Khajuraho

Khajuraho, located in the district of Chhatarpurin the state ofMadhya Pradesh is an ancient city. The word Khajuraho isderived from the Sanskrit word 'kharjur' which means 'date palms'. TodayKhajuraho is known all overthe world for its temples which belong to the medieval Hinduand Jain period.

The temples were built by the chandel monarchs who were originally called BargujarRajputs of Rajasthan. The Rajputs moved here when the northern part of India was attacked by theMlechcha invaders. Khajuraho is known as the cultural capital of the Chandel, Rajputs who ruled over this part of India for almost 2 centuries from 10AD to 12AD.

Khajuraho initially had around 80 temples but hardly 25 remain in good condition now. Amongst these, the most famous ones areChausthYogini, Brahma, LalgunMahadev, Matangeshwar, Varaha, Lakshman, Parshwanath, ChaturBhuja, Ghantai, Vishwanath, Devi Jagdambi, Chitragupta, KandriyaMahadevi, Vaman, Adinath and Duladev. These temples were built between 950AD and 1150AD.

The temples at Khajurahoare made up of sandstones and are worldfamous for their erotic sculptures. What is interesting is the fact that these erotic sculptures are only on theperiphery of the temple and are not present inside the temples or nearthe deities. Apparently, it implies that to meet god one must leave his desiresbehind. The temples have numerous other sculptures depicting the lifeof a common man in that era.

Khajurahois now under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India which has found many more underground temples at this site. The destination is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the seven wonders of India. Every evening there is a show here about the art, philosophy and history of Khajuraho. Apart from this, the Khajuraho Dance Festival, an annual danceshow of Indian classical dance, held from 25th February to 2nd March is a major attraction.

The best time to visit Khajuraho is from September to March. Khajuraho has an airport of its own which is connected to major Indian cities like Bhopal, Delhi, Varanasi, Mumbai and Indore among others. It is also well connected by bus from Delhi and nearby areas. The nearest railhead is at Mahoba, which is just over 60 km away.

Language Hindi and English
Best time to visit October to March
STD Code: 07686
Location: Khajuraho, Chhatarpur District, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Population: 19,282 (2001)
Time zone: IST (UTC+5:30)
Significance: Well-known for the sculptures in erotic poses in its temples.
Famous : for their erotic sculpture.
Constructed : 950 to 1050 A.D
Best Season : September to March
Climate : Khajuraho has extreme tropical climate with temperature as high as 47°C in summers and as low as 4°C in winters.