Khajuraho

Vishnu with his consort Lakshmi, from the temple dedicated to Parshvanatha in the eastern temple complex, c. 950–970, at Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, India.

Khajuraho, historic town, northern Madhya Pradesh state, central India. It is a famous tourist and archaeological site known for its sculptured temples dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, and Jaina patriarchs. The monuments at Khajuraho were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986.

Khajuraho, or Kharjuravahaka, was one of the capitals of the kings of the Chandela, who from the 9th to the 11th century ce developed a large realm, Jejakabhukti (Jijhoti). At its height Jejakabhukti included almost all of what is now Madhya Pradesh state, centred in the historic Bundelkhand region. The original capital extended over an area of some 8 square miles (21 square km) and contained about 85 temples, built by successive rulers from about 950 to 1050. In the late 11th century the Chandela, in a period of chaos and decline, moved to hill forts elsewhere. Khajuraho continued its religious importance until the 14th century but was afterward largely forgotten; its remoteness probably saved it from the desecration that the Muslim, or Mughal, conquerors generally inflicted on Hindu monuments. In 1838 a British army captain, T.S. Burt, came upon information that led him to the rediscovery of the complex of temples in the jungle in Khajuraho.

Of the area’s 85 original temples, 22 are still reasonably well preserved. With a few exceptions they are constructed of hard river sandstone. Both internally and externally the temples are richly carved with excellent sculptures that are frequently sensual and, in some instances, sexually explicit. The temples are divided into three complexes, of which the western is the largest and best known, containing the magnificent Shaivite temple Kandariya Mahadeva (c. 1000), a 102-foot- (31-metre-) high agglomeration of porches and turrets culminating in a spire.

Modern Khajuraho is a small village. Tourism is the leading economic factor. An airport connects Khajuraho with several cities in India. The town’s name derives from the prevalence of khajur, or date palms, in the area. Pop. (2001) 19,286; (2011) 24,481.