Khajurao - The spiritually sexy place

Khajurao in Madhya Pradesh, India is one of the most popular tourists spots. Khajuraho has the largest cluster of medieval Hindu temples, famous for their titillating sculptures. Khajuraho is derived from the Hindi word Khajur meaning date palm.

Khajurao was the religious capital of the Chandela Rajputs; a Hindu dynasty that ruled parts of India for 2 centuries. The Khajuraho temples took hundred years to be made, from 950 to 1050.

A wall with eight gates, each edged by two golden palm trees enclosed the whole area. There were over 80 Hindu temples, of which only 22 remain in a sound state of maintenance.

Khajurao Temples represent religion with erotica. They are a fine illustration of Indian architectural styles. They were revived during the 20th century.

The wall paintings depict the life and times of the Chandelas. They not only give evidence of the mastery of the craftsman, but also to the astonishing vision of the Chandela Rajputs under whose reign, these temples were constructed. Their technique of architecture was rather peculiar to their times. Each structure stands on a high stonework platform with a upward direction to their construction. The three main compartments of the temples are the entrance, the assembly hall and the actual workroom.

Khajurao Temples are now set in a national park. At the time of india's independence in 1947, the landscape was semi-desert and scrub. The park now has a public park, with mowed grass and ornamental trees

Khajurao Temples, has spiral structures, similar to northern Indian shikhara temple style and Panchayatana plan or layout. some of the temples are dedicated to the Jain deities and the rest to Hindu deities. A Panchayatana temple had four lower shrines on four corners and the main shrine, in the center.The temples are grouped into western, eastern and southern geographical divisions.

The temples are a world heritage site and belong not only to India but also to the world. The Archeological Survey of India's devoted efforts towards their conservation rank as one of the best-preserved monuments of the ancient times.
Most of the temples are built of sandstone in shades of beige, pink or yellow. Each belongs to a different sect, the Shiva, Vaishnava or Jaina Sects, but it is impossible to tell apart from one another by the amateur eye.