Khajuraho City Travel
Khajuraho, the temple city of central India, is famous throughout the
world for its exquisitely carved temples in stones. Thousands of visitors and
tourists from all over the world flock together to envisage this immortal saga
of Hindu art and culture engraved in stone by shilpies (stone craftsmen) a millenia
ago. Today, apart from the temples, Khajuraho is a small village but a thousand
years ago it was a large city of the Chandelas, medieval Rajput kings who ruled
over Central India. Khajuraho is 595 km (370 miles) south-east of Delhi and
can be visited by air, rail or road. An overnight train journey from Delhi takes
the visitor to Jhansi, from where another morning train takes him to Harpalpur
85 km (53 miles) to the east.
According to the account of the medieval court poet, Chandbardai, in the Mahoba-khand
of his Prithviraj Raso, Hemvati was the beautiful daughter of Hemraj, the royal
priest of Kashi (Varanasi). One summer night, while she was bathing in the sparkling
waters of a lotus-filled pond, the Moon god was so awestruck by her beauty that
he descended to earth in human form and ravished her. The distressed Hemvati,
who was unfortunately a child widow, threatened to curse the god for ruining
her life and reputation. To make amends for his folly the Moon god promised
that she would become the mother of a valiant son.
'Take him to Khajjurpura', he is believed to have said. 'He will be a great
king and build numerous temples surrounded by lakes and gardens. He will also
perform a yagya (religious ceremony) through which your sin will be washed away.'
Following his instructions, Hemvati left her home to give birth to her son in
a tiny village. The child, Chandravarman, was as lustrous as his father, brave
and strong. By the time he was 16 years old he could kill tigers or lions with
his bare hands. Delighted by his feats, Hemvati invoked the Moon god, who presented
their son with a touchstone which could turn iron into gold, and installed him
as king at Khajuraho.
The Creators of Khajuraho claimed descent from the moon and the legend behind
the founding of this great dynasty and the temples is a fascinating one. Hemwati,
the lovely young daughter of a Brahmin priest, was seduced by the moon-god while
bathing in a forest pool. The child born of this union was Chandravarman, founder
of the Chandela dynasty. Brought up in the forests by his mother who sought
refuge from a sensorious society, Chandravarman, when established as a ruler,
had a dream-visitation from his mother. It is said that she implored him to
build temples that would reveal human passions, and in doing so, bring about
a realization of the emptiness of human desire. It is also possible that the
Chandelas were followers of the Tantric cult, which believes that gratification
of earthly desires is a step towards attaining the infinite liberation of nirvana.
Why they chose Khajuraho, even then a small village, as the site for their great
complex is also open to of their faith and the many beliefs represented in the
temples, the Chandelas conceived Khajuraho as a seat of religion and learning,
to bring together many sects.
Eastern Group of Temples
Adinath Temple: Dedicated to the Jain saint, Adinath, the temple is lavishly
embellished with sculpted figures, including yakshis. The three Hindu temples
of the group are the Brahma, containing a four faced lingam, the Vamana, which
is adorned on its outer walls with carving of apsaras in a variety of sensuous
attitudes; and the javari, with a richly-carved gateway and exterior sculptures.
Western Group of Temples
The Western group is certainly the best known, because it is to this group that
the largest and most typical Khajuraho temple belongs: The Kandariya Mahadev.
Southern Group of Temples
Dulah Deo Temple: This finest temple at Khajuraho also called Kunwar Math offers
some of the choicest sculptures especially the Shalbhanjika. It is a fully developed
temple measuring 21 m by 12 m (69 ft. by 40 ft.) with the ardhamanadap, the
mandapa, the maha mandapa, the antarala and the garbha griha with no circumambulatory
passage.
How to Reach Khajuraho
By Air
Khajuraho Air service is driect link with Delhi, Agra, Varanasi and Kathmandu.
By Rail
The nearest railheads are Mahoba and Harpalpur. Jhansi is a convenient railhead
for those travelling from Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai and Varanasi the railhead
is Satna, on the Mumbai-Allahabad section of the Central Railway is ideal. Delhi,
Mumbai, Calcutta, Chennai, Agra by train to the railheads.
By Road
Khajuraho is connected by regular and direct bus services with Chhatarpur, Mahoba,
Harpalpur, Satna, panna, Jhansi, Gwalior, Agra, Sagar, Jabalpur, Indore, Bhopal,
Varanasi and Allahabad.
