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Khajuraho, India |
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Image adapted from George
Michell's Guide to the Monuments of India
Visual Index of Khajuraho Sites:
The temples of Khajuraho are located in the Bundelkhand region of the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. They are an important and unique group of architectural gems dedicated to the major gods of Shiva and Vishnu and a variety of other Hindu gods. Yet it has perhaps been the series of erotic carvings on the temples that has attracted the greatest interest from the outside traveler. Perhaps because of their location--some distance from the major Indian political and population centers--they were spared destruction from various invaders and also, one might add, more recently, from the thundering hordes of tourists as well.
The Chandella (or Chandela) kings ruled this part of central India from the 9th to the late 12th centuries and built this remarkable temple group in one of their capital cities. Almost all appeared during the brief hundred year span between 950 and 1050 (one was built from remnants of earlier temples in the late 19c). The village of Khajuraho gradually lost its importance and by the 16c was rather insignificant. The temples fell prey to the jungle--perhaps somewhat difficult to imagine now when visiting the area. It was only in the 19c that the world outside of India (and of much of India itself) became familiar with the temples. A British engineer, T. B. Burt, visited the site in 1838 and publicized his find.
Of the original 85 temples only 22 or so survive today, some in very poor condition.
The temples are most famous for the erotic temple carvings, although these carvings represent only about 10% of the total ornamentations. There has been considerable discussion over the motivations for their construction and their striking decorations. Actually many Hindu temples have similar representations, but not many concentrate so strongly on the human sexual experience. There are themes drawn from tantrism and from the from the "Kama Sutra" that perhaps served as a visual manual for happiness and pleasure. The eroticism also perhaps could ward off the threats of the amorous rain god Indra. The the temples additionally commemorate the marriage of Shiva and Parvati, whose union formed the basis of cosmis energy and are replicated in the human sexual act. The temples commemorate and honor women. They commemorate also the joy of life, as there are also numerous scenes of everyday life.
The founder of the Chandela Dynasty and builder of the early temples was Chandravarman. Reportedly he was the offspring of an encounter between Hamvati--a child widow and daughter of a Brahmin priest--and the moon god. The resulting pregnancy brought threats to her life and reputation, but the Moon god told her not to fear. Her son would be a great man and would also build numerous temples, lakes and gardens. Chandravarman did become a powerful and promising young man. According to legend, his mother once appeared to him in a dream and told him to build 85 temples and perform the 'yaagya' to expunge her guilt for having had illicit relations with the Moon god. With the aid of his father, the Moon god, Chandravarman became a great ruler, and his capital at Khajuraho was adorned with its glorious temples.
There are three major groups of temples at Khajuraho: the southeastern group of Jain temples, the western group of Brahmanical temples to Shiva and Vishnu, and the northern group of Vaishnava temples.
-text by Robert D. Fiala.
Bibliography:
All images copyright 2001 by the following individuals:
Moore, Charles et all. The
Poetics of Gardens
The MIT Press.
London. 1997
Tadgell, Christopher. The
History of Architecture in India
Phaidon Press Limited.
Singapore. 1998
Narain, L.A. Khajuraho: Temples of Ecstasy
Lustre Press.
New Delhi. 1986
Krishna Deva. Khajuraho.
New Delhi: Director General, Archaeological
Survey of India, 1977.
"Latest Khajuraho Guide: Romantic
& Hilarious", n.p., n. d. [c. 1978].
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Robert P. Hennig (1949-1996) Professor of Sociology at Concordia University, Seward, Nebraska, friend of all, and dear friend of India." |
