Khajuraho Temples

A thousand years ago, a young Brahmin woman named Hemavati was so beautiful that the Moon God Chandra himself was captivated. He descended to earth in disguise to seduce her while she bathed in a moonlit pond. From their divine union, a son named Chandravarman was born — the founder of the legendary Chandela dynasty.

Hemavati, though blessed with a divine child, suffered the stigma of being an unwed mother. Before sending Chandravarman away to fulfill his destiny, she made him promise that when he became a powerful king, he would build temples that celebrated all aspects of love — physical, spiritual, emotional — and proved to the world that there was no shame in human desire. Love, in all its forms, was sacred.

Chandravarman's descendants fulfilled this vow spectacularly. Between 950 and 1050 CE, the Chandela kings built 85 temples. Only 25 survive today. Their walls depict everything: gods and goddesses in meditation, warriors in battle, musicians playing, animals at peace — and famously, lovers in every conceivable embrace. The erotic sculptures make up less than 10% of the total carvings, but they are what made Khajuraho world-famous.

These sculptures were not created for titillation. They represent the Tantric philosophy that the divine can be found in all human experience — that desire (kama) transcended righteously leads to spiritual liberation (moksha). The journey from the outer walls (depicting worldly life) toward the inner sanctum (pure divinity) mirrors the soul's journey from the material world to spiritual union.

Built by the Chandela dynasty between 950-1050 CE. Only 25 of the original 85 temples survive. Rediscovered by British engineer T.S. Burt in 1838. UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Khajuraho Dance Festival held annually features India's finest classical dancers performing against the illuminated temple backdrop.

Exceptional Nagara-style sandstone architecture. Over 90% of the sculptures depict everyday life, gods, and celestial beings. The erotic art represents Tantric philosophy.