14 Best Sights in Western Group of Temples, Side Trips from Delhi

This temple, which lies west of the Lakshmana, is the tallest and most evolved temple in Khajuraho in terms of the blending of architecture and sculpture, and one of the finest in India. Probably built around 1025–50 by King Vidyahara (the greatest of the Chandela kings), it follows the five-shrine design. Its central spire, which towers 102 feet above the platform, is actually made up of 84 subsidiary towers built up in increments. The feeling of ascent is repeated inside, where each succeeding portico rises a step above the previous one, and the inner sanctum is higher still; dedicated to Shiva (Mahadev is another name for Shiva), this inner sanctum houses a marble lingam with a 4-foot circumference. Even the figures on this temple are taller and slimmer than those elsewhere. The rich interior carving includes two beautiful toranas (arched doorways). Outside, three bands of sculpture around the sanctum and transept bring to life a whole galaxy of Hindu gods and goddesses, mithunas, celestial handmaidens, and lions.

Across the street from Matangesvara Temple, this museum displays exquisite carvings and sculptures that archaeologists have recovered from the temple sites. The three galleries attempt to put the works into context, according to the deities they represent.

The oldest temple at Khajuraho is set on a granite outcrop southwest of the Shivsagar Tank, a small artificial lake. It may have been built as early as AD 820. It's dedicated to Kali (a form of the goddess Durga, Slayer of Demons), and its name refers to the 64 (chausath) female ascetics (yogini) who serve this fierce goddess in the Hindu pantheon. A little more than half that number have survived. Unlike its counterparts, which are made of pale, warm-hued sandstone, this temple is made of granite.

This temple that's just north of the Devi Jagdamba also resembles it in construction. In honor of the presiding deity, the sun god Surya, the temple faces east, and its cell contains a 5-foot-tall image of Surya complete with the chariot and seven horses that carry him across the sky. Surya also appears above the doorway. In the central niche south of the sanctum is an image of Vishnu with 11 heads; his own face is in the center, and the other heads represent his 10 main incarnations. Sculptural scenes of animal combat, royal processions, masons at work, and joyous dances depict the lavish country life of the Chandelas. It also has an ancient three-story stepped tank (water reservoir).

This temple was originally dedicated to Vishnu, as indicated by a prominent sculpture over the sanctum's doorway. It now honors Parvati, Shiva's consort, but because her image is black—a color associated with Kali—it's also known as the Kali Temple. From the inside, its three-shrine design makes the temple appear to be shaped like a cross. The third band of sculpture has a series of erotic mithunas, considered some of the finest sculpture of this type in all of Khajuraho. The ceilings are similar to those in the Kandariya Mahadev, and the three-headed, eight-armed statue of Shiva is one of the best cult images in Khajuraho.

Across from the Varaha Temple stands this temple dedicated to Vishnu. It is the only complete temple remaining. Along with Kandariya Mahadeva and Vishvanath, this edifice represents the peak of achievement in North Indian temple architecture. All three temples were built in the early to mid-10th century, face east, and follow an elaborate plan resembling a double cross, with three tiers of exterior sculpture on high platforms. The ceiling of the portico is carved with shell and floral motifs. The support beam over the entrance to the main shrine shows Lakshmi, goddess of wealth and consort of Vishnu, with Brahma, Lord of Creation, on her left and Shiva, Lord of Destruction, on her right. Around the exterior base are some of Khajuraho's most famous sculptures, with gods and goddesses on the protruding corners, erotic couples or groups in the recesses, and apsaras and sur-sundaris (apsaras performing everyday activities) in between. Along the sides of the tall platform beneath the temple, carvings depict social life, including battle scenes, festivals, and more X-rated pursuits. According to the inscription on the Lakshmana Temple, it was built by King Yasovarman. The whole temple was built to house an image of Vishnu given him by his Pratihara overlord, Devapala. This image (it can still be seen here) was originally brought over from Tibet.

Lying in ruins, with the original portico missing, this Shiva temple is 600 meters west of Chausath Yogini. It is historically significant because it was built of both granite and sandstone, marking the transition from Chausath Yogini to the later temples.

Sharing the platform with the Kandariya Mahadev and the Devi Jagdamba, this small temple is mostly in ruins. Now dedicated to Shiva, it may originally have been a subsidiary temple to the Kandariya, probably dedicated to Shiva's consort. In the portico stands a remarkable statue of a man caressing a mythical horned lion.

Just outside the boundary of the Western Group stands this temple, which has its own gate to the left of the entrance. It's the only one still in use here; worship takes place in the morning and afternoon. The lack of ornamentation, the square construction, and the simple floor plan date this temple to the early 10th century. It has large bay windows, a projecting portico, and a ceiling of overlapping concentric circles. An enormous lingam (a phallic symbol associated with Shiva), nearly 8½ feet tall, is enshrined in the sanctum.

This simple temple, which faces Vishvanath, houses a monolithic statue of Shiva's mount, the massive and richly harnessed bull Nandi.

The small and heavily rebuilt temple, near Vishvanath, was originally dedicated to Vishnu. The present icon is that of the goddess Ganga (a representation of the river Ganges) standing on her mount, the crocodile.

There's an excellent collection here, consisting of more than 500 artifacts of terra-cotta, metal, and wood crafts, paintings, jewelry, and masks from all over Madhya Pradesh and the Bastar region (known for tribal crafts) in the neighboring state of Chhattisgarh.

Just inside the main entrance gate, to your left, next to a small Lakshmi temple, is this beautiful temple dedicated to Vishnu's Varaha avatar (his incarnation as a boar). It was built circa 900–925. Vishnu assumed this form in order to rescue the earth after a demon had hidden it in the slush at the bottom of the sea. In the inner sanctum, all of creation is depicted on the massive and beautifully polished sides of a stone boar, which in turn stands on the serpent Shesha. The ceiling is carved with a lotus relief, which represents the flowering of the crown chakra, the spiritual center.

Two staircases lead up to this temple, the northern one flanked by a pair of lions and the southern by a pair of elephants. The Vishvanath probably preceded the Kandariya, but here only two of the original corner shrines remain. On the outer wall of the corridor surrounding the cells is an impressive image of Brahma, the three-headed Lord of Creation, and his consort, Saraswati. On every wall the female form predominates, portraying some women's 10th-century occupations: writing a letter, holding a baby, applying makeup, or playing music. The nymphs of paradise are voluptuous and provocative, the erotic scenes robust. An inscription states that the temple was built by Chandela King Dhanga in 1002. The temple sits on a terrace to the east of the Chitragupta and Devi Jagdamba temples.