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Kalinjar Fort |
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 Kalinjar is a fortress-city in the Bundelkhand region of central India. Kalinjar is located in Banda District of Uttar Pradesh state, near the temple-city and World Heritage Site of Khajuraho. The fortress is strategically located on an isolated rocky hill at the end the Vindhya Range, at an elevation of 1203 feet overlooking the plains of Bundelkhand. It served several of Bundelkhand's ruling dynasties, including the Chandela dynasty of Rajputs in the 10th century, and the Solankis of Rewa. The fortress contains several temples, dating as far back as the Gupta dynasty of the 3rd-5th centuries.Kalinjar is one of the most characteristic specimens of the hill-fortresses, originally hill-shrines, of central India. Its antiquity is proved by its mention in the Mahabharata. Kalinjar means The destroyer of time in Sanskrit. 'Kal' is time and 'jar' destruction. |
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Ajaigarh Fort |
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 Located on the outskirts of the Kajuraho town, Ajaigarh Fort shows the architectural talents of the Chandela Kings. History says that this impressive fortress was built by them when their power in the area was declining.Ajaigarh Fort stands at an altitude of 1,111 meters on a flat-topped projection of the majestic Vindhyas. A large isolated hilltop fort, Ajaigarh fort holds the panoramic view of the beautiful Ken River. This massive structure was constructed to give protection to the local population from attacks and sieges of outsiders. |
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Chausath Yogini Temple |
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 The Temple of Chausath Yogini in Khajuraho is built on a large raised podium which itself is set in an open courtyard with small temples surrounding it. It is these shrines that are devoted to the Yoginis.The Chausath Yogini Temple in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh can be easily accessed from different parts of the State as well as the country. Efficient bus services are available from the cities of Jhansi, Agra, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Indore, Bhopal, Varanasi, Allahabad, Mahoba, Harpalpur, Satna and Panna. Beside this, Mahoba and Harpalpur serve as the nearest railheads from Khajuraho. Satna Rail Station is connected with the important cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Varanasi. Further, frequent direct flights are available from the major cities of Delhi, Agra, Varanasi, and Kathmandu that can be availed to reach the Airport of Khajuraho. |
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Chitragupta Temple |
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 The Chitragapta Temple is situated at the extreme northern end of a row of four temples, extending from south to north. It is the only Khajuraho temple dedicated to Surya, the Sun God and demonstrates an evolution when compared with the Lakshmana and Vishvanatha monuments.The Kandariya Mahadeva stands at the southern extremity of the row, while the ruined Mahadeva shrine and the Jagadambi temple come in between. It is located about 75 yards north of the Jagadambi Temple and about 100 yards south-east of the Chopra Tank, which is a deep three-storeyed stepped well built by the Chandelas. |
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Adinath Temple |
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 A sumptuously decorated temple with beautiful sculptures, Adinath Temple is dedicated to the Jain saint, Adinath. Believed to be built in the 11th century, this temple is an important constituent of the Jain group of temples. The walls are adorned with beautifully carved figures of court musicians. Though the temple had not been restored to its former shape, some sort of renovations helped to maintain its former glory. Only the sanctum and vestibule of the old shrine has been survived the beatings of time.A modern entrance chamber, made of lime-plastered masonry, showing arched doorways, replaces its ‘mandapa’ and entrance porch. The temple is constructed in the form of 'sapta-ratha', and its single towered 'shikhara' gives the shrine a graceful look. |
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Brahma Temple |
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 On the bank of Khajur Sagar or Ninora Tal near the village stands the Brahma Temple. It is simple in plan and design with its body in granite stone and shikhare and made in sandstone. in the sanctum is now enshrined a four faced image of Brahma, hence it is called the Brahma temple.Originally this temple must have been dedicated to Lord Vishnu, as it is clear from his figure carved centrally on the lintel of the sanctum doorway. The Sikhara (spire) of the temple is made of sandstone and the body is made of granite. The sanctum is cruciform externally, with projections on each side and square internally, resting on 12 plain pilasters of granite. Except for its striking carvings on the Brahmanical trinity and the Goddesses of Yamuna and Ganga, the doorway is unadorned. |
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Devi Jagdamba Temple |
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 Devi Jagdamba Temple is among the erotic shrines located in Khajuraho, a historic town situated in the Chhatarpur District of Madhya Pradesh. It lies near the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple.The temple enshrines a stunning image of Goddess Parvati, spouse of Lord Shiva. Initially the temple was dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Adorned images of Lord Vishnu can be seen in the panels of the temple. Its noteworthy mandapam is capped by a pyramidal roof. Erotica found at this temple is one of the finest in Khajuraho. This temple houses Khajuraho's most talked-about image, mithuna and the sensuously carved figures. Khajuraho Bus Station is situated in the heart of the town, about 2 km from the Khajuraho Airport. Khajuraho Railway Station, managed by the North Central Railways, is the nearest railhead. |
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Duladeo Temple |
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 The Kunwar Maha or the Duladeo Temple, constructed around 1130 A.D, on the bank of the Khudar stream, forms the last phase of building at Khajuraho for which the Chandella art and architecture are justly famous.Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this is a small five chambered shrine, with a closed hall. The ceiling are decorated with the apsaras and other ornamented sculptures. Images of Shiva and his wife, Parvati, richly decorated with intricately carved Jewellery are very striking. Though this temple lacks the charm and magic of other western group temples, its location on the banks of the pretty Khudar stream makes it a lovely shrine. |
