar: the stones were put together with mortise and tenon joints and they were held in place by gravity. This form of construction requires very precise joints. The columns and architraves were built with megaliths that weighed up to 20 tons.
The Khajuraho temples do not contain sexual or erotic art inside the temple or near the deities; however, some external carvings bear erotic art. Also, some of the temples that have two layers of walls have small erotic carvings on the outside of the inner wall. There are many interpretations of the erotic carvings. They portray that, for seeing the deity, one must leave his or her sexual desires outside the temple.
The famous temples to see are Chaturbuj Temple, Lakshman temple, Devi Jagadambi Temple, Dulhadeo Temple.
Khajuraho has extreme tropical climate with temperature as high as 47°C in summers and as low as 4°C in winters. Best Season: September to March
How to Reach:
By Air: Khajuraho has daily domestic flights to and from Agra, Varanasi and Kathmandu.
By Train: The nearest railway stations to Khajuraho are Mahoba, Satna and Jhansi. All of these are well connected to most of the major cities of India.
Sandstone ,also used for crafting the Khajuraho temples...different colors.
Besides the temples exemplary for their architecture and bold artistic statement, Khajuraho is just a small modest village with no more than 3000 residents surrounded by the forestland. As Khajuraho gets a fair number of tourists from all over the world every year, hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops have sprung up in large numbers at the entrances to the two distinctive groups of temples here. he Khajuraho group of monuments has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There were originally over 80 Hindu temples, of which only 22 now stand in a reasonable state of preservation, scattered over an area of about 8 square miles.
From here you can explore the Panna Tiger Reserve. Despite the proximity to Khajuraho Panna NP is a really unspoilt park where you probably will not see any other tourist during the whole day. Seeing a tiger is a matter of luck (we didn´t have) but the other animals are somehow less shy than in other parks so you can see them from incredible proximity (we haven´t seen nowhere so many nilgais). Recommendable may be visiting of the elephant pharm (the elephant ride was however not so interesting as in Corbett NP- shorter and more expensive).
Pandav Falls
Pandav Falls are usually included in the day-trip as they are on the way to Khajuraho. It is a really nice, romantic place especially if no other people are there. You have the feeling to be in the Kipling´s Jungle book.
You have to arrange the trip in Khajuraho as there are no "waiting" jeeps at the NP-entrance and you have to take one.
Wildlife at Panna Tiger Reserve
Panna Tiger Reserve is just 25 km from Khajuraho-a mere half an hour drive. Tiger sighting is always a matter of chance but regular sightings are reported. Cheetal, Sambar, Nilgai, Chinkara, Chowsingha, Langoor, Wildboar, Jackal, are frequently sighted.Gorges and falls along the course of the Ken river in the Reserve are bewholding.Dynamic dry deciduous forest undergoes dramatic change from lush green in monsoon to desolate dry grey in summer. Relics of Gondwana period (rule of the tribal people of Central India) are scattered all over the Reserve.Besides the wildlife watchers (around 9000 annually), Panna gets visitors (around 35000 annually) who exclusively visit the famous Pandav Fall.
Click for Photogallery
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