Khajuraho Art & Architecture

Khajuraho is a UNESCO World Heritage site in Madhya Pradesh state of Central India. It is known for sand stone Temples depicting erotic art and sculpture work. Temples of Khajuraho are known worldwide for their art and architecture throughout the world and one of the major tourist attraction in India.  Majority of the temples at Khajuraho conform to a basic unity of design. Most of the Khajuraho temples are built of fine-grained sandstone, in varying shades of buff, pink or pale yellow, brought from the quarries of Panna region on the east bank of Ken river. Temples like Chausath-yogini, Brahma and Lalguan- Mahadeva temples, which are constructed either wholly or largely of granite.

Again, except for the temples mentioned above and the Matangesvara and Varaha, all the temples of Khajuraho pertain to a cognate style and are manifestations of a distinctive and concerted architectural movement, differing only in details. The temples variously belong to the Saiva, Vaishnava and Jaina sects. Despite of these divergent affiliations, they keep to dominant architectural and sculptural schemes, so much so that, save for a few distinctive cult-images, there is not much difference between Vaishnava and Saiva temples or Saiva temple and Jaina Temple.

Temples of Khajuraho marks the culminations of Central Indian building-style that has some unique peculiarities of plan & elevation. Here temples are compact, lofty, enclosed and are constructed on high platforms. Platforms are such wide that one can easily revolve around the temple. All the compartments of temple are planned on one axis, running east-west, forming a compact unified structure. Compartments are internally as well as externally connected. The entrance porch (ardh-mandapa), hall (mandapa), vestibule (antarala) & sanctum (grabha-griha) are all essential elements of Khajuraho Temples and are present in all temples. Larger temples have banconied window added to the mandapa which makes them maha-mandapa (larger hall).

Temples elevation also have distinctive features. Temples on lofty platform-terrace has emphatically high basement-storey (adhisthana) having ornamental mouldings that slope outward that grips the platform terrace firmly. Over this stable and ornate base rests of the temple, forming the central zone. The balconied windows are covered with overhanging eaves that allows access to light and air into the interior and form beautiful openings compartments, inside. Above the Central Zone of the wall rises the roof consisting of a series of graded peaks that resembles a mountain range of Kailasha or Meru.  The peaks, arrayed along the axial line with rise & fall alternatively.