BUDGET TOUR - Travel
Guide - Khajuraho Tour
Khajuraho Tour
Khajuraho, a monument to erotica is a unique example of Indo-Aryan architecture.
The Chandela rulers between 950-1050 built these temples. There were 85
temples, which were built, and only 22 of them survive today.
The temples of Khajuraho are India's unique gift to the world, representing,
as they do, a paean to life, to love, to joy; perfect in execution and sublime
in expression. Life, in every form and mood, has been capured in stone,
testifying not only to the craftsman's artistry but also to the extraordinary
breadth of vision of the Chandela Rajputs under whose rule the temples were
conceived and constructed.
The world renowned temple town of Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh designated
by UNESCO as a world heritage site for its archaeological and historical
monuments.
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.
With their decline, the temples lay forgotten for many centuries, covered
by the encroaching forests, victim to the ravages of the elements. Re-discovered
only in this century, restored and claned, the temples of Khajuraho once
again testify to a past glory.
Architecturally too, they are unique, being very different from the temple
prototype of their period. Each stands on a high masonry platform with a
marked upward direction in the structure, further enhanced by vertical projections
to create the effect of grace and lightness. Each of the chief compartments
is mounted by its own roof, grouped so that the highest is in the centre,
the lowest over the portico; a highly imaginative recreation of the rising
peaks of the Himalayas, abode of the gods.
The three main compartments are the entrance (ardha-mandapa), assembly
hall (mandapa) and sanctum (garbha griha), with further additions in the
more developed temples.
Khajuraho Tour, Travel Guide- Reservation Form
Copyright
© Budget Tour.
All Rights Reserved
