Khajuraho

WARNING!!!! The following post contains pictures that are not suitable for young viewers. It may also not be suitable for those of you who blush easily. If you are offended by graphic depictions of sexual acts read this with your eyes closed.

This visit to Khajuraho was another episode in our journey that raised the question, "Which society is more evolved; our "modern" society or that of the ancient Hindus?" You be the judge. (Note: Don't go past the elephants if you are offended or have a weak heart.)

Some of the temples of Khajuraho

We rolled into Khajuraho in the late afternoon after a bone rattling five hour journey on the heavily potholed and partially paved roads of the Indian state of Madhra Pradesh. For a state that contains so many important towns and tourist sites such as Agra, Varanasi, and Khajuraho it is shameful that the roads are in such a sad state. The only sane way to travel through this part of India is by train or plane. However, we never claimed to be completely sane!

We felt an immediate affinity for the town of Khajuraho. There was a sizable man made lake to our left as we drove into town. These lakes are called tanks in India and at one time were the lifeblood of the community. They provided a steady supply of water during the long dry period between monsoons. Heavily developed with concrete or stone steps called ghats, inhabitants would bathe, wash clothes and take water by the bucketfull for other domestic uses. They are still in use today for these same purposes. Many are considered sacred as is the tank in Khajuraho. The other thing we noted about the town is that is cleaner and less ramshackle than many of the Indian towns we have visited.

Above the tall mango trees that rim the lake we spotted several tall temples soaring into the bright blue afternoon sky. These sandstone spires are the famous temples off Khajuraho.

We were soon delivered to our hotel. We entered a veritable oasis removed from the hustle and bustle of the town. A garden courtyard accessed by marble walkways was rimmed with rooms on one side and banana trees and larger trees entwined with giant philodendron plants. A fountain in the center completed this serene vision.

We were escorted to our room which continued the promise of the courtyard. It was a rare budget room for India. It was immaculately clean with coordinated wooden furniture and color coordinated drapes and bed spread. The ceiling was accented with plaster crown moldings and a large rosette that framed the ceiling fan. The polished marble floor and bathroom made us feel that this was somehow a mistake and must cost much more than the $15 a night that we have been quoted.

After a quick wash, we hit the street and walked back to the tank we saw on the way in. After walking along the tank we settled onto one of the ghats looking across the tank as the blazing Indian sun set among high wispy clouds. Thousands of parrots silhouetted against the darkening sky cackled their way from the surrounding jungle to a large mango tree in the center of the town.

Sunset with parrots

We found an excellent little Italian restaurant with a rooftop overlooking the city and gorged on decent pizza and Kingfisher beer before tottering off for an early nights rest.

We arose early to beat the heat and tour buses to visit the temples. These famous temples built at the end of the first millennium to honor the Hindu gods are renowned for the elaborate sculptures and carvings that cover both interior and exterior. The carvings feature Hindu gods and scenes from the life and times of the Chandela dynasty. While there are recurring themes of hunting, warring, and scenes from everyday life the main focus of these temples is women and sex.

Woman with naga halo

These temples are a Kama Sutra set in stone which features couples and at times, trios, foursomes, and more, engaged in every possible permutation of the sexual act. While this aspect of the temples is titillating and to be frank quite stimulating, the most remarkable thing about these carvings is the quality of the workmanship and how these thousands of sculptures have been integrated into these ancient architectural wonders.

The stone carriers

Each temple features two or three bands of sculptures; some in near full relief. There are long bands of carvings depicting people engaged in acts of everyday life. There are elephant trains, military troops and Hindu gods and goddesses featured in niches that break up and accent these long bands of carvings. There are countless sculptures of semi-clad voluptuous women in provocative poses that display their assets to the fullest. Women are shown preening before mirrors, or applying henna to their feet, or just stretching into poses that exude femininity and sensuality.

Woman in sarong

Barber removing thorn from woman's foot

Auto-eroticism?

Woman preening in mirror

Each temple is dedicated to a Hindu god who is featured in the inner sanctum. Hindus still visit these temples daily and revere these figures. While these temples are dedicated to gods, as mentioned above they are a celebration of womanhood, sensuality and sexuality. These depictions show that the ancient Hindus accepted that sex was an integral part of their lives. They believed the sex act was a path to spiritual enlightenment. Judging from these sculptures, they must have been very enlightened indeed.




Stop here if you are offended by explicit sexual sculpture








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