| Chaturbhuja
Temple (built 1100 AD)
other
sites in Khajuraho |
Khajuraho, India |
 |
Chaturbhuja temple was built in the declining years of the Chandella dynasty. It is crudely built and lacks the ornamentation and sexual imagery of the other Khajuraho temples. It was constructed by Emperor Lakshavarman primarily to enshrine an image of the four-armed 'Chaturbhuja' Vishnu brought from Tibet. In addition, the temple also enshrines another incarnation of Vishnu known as the 'Narasingha avatar' (an incarnation of Vishnu that is part-man, part-lion). There are also images of the god Shiva, including Shiva's incarnation as the 'Ardhanarishvara', an androgeonous deity, as well as his incarnation as the four-armed god of destruction.
Bibliography: All images copyright Robert D. Fiala, Profesor at Concordia U., Seward, Nebraska; and Kaye Yeo Ahn, MArch student, Yale University Tadgell, Christopher.
The History of Architecture in India
Narain, L.A. Khajuraho: Temples of Ecstasy
http://www.yatraindia.com/ |