About Khajuraho temple

INTRODUCTION

Hello readers this is my first blog.In this blog i will tell you about a very famous ancient temple of india khajuraho temple. It is the one among three UNESCO world heritage place of Madhya pradesh. This temple is famous for his famous architecture, sculpture, statues. Khajuraho temple is unique in itself in his category.

KHAJURAHO TEMPLE : THE ANCIENT TEMPLE OF INDIA

LOCATION

The Khajuraho Group of Monuments is a group of Hindu and Jain temples in,India. Khajuraho temple is located in chhatarpur district of madhya pradesh about 175 kilometres (109 mi) southeast of Jhansi and 620 kilometres (385 mi) southeast of New Delhi. The temples are near a small town also known as Khajuraho, with a population of about 20,000 people (2001 Census).The temples are famous for their nagara-style architectural symbolism and their erotic sculptures. Most Khajuraho temples were built between 950 and 1050 by the Chandela dynasty. According to current historical records Khajuraho temple had 85 temple by the 12th century, spread over 20 square kilometers.

HISTORY

Khajuraho Temples are among the most beautiful medieval monuments in the country. These temples were built by the Rajput Chandela ruler between AD 900 and 1130. It was the golden period of Chandela rulers.Most temples were built during the reigns of the Hindu kings Yashovarman and Dhanga. Yashovarman legacy is best exhibited by The laxman temple and Vishvanath temple best highlights King Dhanga reign.The largest and currently most famous surviving temple is Kandariya Mahadeva built in the reign of King Vidhyara. These temples were built about 35 miles from the medieval city of Mahoba,the capital of the Chandela dynasty, in the Kalinjar region. In ancient literature, their Empire has been referred to as Jijhoti, Jejahoti, Chih-chi-to and Jejakabhukti.The temple was once mentioned by Abu rihan-al-biruni, the great persian historian who won over Mahmud Ghazni in his raid of Kalinjar in 1022 CE. He mentioned khajuraho as the capital of jajahuti.

Central Indian region, where Khajuraho temples are, remained in the control of many different Muslim dynasties from 13th century through the 18th century. In this period, some temples were desecrated, followed by a long period when they were left in neglect.In 1495 CE, for example, Sikandar Lodi’s campaign of temple destruction included Khajuraho.The remoteness and isolation of Khajuraho protected the Hindu and Jain temples from continued destruction by Muslims.Over the centuries, vegetation and forests over grew, took over the temples.In the 1830s, local Hindus guided a British surveyor, T.S. Burt, to the temples and they were thus rediscovered by the global audience.Alexander Cunningham later reported, few years after the rediscovery, that the temples were secretly in use by yogis and thousands of Hindus would arrive for pilgrimage during Shivaratri celebrated annually in February or March based on a lunar calendar. In 1852, Maisey prepared earliest drawings of the Khajuraho temples.

The origin of name Kharjuravāhaka, is derived from an ancient language Sanskrit it means kharjura(date palm) and vāhaka, means "one who carries". According to historians the temples had two golden date-palm trees as their gate (missing when they were rediscovered).  According to historians Kharjuravāhaka means scorpion bearer, which is another name for Lord Shiva (who wears snakes and scorpion garlands in his fierce form).Cunningham’s nomenclature and systematic documentation work in 1850s and 1860s have been widely adopted and continue to be in use.He grouped the temples into the Western group around Lakshmana, Eastern group around Javeri, and Southern group around Duladeva.

Khajuraho is one of the holy sites which linked to Lord Shiva (the other three are Kedarnath, Kashiand, Gaya. Its origin and design is a subject of scholarly studies. Shobita Punja has proposed that the temple’s origin reflect the Hindu mythology in which Khajuraho is the place where Shiva got married; with Raghuvamsha, Matangeshvara honoring ‘’Matanga’’, or god of love.

KHAJURAHO TEMPLE

The temple is located in between vindhya mountain range which is located in central india. According to ancient local people Lord Shiva and other gods enjoyed visiting the dramatic hills formation in Kalinjar area. The khajuraho is the centre of this region. According to hindu tradition building temples where god love to play. The temples are situated near river another feature of hindu temples. The current rivers includes Sib river,Khajur river and Khudar river. According to people there is 69 rivers of which 56 are physically identified by archeologists so far.The relative layout of temple have masculine and feminine deities and symbols highlights the interdependence. The art work symbolically highlight the four goals of life considered necessary and proper in hinduism - Dharma, Kama, Moksha and Artha.Of the surviving temple 6 are dedicated to Lord Shiva and his consorts, 8 to lord Vishnu and his affinities, 1 to Lord Ganesha,  to Sun god, 3 to Jains Tirthankars. An overall examination of temple suggest that the hindu symbolic Manadla principle design of square and circles is present in each temple plan and design.

The temples have a rich display of carved statues. They are famous for their erotic sculpture, sexual themes cover less than 10% of the temple sculpture. The erotic scene panels are balance with the non-sexual images.The viewer has to look closely.The arts cover numerous aspects of human life and values considered important in Hindu pantheon. The sclupture are arranged  to express central idea of Hinduism. All the ideas from Agamas are mostly expressed in Khajuraho temples - Avyakta, Vyaktavyakta and Vyakta.

The Beejamandal temple is under excavation. All temples, the Matangeshvara temple is an active site of worship. It is another square grid temple which is 2.5 metre high and 1.1 metre in diameter lingam, placed on a 7.6 metres diameter platform.

The most visited temple, Kandariya Mahadev. It has an area of about 6,500 square feet and a spire that rises 116 feet.