I can already feel the smirks and the side-eyes…haha!!!
To the unversed, Khajuraho is a city, located in Madhya Pradesh, and around 56 kms from Chhatarpur. It is known predominantly for sexually suggestive sculptures on the body of its temples.
Declared a UNESCO heritage site in 1986, its ancient name was “Khajurvahaka”, due to the presence of date palms which mean “khajur” in Sanskrit. The name “Khajuraho” came to use much later.
There are myths and also misconceptions surrounding Khajuraho (I won’t lie, even I had pre-conceived notions), which I thought needed addressing and that’s when this article conceptualized.
1. There Are Damaged Dilapidated Temples Everywhere
At the offset, it might resemble Angkor Wat of Cambodia quite a bit, but in reality, it isn’t. Premised within well-manicured gardens with perfectly spaced trees, the Western, Eastern & Southern Group of Temples look nothing like the UNESCO Heritage monument of Cambodia. While I was hoping for some rustic looking temples and surroundings, it turned out to be immaculately pruned.
2. The Temples Are Covered in Erotic Sculptures
This is one major misconception against which the record needs to be set straight. THE TEMPLES ARE NOT COVERED IN EROTIC SCULPTURES!! The erotic part is only 10% of the total sculptures and shows how copulation was a part of everyday life. It also depicts abnormal sexual desires that were condoned by society and warranted retribution. While it may seem blasphemous and offensive to many; through all the art on the outer walls of the temples, one can peep into the window of the progressive society of the 10th century India.
P.S. – Since Western Group of Temples are all Hindu temples, only this has erotic idols, Eastern & Southern Group of Temples have Hindu and Jain influence hence these titillating sculptures are absent.
3. The Book Kamasutra Was Conceptualized Post the Creation of The Temples
There may be many who might be under this notion. Well, let me put this to rest as well. The Kamasutra text by Vātsyāyana, is believed to have been written between 400 B.C.E and 300 A.D. Even if the latter part of the Gregorian calendar is considered, it would still be a good six centuries before the foundation of these temples were laid by the Chandela Dynasty.
4. The City Is Backward & Underdeveloped
Not in my wildest dreams would I have ever imagined well-planned broad roadways that are clean and well-maintained. They even have e-rickshaws for Pete’s sake! Something that is the need of the hour in Tier 1 cities. I was amazed at how clean the city is. It also has an airport! Unfortunately, there are direct flights only from Patna and Delhi. Khajuraho would have experienced considerable footfall in tourism, had it had direct flights available from all Tier 1 cities. It may be a conscious decision to curb over-tourism, or some plans might already be in the pipeline.
5. Khajuraho ONLY Has Temples to Offer
Ever heard of Panna Tiger Reserve? Its is just 30 kms from Khajuraho and so is Raneh Falls. Both absolutely must-visit is travelling to Khajuraho. In fact, for Panna, we ended up paying INR 910/per person in a shared jeep while we had paid INR 8000 for an entire jeep for Pench (we could definitely have taken the shared one but somehow, we were given a private jeep. It was a waste!). Although we did not get any glimpse of the majestic Bengal tiger (as per the words of the guide “jungle mein kuch bhi ho sakta hai”), we spotted several locally migrating avians and even few species of antelopes. Which goes on to show that the popularity of a place may be associated with a particular feature on display, but it offers a lot more.
You can also head to a tribal museum that showcases the tribal art forms of the indigenous tribes of the area.
Contrary to popular belief - now that I have debunked some misconceptions, it is time you head there with family and enjoy the finely designed temples that have endured sun and rain since the 10th century and still remain a masterpiece difficult to reproduce.
And to a person as opinionated as I am – this is the best city to visit in Madhya Pradesh.
In fact, the Khajuraho Dance Festival is ‘round the corner - 20th February – 26th February. And good time to explore the place with so much history.
Why wait? Head there and soak in their cultural extravaganza!
This article was previously published on my travel site - wanderalone.
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