An Introduction

Khajuraho comes under the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh and is 180 kms from Jhansi. The name means the bearer of date palms. Legends say that the famous temple complex of Khajuraho used to have two golden date palm trees on the entrance and hence, this name was given by the historians. It has also featured in many documentaries made by the National Geographic Channel and the Discovery Channel on India. Apart from the age old monuments of the Mughal and the Colonial times, this place in India is all about erotica and seductiveness.

History of Khajuraho

The Chandela Dynasty was responsible for the construction of the Temples of Khajuraho. But after seize of Chandela Kingdom by Qutub-ud-din-Aibak, the temples went into isolation and only some yogis continued to live here. The temples suffered huge damage by the armies of Sikander Lodi who was then destructing the Hindu temples. The Khajuraho temples were covered by thick forests and vegetation. It was in 1830’s that the temples were rediscovered by T.S. Burt and the restoration of the site has been taking place since then.

Tourist Attraction in Khajuraho

The famous tourist attraction in Khajuraho is-

Khajuraho Group of Monuments

Khajuraho is a major tourist attraction in Madhya Pradesh and all the credit goes to the millennia old UNESCO World Heritage Site of Khajuraho Group of Monuments. The temples of Khajuraho were made together but the temples are dedicated to two religions namely the Hindu and Jain religion. This shows the respect and acceptance of both the religions towards each other. The temples of Khajuraho were built during the Rajput Chandela dynasty, the construction stated as soon as they started ruling the Bundelkhanda region. The planning of the complex of the temples was similar to other Hindu temples having water bodies around and sun-facing temples, but the only thing that gave a different identity to the temples of Khajuraho were their erotic sculptures which according to the historians were made in order to highlight the four goals of life that are considered in Hinduism- the dharma, artha, kama and moksha.

Most of the temples in the complex vanished with time and the invasion of the Islaamic invasion which destroyed other temples. Historians had proof that there were 85 temples in the complex out of them 20 have managed to remain intact. The most prominent and well preserved temple among the remaining 20 temples is the Kandariya Mahadev Temple; the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The other temples in the complex of Khajuraho are-the Chausath Yogini Temple, the Matangeshwara Temple, the Lalgun Mahadev, Brahma Temple, the Varaha Temple, Lakshmana Temple, Parshawanath Temple, the Vishwanath Temple, Devi Jagdamba Temple, the Chirtagupta Temple, Vamana Temple, Adinath Jain Temple, Duladeo Temple, the Chaturbhuj Temple, Ghantai Temple, Vishnu- Garuna Temple, Hanuman Temple and the Mahishasurmardini Temple.

Languages Spoken in Khajuraho

The most commonly spoken language in Khajuraho is Hindi (Bundelkhandi) and English.

Famous Festivals in Khajuraho

The Khajuraho Festival of Dances is a prominent festival celebrated in Khajuraho when the classical dancers from different parts of India come together to perform and celebrate this vibrant festival. Other festivals celebrated are Shivratri, Holi and Diwali.

Cuisines of Khajuraho

Satisfy your taste buds with Bhindi Gosht, Bhutte ki Kees, Makai Roti and sweet dishes like Lavang Lata, Kusli Burfi and Moong Dal ka Halwa.

Climate in Khajuraho

Khajuraho witnesses a hot summer with high heat and winters that are cold. Hot semi-arid climate persists in the months of April to July. Best time to visit is from October to March.

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