Khajuraho

Khajuraho is an amazing temple complex discovered almost 200 years ago in the central part of India. Architectural monuments are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The story of Khajuraho's rise and fall

Historians claim that in the Middle Ages this place was the capital of the Chandella dynasty, whose name Khajuraho means date palm in Sanskrit. The city is mentioned in the records of the famous Arab al-Biruni in the 11th century. It is believed that 85 temples, of which only 25 have been preserved, were built between 950 and 1050. Judging by this, the city was the cultural and religious center of the medieval dynasty.

The city of Khajuraho suffered catastrophically during the Muslim invasions between 1100 and 1400. The consequences of the conquests were so devastating that the dynasty disappeared, and the beautiful city with amazing temples overgrown for many centuries and was lost in an impenetrable forest. The temples turned out to be practically invisible to people for 700 years, until they were found only in 1838.

Unique architects and sculptors

Since the 19th century, the Khajuraho temple complex has been constantly being restored, and every tourist who finds himself in India can admire the unique golden sandstone structures, reminiscent of the grandeur and grandeur of the Himalayan Mountains.

But these huge structures are made without the use of mortar. Ancient builders created them by connecting huge megaliths using grooves and projections. Interestingly, the weight of some blocks reached 20 tons. According to researchers, the temple complex testifies to the maturity and self-sufficiency of that ancient civilization, which found the right number of builders and sculptors to build such unique and grandiose temples. They are also famous for their unique sculptural groups. The walls are almost completely covered with images of gods, animals, and musicians. Tourists are most interested in erotic scenes from the Kama Sutra, which are a kind of hallmark of Khajuraho. Sensual love, from the point of view of ancient sculptors, is not a sin. Many sculptures are dedicated to beautiful women.

The legend of Love

It tells us that Khajuraho was built by King Chandravarman, the son of the moon god Chandra and the beautiful Hemavati, the daughter of a royal priest. One night, late at night, she was swimming in the river, and she was so beautiful that the moon god came down to earth and joined her in love ecstasy. As a result, the unfortunate woman became pregnant. In order not to embarrass her family, she ran away from home and then gave birth to a child in the abandoned village of Khajuraho. Chandra predicted that when his son grows up, he will become king and erect 85 temples covered with amazing images of beautiful women and scenes of happy love. This is the only way he can atone for his mother's involuntary sin. When the child grew up, he founded a famous dynasty and built magnificent temples of Khajuraho, glorifying the greatness of love and the beauty of a woman.