Tourist Attraction In Khajuraho :

Khajuraho, located in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh is a well known for its temples and sculptures. The monuments of Khajuraho, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site are extremely controversial yet showcase exceptions artwork and craftsmanship.

Some of the most famous tourist attractions of Khajuraho are the temples. The temples of Khajuraho follow the shikhara style where the main deity is placed on a sanctum in the centre of the temple. It is believed that originally there were 80 Hindu temples out of which only 22 remain.

Some tourist attractions in Khajuraho are :

Khajuraho Archaeological Museum :

The politician of Bundelkhand, W E Jardine displayed objects from the temples in 1910. The display was held near the Western Group of Temples. This was originally called the Jardine Museum which in 1952 was rechristened to the Archeological Museum.

The objects displayed in the Khajuraho Archaeological Museum are sculptures and architectural remains of the 10th and 12th century temples. The objects reflect the influences of Hindu and Jain religions. The museum now houses more than 2000 objects. Among these some of the popular ones are the Nritta Gansha, Uma-Maheshwara, Andhakasuravadhamurti and Vaikuntha.

Eastern Group of Temples, Khajuraho

The Eastern Group of Temples of Khajuraho can be divided into two, the temples dedicated to the Jain pantheon and the temples dedicated to Hindu Gods and Goddesses. The Jain Temples of the Eastern Group of Temples include -

Adinath Temple :
It is dedicated to Adinath, a Jain Tirthankara. The sculpted figures of Yakshis are particularly famous here.

Parsavanath Temple :
It is dedicated to Parsavanath, the Jain Tirthankara. It is the largest Jain Temple present there. It is a well decorated temple.

Ghantai Temple :
It is well known for the sculpture of a Jain goddess on a winged Garuda and for the sixteen dreams of Mahavira's mother.

The Hindu Temples include:

The Vamana Temple :
the sculptures and carvings of celestial beauties are famous.

Hanuman Temple :
this temple has a statue of Hanuman which is about 8 feet tall.

The Brahma Temple :
the granite stone temple has a four-faced idol of Brahma which is very popular in this temple.

Southern Group of Temples, Khajuraho :

Dulah Deo Temple - this temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva was built between 1100 and 1150 AD. The sanctum houses a lingam and the entrance displays an image of Shiva on the beam of the entrance. The dimensions of the temple are 69 feet by 40 feet. The architectural characteristics of the temple are the ardhamandapa, the mahamandapa, the mandapa, the antarala and the garbha griha. The ceiling of the mahamandapa studded with different stones is extremely beautiful. The temple is built in the traditional shikhara style of architecture.

The Chaturbhuja Temple - built in 1100 AD, the Chaturbhuja Temple is a spectacular temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The statue of Vishnu is 3 meters tall. The temple showcases typical shikhara architectural features like a shikhara, a square sanctum, an antarala, the mahamandapa and an ardhmandapa.

Western Group of Temples, Khajuraho :

The Khajuraho Temples can be divided into Eastern Group of Temples, Western Group of Temples and Southern Group of Temples. The Western Group of Temples comprises -

Chaunsat Yogini Temple :
It is the popular granite temple of Khajuraho which is dedicated to Goddess Kali. It is the only granite temple in Khajuraho. The temple dates back to 900 AD.

Kandariya Mahadeo :
It is the largest temple in Khajuraho which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The height of the temple is 31 meters. The depictions of gods and goddesses on the main shrine are very popular. The northern steps of the temple have lions depicted while the southern steps have elephants depicted on them.

Chitragupta Temple
It is dedicated to the Sun God. The image of the sun god in the sanctum is 5 feet high and on a chariot driven by seven horses and the Nandi Bull facing the shrine are distinctive features of the temple.

Matangeswara Temple
It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and the eight feet tall lingam is a famous feature of the temple.

Lakshamana Temple
Dedicated to the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, the temple is well known for the three-headed idol of the incarnations of Vishnu. The incarnations of Vishnu are Narasimha and Varaha.

Vishwanath Temple
In this temple is enshrined the three headed image of Brahma.

Varaha Temple
The boar incarnation of Lord Vishnu in the temple is three feet tall. 

How to Reach Khajuraho :

by Air: Khajuraho has an airport in the city. It is a domestic airport. Several airlines regularly service the Khajuraho airport by flights from Delhi, Agra, Varanasi.


by Road: There is a good network of roads that connects Khajuraho to Agra (395kms), Jhansi (on the Delhi - Mumbai road link), Orchha.

by Rail: Khajuraho does not have a railway station of its own. The most convenient railhead is Jhansi and Satna (on the Mumbai - Allahabad railway link). Jhansi is 175kms away from Khajuraho whereas distance from Satna is 120kms. Many important trains service both the railway stations regularly.