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Khajuraho
Khajuraho is known the world over for its temples, sex, architecture and
sculpture. The construction of these Temples are thousand-year old took a
little over two centuries, in terms of architecture of these temples, they
form the high peak of the north Indian 'nagara' style. Khajuraho temples
were constructed between 950 and 1050 A.D. during the reign of Chandel
Empire. Khajuraho derives its name from the Khajur tree (the date palm
tree) which can be found in abundance in the area. These temples are
considered the "high
point"
of Indian architectural genius in the medieval period.
Originally there were 85 temples, of which only 22 still exist. 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. With
the wane of the Chandela Empire, these magnificent temples lay neglected,
and vulnerable to the ravages of Nature. It was only in this century, that
they were rediscovered, restored and granted the recognition that they
justly deserve. The murals depict the life and times of the Chandelas, and
celebrate the erotic state of being. They not only testify to the mastery
of the craftsman, but also to the extraordinary breadth of vision of the
Chandela Rajputs under whose reign, these temples were constructed. Their
style of architecture was also rather peculiar to their times. Each
structure stands on a high masonry platform with a distinct upward
direction to their build, further enhanced by several vertical projections
to simulate the effect of an overall lightness. The three main
compartments are the entrance (ardhamandapa), assembly hall (mandapa), and
the actual sanctum (garbha griha). The interior rooms are interconnected
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. 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.
The
philosophy of the age dictated the enjoyment of the delights of arth
(material wealth) and kama (sensual pleasures) while performing one's
dharma (duty) as the accepted way of life for the grihastha (householder).
Hence, the powerful combination of the visual and sensual pleasures
combined with the duty attributed to the worship of the God brings about a
powerful transformation of the body and the soul. To include all of these
aspects of life in one's early years makes it easier to renounce them
without regret or attachment as one move on to one's next stages of life
toward moksha (liberation).
As
Chandela power diminished, the importance of their sometime-capital also
waned. Its heavily forested terrain could not provide much revenue, and
served to deter invading Muslim armies (for whom the temples were of
little interest, while the sculptures could only have appeared offensive
they certainly did to T. S. Burt, the British engineer who is credited
with their 'discovery' in the mid-19th century). While early travelers
such as Alberuni and lbn Batuta had reported the presence of the temples,
they were not dwelt upon in depth, possibly because of there being
abandoned and overgrown by bushes and weeds. Burt announced their presence
to the world, but the first major data was collected by General Alexander
Cunningham in his Survey of India reports.
History
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 (Parasmani)
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. When he was established as a ruler, he had a
dream-visitation from his mother, who implored him to build temples that
would reveal human passions, and in doing so bring about a realization of
the emptiness of human desire. Chandravarman began the construction of the
glorious temples with lakes and gardens at Khajuraho successive rulers
added to the fast growing complex.
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, in return 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.
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.
WHAT TO SEE
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