Khajuraho

State :

Madhya Pradesh

Climate :

Summer days are extremely hot with day temperatures rising to 44° C. Winter days are warm and sunny but nights are extremely chilly. The rains arrive here by the middle of July when the heat eases up a bit but the humidity increases. Significance : Houses some exquisite Temple architectures of 10th and 11th century.

Khajuraho - the city of temples :

The city of Khajuraho got its name from the swaying date palm trees which surround it. The city is famous for its art and sculpture. The famous Chandela temples, built in between the 10th and 11th centuries, were abandoned to the jungle during the Muslim era. These temple were rediscovered in 1840 by British tiger-hunters and in 1920s twenty two of the original 85 were found. The beautiful sandstone temples with magnificently carved figures, tell us about the warrior clan's spirited style in battle and in love. Khajuraho is now a world heritage site and a must visit tourist destination.

History :

Khajuraho was under the Chandela Dynasty and traces its origin to the 10th century.

Famous for - Khajuraho Temples :

Khajuraho is known world over for its temples. These temples are a wonderful blend of advanced architecture and refined sculpture. A north Indian trip must have Khajuraho as a major destination. These temples have exotic embellishments on both exterior and interior walls with exaggerated sweep in most of the temples. A series of shikharas (spires) believed to be a visual echo of the high Himalayan mountains, abode of Lord Shiva, grow successively higher. Many of the sculpted temples are raised on large pedastals also shared by four smaller corner shrines, following the same five-part design.

Most of the Khajuraho temples are aligned east to west, having entrances facing east. An arch leads to the Ardhamanapa, behind which is the Mandapa a large assembly hall. It opens on three sides, followed by a larger hall Mahamandapa, a closed hall with a corridor around it. This hall then ends up into the vestibule or the antarala. After this there is a sanctum or the Garbhagriha, which can be entered through another decorated doorway, where the religious deity is placed.

Connectivity :

• By Air - Khajuraho is connected to Delhi, Agra and Varanasi by daily flights.
• By Rail - Jhansi (172 kms) is the nearest railway station from Khajuraho, and is connected by the super fast Shatabdi Express train to both Delhi and Agra.
• By Road - Khajuraho is 590 kms from Delhi via Agra, Gwalior and Jhansi.

Additional Highlight of the City :

Apart from the temples, Khajuraho is also famous for its dances. Dance lovers specially Indian dance lovers from all over the world come to Khajuraho to experience and sense the celebration of the beauty of the Khajuraho temples. A 7-day Khajuraho Dance Festival is held here to highlight the richness of the Indian classical dance and music. The festival draws the best classical dancers in India every year, they perform against the wonderful backdrop of the beautifully lit temples. The different classical styles of Indian dance performed here are Kathak, Odissi, Bharat Natyam, Kuchipudi, Manipuri and Kathakali. The modern Indian dance is a recent addition.