A Complex Built Over Generations by the Chandelas
The temples of Khajuraho, in present-day Madhya Pradesh, were built over roughly a century, between the tenth and eleventh centuries, under successive rulers of the Chandela dynasty, who governed the Bundelkhand region. At its height, the site is believed to have held around eighty-five temples, of which roughly twenty-five survive today, dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Jain tirthankaras alike.
The temples are grouped into western, eastern and southern clusters, with the western group holding the largest and most celebrated shrines, including the towering Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, dedicated to Shiva. Recognized today as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Khajuraho stands as one of the most complete surviving examples of North Indian Nagara-style temple architecture at its peak.
Architecture and Sculptural Art
Khajuraho's temples are celebrated above all for their soaring shikharas, tower spires that rise in a cascading series of smaller peaks around a central pinnacle, a hallmark of mature Nagara-style design. Each temple stands on a high platform, with an ornate entrance, mandapa halls and an inner sanctum housing the presiding deity, all built without mortar, using precisely interlocking stone blocks.
The complex is equally renowned, as recognized by UNESCO, for the extraordinary density and craftsmanship of its stone carvings, which cover the exterior walls in continuous bands depicting deities, celestial figures, musicians, animals and scenes of daily and courtly life of the era, alongside intimate sculptural art. This wide-ranging sculptural program is understood by scholars to reflect the full breadth of human experience as depicted in classical Indian art and texts of the period, presented here as part of the temple's devotional and artistic heritage rather than as anything to sensationalize. Visitors are encouraged to view the carvings as a UNESCO-recognized record of an era's craftsmanship, artistic confidence and devotion, appreciated respectfully alongside the temples' primary purpose as sanctuaries of worship.
Spiritual Significance
At its heart, Khajuraho remains a testament to devotion expressed through architecture, with each temple designed as a symbolic mountain, Mount Meru, connecting the earthly devotee to the divine through the ascending form of the shikhara. The Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, the largest and most refined shrine, exemplifies this vision in its full scale, its sanctum housing a Shiva lingam approached through a sequence of halls representing stages of spiritual ascent.
Several temples in the complex, including Matangeshwar Temple, remain active sites of daily worship, drawing devotees who continue rituals passed down through generations, alongside visitors who come to appreciate the architectural and artistic heritage.
How to Reach Khajuraho
Khajuraho has its own airport with direct flights from major cities, along with a railway station connected to Delhi, Agra and Varanasi. The western group of temples, the most visited cluster, is best explored over a half day, ideally with a licensed guide who can explain the architectural and mythological details of each shrine.
An evening sound and light show at the western group narrates the history of the Chandela dynasty and is popular among visitors. Modest dress is advisable, and mornings offer a quieter, cooler experience for those wishing to appreciate the temples without crowds.
A Devotee's Takeaway
Khajuraho stands as a reminder that devotion in ancient India was expressed not only through ritual but through an entire vision of art and architecture offered in service of the divine. Every soaring shikhara here represents generations of skilled hands working in patient devotion.
Approaching Khajuraho with reverence, as a UNESCO-recognized chapter of Hindu temple heritage rather than a curiosity, allows visitors to appreciate both its artistry and its continuing role as a place of worship.
What People Ask Most
Who built the Khajuraho temples?+
The Khajuraho temples were built over roughly a century, between the tenth and eleventh centuries, by successive rulers of the Chandela dynasty, who governed the Bundelkhand region.
How many temples survive at Khajuraho today?+
Of the roughly eighty-five temples believed to have existed at the site's height, around twenty-five survive today, grouped into western, eastern and southern clusters.
Why is Khajuraho a UNESCO World Heritage Site?+
Khajuraho is recognized by UNESCO for its exceptional Nagara-style temple architecture and the extraordinary craftsmanship of its sculptural art, representing a high point of Chandela-era artistry.
About the author
Pandit Ravindra Sharma · Vedic Rituals & Bhakti, 22+ years
Pandit Ravindra is the Vandnaa editorial team's resident specialist on aarti, chalisa, and daily devotion. He has performed home and temple pujas across Varanasi and Delhi for over two decades and contributes the bhakti-focused articles on this site.
Meet the Vandnaa editorial team →