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Ghantai Temple |
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 This Jain temple has remarkable frescos depicting the 16 dreams of the mother of Lord Mahavira at the time of his birth and a Jain goddess mounted on a winged Garuda.Adinatha Temple This temple is richly ornamented with delicate and pretty scultures including those of yakshis. It is dedicated to the first Jain tirthankara (saint), Adinath. Most of the temple here belong to Jain faith but there are three Hindu temples of the group, namely, the Brahma temple enshrining a four-faced linga; the Vamana temple with divine carvings of sensuous celestial maidens in various poses adorning its outer walls and the Javari temple with a opulently carved doorway and ostentatious sculptures on its exteriors. |
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Kandariya Mahadev Temple |
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 The Kandariya Mahadeva Temple is the largest and most ornate Hindu temple in the medieval temple group found at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, India. It is considered one of the best examples of temples preserved from the medieval period in India. Khajuraho was once the religious capital of the Chandela Rajputs and today is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. The Kandariya Mahadeva temple is the largest of the Western group of temples and was built by Vidyadhara, arguably one of the greatest Chandela kings. The temple was built around 1050 on Hindu beliefs dating back to 1000 BC; The main spire or shikhara rises 31 m to depict Mount Meru, the holy mountain of Shiva and is surrounded by 84 miniature spires. Inside the sanctum is a marble linga representing Shiva.[3] The Archaeological Survey of India protects the temple, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site at Khajuraho. |
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Archaeological Museum |
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 Khajuraho, once capital of the Chandela dynasty, is today known for its magnificent temples. In 1910 W E Jardine, the then political agent ofBundelkhand, displayed a collection of objects which he had gathered from the temple complex, in an open air enclosure near the western group of temples. First called the Jardine Museum, the name changed to Archaeological Museum in 1952.Sculpture and architectural panels and friezes dating to the 10th and 12th century correspond to the temple styles and are mainly Brahmanical and Jain in influence. However, the seated Buddha figure indicates the existence of a Buddhist shrine here which has long since disappeared. Most of the 2000 objects are masterpieces of Indian sculpture. The Nritta Gansha, a. colossal image depicts the elephant headed god dancing while his attendants keep the rhythm; a marvellous Hari-Haro representing the deity whose right half is Shiva and left Vishnu manifests the perfectly conceived unity of the two gods. |
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Light and Sound show |
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 Every evening an excellent 'Light and Sound' show in the grounds of the Western Group of Temples recreates the story of the Chandela Kings who built Khajuraho's temples. Set to the background tune of Indian classical music, the narration is in the voice of legendary Indian movie star Amitabh Bachchan who represents a 'master sculptor'. His voice quality, intonation and accurate punctuations add an extra dimension to the show.Organized by the tourism department, the show is at once entertaining and informative. The show is held in Hindi and English. Highly recommended, not to be missed. Amitabh Bachchan, biggest of Bollywood stars, narrates the story of the magnificient temples and his majestic voice attributes a special effect to the show. The tourism department organizes the show, which is not only entertaining but also very informative. The first show is in English that starts at 6.30 pm and the second show is scheduled at 7.30 pm in Hindi. The entry fee for domestic and foreign tourists differs by a slight margin. |
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Lakshmi Temple |
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 The Lakshmana temple is a five-shrined or panchayatana complex and stands in the centre of a high platform along with its four subsidiary shrines in the corners. All along the platform, a continuous sculptural pathway depicts scenes of everyday life: a royal hunt, battle, traders, dancers and musicians, dancer conversing with a religious teacher and elixir preparation amidst an orgy.The exterior wall of the main temple is divided into two zones of sculptures depicting graceful apsaras, snake goddesses, griffins, and couples in the recesses. The upper zone carries the images of the different forms of Vishnu while Shiva occupies a significant position on the lower zone. One of the more noteworthy sculptures on the southeast side is that of two males ecstatically dancing with castanets in their hands. The front facade of the temple has an image of the Sun god holding two lotuses. |
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Jain Museum |
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 The Jain Museum is situated outside the complex of temples and is a round and one room building in the midst of a small dusty garden.The entrance of this structure has snarling stone animals and as one progresses through these it is possible to see stone carvings that have been brought from derelict or destroyed Jain temples. In this museum, there is no fan or air-conditioning and hence it is advised to come early or late during the day. Around the walls, there exists a fresco of stone swastikas (an ancient Jain and Hindu symbol). There exists a stiff Parsvanatha Statue that has devil cats below it and rhinos around. Another famous statue is of the Tirthankara who is sitting cross-legged and there are cats playing underneath. |
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State Museum of Tribal and Folk Art |
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 The ancient Indian civilizations evolved when they came in contact with the foreign cultures through invasions and trade are depicted in the State Museum of Tribal and Folk Art, located inside Chandela Cultural Complex. A fine collection of artifacts of the folk and tribal art from all over the state is exhibited at this complex. The display gives an insight of the rituals and customs of the tribal folk. Over five hundred variety of articles made of wood, jewelry, terracotta, tattoos, metal craft, masks and the folk and tribal paintings.Timings: The Museum is open on all days except Mondays and Government Holidays. From 12 Noon to 8 P.M |
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