The more time you spend time in Khajuraho, more you
would like to stay at the temples. There is some invisible magic, which pulls visitors
from all over the World. Temples of Khajuraho are not just temples or monuments created out of stones but an insight into the rich cultural heritage of India. Every temple is a literature in various subjects, be it Engineering, Architecture, Spirituality, Goals of Life or Craftsmanship.
Western Group of temples
are confined within a premises however the Eastern group of temples are spread
across the Khajuraho City or better villages of Khajuraho. Unlike Western Group
of Temples, there is no entry ticket to Eastern Group of Temples and excursion
takes inside the heart of rural Khajuraho. Be ready to enjoy the dusty lanes,
village life and scent of rural India.
Brahma Temple is most likely to be the
first temple while taking up exploration of the Eastern Group of temples.
Though the temple is called as Brahma Temple, but the temple was originally
dedicated to God Vishnu and as a proof God Vishnu decorates the top of entry
door, and the door is flanked by images of Goddess Ganga and Yamuna.
Temple was built around
900 AD and is situated at banks of Khajur Sagar Lake. Temple has a 4 face
Shivling also called as Mukhaling (मुखलिंग). 4 face Shivling may be the most probable reason for this temple to be
mistakenly called as Brahma Temple, as God Brahma also has 4 faces.
4 Faces of God Shiv
represents different virtues, likewise when South-facing, God Shiv has an angry
expression which represents Shiva, the Destroyer.
When facing West God is the Revealer, facing North, God Shiv is the Concealer, and when facing East God
Shiv is the preserver of the Universe. It is a small temple with number of steps leading to main chamber and can be missed likely, unless you or the driver keep a note to visit this.
2nd temple in the line is Javari Temple, which is dedicated
to Bhagwan Vishnu. Javari temple is a precision carved temple. Delicately
carved temple Shikhar (dome), Stone crafted Toran (2nd picture) at the entrance and roof design makes this
small temple a preferred spot in not only Eastern group of temples, but in
Khajuraho itinerary.
Constructed around 1075 - 1100 CE, the temple has exquisitely carved
outer walls. This is one of the temples in Khajuraho which has outer dome in
pretty good condition. Though there has been some maintenance work, but the
temple is a stunning work with statues of Gods and Goddesses carved on the
outer walls.
Main statue at the temple is four-armed Bhagwan Vishnu, embedded in a carved base. But the statue
is broken due to obvious reasons as across many ancient temples in India. Name
of Temple is probably derived from owner of the land.
Around 400m. from Javari
Temple is the Vaman Temple, which is dedicated to 5th avatar of Lord
Vishnu. With over 2000 carvings and figures of gods and goddesses on the walls,
this is one of the most appealing and preserved temples. See the ornamental
carvings on the Statue.
Like Javari Temple, the architecture
of Outer Walls is a lesson in geometry. Temple has a garbha graha and mandap
which carries the statue of Lord Vamana. Temple was built in/around 11th
century by Chandela rulers. This is the first time I came across statue of Lord Vaman.
Approx. 4 km. from the Khajuraho City is the Chaturbhuj temple which has captivating
Lord Shiva statue, with face of Lord shiva, body below face of Lord Vishnu and
lower part representing Lord Krishna. This is the only statue of its kind.
The main
chamber entry walls have some mind-blowing precision carvings, which feels like painted by brush of an artist rather than crafted with chisels.
Next comes Dulha Dev (Dula Deo) Temple. Built in the year 1130, this
temple is the last temple constructed in the league of the iconic temples in
Khajuraho. Dedicated to God Shiva, the
temple has a huge Shivling with 999 Shivling carved on to it. That makes 1000
Shivlings, a walk around (Parikrama) this Shivling is believed to be equal to
blessings of 1000 Shivlings.
Chaturbhuj Temple and Dula Deo (Dulha Dev) temple are referred to as
Southern Group of Temples but are covered with Eastern Group of temples trip.
Since
temples are spread across and at places road is in bad condition, it is advisable
to hire a local transport. We had hired an Auto, which took us to the entry
gate on each of these temples. With car you may to stop at some distance before
the spot due to road condition. However, to appreciate there are signboards everywhere and one can reach the spots without Professor Google.
Last in the line is the Parshvnath temples. Built by Chandela king, Dhangadeva in around 960-990 AD, it is the largest temple in Eastern Group of Temples. Walls of temple are decorated with exquisite carvings of Gods and Goddesses and there are helpful priests to help you in recognizing the statues of different Gods.
Extent of carving details in the structures:
Helpful people are always around the corner to guide you if you feel like asking. All the temples can be
comfortable covered in 3-4 hours depending on the interest and appreciation of
the chisels which carved these masterpieces. Eastern Group of Temples, though
smaller in size as compared to Western Group of temples, retain the magic of
quintessential Khajuraho. No doubts, Khajuraho is an eternal wonder that
continues to captivate and inspire the generations.
Keep exploring Folks…
