 Situated in the heart of Central India,
in the state of Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho is a fascinating
village with a quaint rural ambience and a rich cultural heritage.
The fascinating temples of Khajuraho, India's unique gift
of love to the world, represent the expression of a highly
matured civilization. After the Taj it is the most frequently
visited monument in India. Khajuraho 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 are a world
heritage site and belong not just to India but to the world.
The Archeological Survey of India's dedicated efforts towards
their conservation rank them against the best preserved monuments
of this antiquity. Most of the temples are built of sandstone
in varying shades of buff, pink or pale yellow. They each
belong to a different sect, the Shiva, Vaishnava or Jaina
Sects, but are often indistingushable from one another to
the untrained eye. The temples are lofty with ample walking
space separating them. The interior rooms are inter connected
and placed in an East/West line. Each contains an entrance,
a hall, a vestibule and a sanctum. Windows were added to the
larger temples to add a feeling of space and light blog.
Unlike other temples Khajuraho temples are said to have a
theme (women), which comes in front while going through the
temples. A celebration of womankind, her myriad moods and
facets. There are carvings of a woman writing letter, applying
makeup to her eyes, combing her tresses, dancing, and playing
with her child. Innocent, coquettish, smiling, seductive,
passionate and beautiful, all depicted in intricate detail,
sharply etched, sculpted with consummate skill. One opinion
says Chandelas were followers of the tantric cult, which believes
that gratification of Earthly desires is a step towards attaining
the infinite liberation, Nirvana.
 THE PAST
In the temple architecture of India, the Khajuraho complex
remains unique. One thousand years ago, under the generous
and artistic patronage of the Chandela Rajput kings of Central
India, 85 temples, magnificent in form and richly carved,
came up on one site, near the village of Khajuraho. The amazingly
short span of 100 years, from 950 AD - 1050 AD, saw the completion
of all the temples, in an inspired burst of creativity. Today,
of the original 85, only 22 have survived the ravages of time;
these remain as a collective paean to life, to joy and to
creativity; to the ultimate fusion of man with his creator.
Why did the Chandelas choose Khajuraho or Khajirvahila - garden
of dates, as it was known then - as the site for their stupendous
creations ? Even in those days it was no more than a small
village. It is possible given the eclectic patronage of the
Chandelas and the wide variety of beliefs represented in the
temples, that they had the concept of forming a seat of religion
and learning at Khajuraho. It is possible that the Chandelas
were also believers in the powers of Tantrism; the cult which
believes that the gratification of earthly desires is a step
closer to the attainment of the infinite. It is certain however,
that the temples represent the expression of a highly matured
civilization. Yet another theory is that the erotica of Khajuraho,
and indeed of other temples, had a specific purpose. In those
days when boys lived in hermitages, following the Hindu law
of being "brahmacharis" until they attained manhood,
the only way they could prepare themselves for the worldly
role of 'householder' was through the study of these sculptures
and the earthly passions they depicted.
THE LEGEND
Khajuraho or ‘Khajur-vahika’ (bearer of date palms), also
known as ‘Khajjurpura’ in ancient times, evidently derives
its name from the golden date palms (khajur) that adorned
its city gates and, if the different legendary versions are
to be believed, it owes its existence to an enchanting maiden
named Hemvati. 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. Chandravarman
achieved a series of brilliant victories and built a mighty
fortress at Kalinjar. At his mother’s request he began the
building of 85 glorious temples with lakes and gardens at
Khajuraho and performed the bhandya-yagya which expunged her
of her guilt. A variation of the same legend introduces Hemvati
as the widowed daughter of Mani Ram, the royal priest of Kalinjar.
As a result of a mistake in his calculations the priest informed
his king that a particular night was Puranmasi (full moon
night) and not the dark night that it actually turned out
to be. In her concern for her father’s reputation the beautiful
Hemvati prayed to the Moon god, who was gracious enough to
uphold the word of the priest but, inreturn for his favour,
ravished the daughter. The grieving father was so shame-stricken
that he cursed himself and turned into a stone, which was
later worshipped by the Chandelas as Maniya Dev. Hemvati gave
birth to a son, the sage Chandrateya, who was later at the
helm of the Chandela clan. Historically speaking, the area
and aura around Khajuraho has always been renowned for its
cultural achievements. |
