An Insight :
Once guarded by swaying date palm trees, which gave the city of Khajuraho
its name, the city is a study in art and sculpture. The city traces its
origin to the 10th century when it was the bastion of the Chandela dynasty.
Khajuraho's claim to fame are the famous Chandela temples, erected between
the 10th and 11th centuries, these temples were abandoned to the jungle
during the Muslim era. In 1840 British tiger-hunters came upon them and in
the 1920s twenty-two of the original 85 were excavated. The rosy sandstone
tiered temples of beautifully carved figures depict the warrior clan's
ebullient style in battle and in love. Now a world heritage site, Khajuraho
is an Indian destination you cannot afford to miss.
Lets Explore Khajuraho :
Khajuraho is world famous for its temples. These temples represent an
outstanding synthesis of advanced architecture and refined sculpture, and
their beauty means that a trip here should definitely be included in your
North India itinerary, particularly if you plan to fly from Agra or Delhi to
Varanasi. Known for the profusion of sculptural embellishments on both
exterior and interior walls, Khajuraho's temples are also recognizable for
the exaggerated vertical sweep in the majority of the temples, with a series
of shikharas (spires) that grow successively higher. These shikharas are
believed to be a visual echo of the soaring Himalayan mountains, abode of
Lord Shiva. Most of the sculpted temples are elevated on large plinths
(often also shared by four smaller corner shrines), and follow the same
five-part design.
The Khajuraho temples are almost all aligned east to west, with the
entrance facing east. A profusely carved arch leads to the oblong porch or
ardhamanapa, behind which is the large assembly hall or mandapa, open on
three sides, followed by the still larger hall mahamandapa, a closed hall
with a corridor around it. This hall finally leads into the vestibule or the
antarala. Beyond this is the garbhagriha or sanctum, entered through another
ornate doorway, that houses the cult deity.
Besides the temples, Khajuraho is famous for its dances. Indian dance
lovers the world over can feast their eyes and senses at this celebration of
the beauty of the Khajuraho temples. The 7-day Khajuraho Dance Festival
highlights the richness of the Indian classical dance and music and draws
the best classical dancers in India every year, who perform against the
spectacular backdrop of the magnificently lit temples. The various classical
styles of Indian dance performed here are Kathak, Odissi, Bharat Natyam,
Kuchipudi, Manipuri and Kathakali. Modern Indian dance is a recent addition.
Where is Khajuraho?
You can reach this exotic place through air , rail or road.
» By Air - Khajuraho is connected to Delhi, Agra
and Varanasi by daily flights.
» By Rail - Jhansi (172 kms) is the nearest
railhead for Khajuraho, and is connected by the super fast Shatabdi Express
train to both Delhi and Agra.
» By Road - Khajuraho is 590 kms from Delhi via
Agra, Gwalior and Jhansi.
