Temples Of Khajuraho (Part 2)
Temples Of Khajuraho (Part 2)
Acomparative analysis of the sculptural, architectural and decorative features of the Khajuraho temples shows that the monuments, although of a common lineage, can be divided into two broad groups. The earlier group of the less splendid temples comprises the Chausath-yogini, Brahma, Varaha and LalguanMahadeva Temples. These are made partly of granite and partly of sandstone.
Of the second group, composed entirely of sandstone structures, the Lakshmana and Duladeo Temples mark the two extremes of the same movement. In between fall the majority of the other temples. The Lakshmana is followed by the Parsvanatha, Visvanatha, Jagadambi and Chitragupta temples. The peak of the architectural and sculptural efflorescence is reached with Kandariya-Mahadeva Temple. The temples that follow, the Vamana, Adinatha and Javari, keep up the architectural excellence but are less ambitious in conception. The signs of decline, almost decadence, begin to be seen in the Chaturbhuja and, by the time of Duladeo Temple, the architectural exuberance of Khajuraho has become lavish to the point of being over-ornamented.
Siva Temple
Sharing a platform with
the Kandariya-Mahadeva
and Jagadambi temples,
and placed between them,
is a much smaller but
ruined Siva temple.The
shrine's affiliation is
indicated by a figure of
Siva carved centrally on
the lintel of the sanctum
doorway.The sanctum has perished,
but the portico is intact
and shelters a powerful
figure of a sardida. It is not
unlikely that this temple
built in close proximity to
Kandariya may have
originally been dedicated
to Parvati as part of the
temple-complex.
Matangesvara temple lies on the fringe
of the renowned
Western Group of
temples. Dedicated to
Siva, this temple is the
only one at Khajuraho
still in active worship.
Scattered a little further
away are the older
temples, Chausathyogini and LalguanMahadeva.
Chausath-yogini
Temple
Chausath-yogini
Temple is the earliest
building at Khajuraho
and is situated on a low
granite outcrop to the
south-west of the Sivasagar tank. In a fairly
ruined condition now,
this temple is made of
granite and displays a
marked simplicity of
plan and design.
However, it shares some
of the characteristics of
the typical Khajuraho
temple in that it stands
on a prominent
platform, 5.4 metres
high and its jangha or
wall is divided into two
registers.
The temple is planned
as an open-air
quadrangle with cells
around it. Originally
there were 67 of these
peripheral shrines, of
which only 35 have
survived. Each cell is
severely plain and
roofed by a curvilinear
sikhara of an elementary form. The shrine at the
centre of the rear wall of
10 cells, directly facing
the entrance, is the
largest and constitutes
the main sanctum.
A few simple mouldings
on the facade are all the
decoration that the
temple displays.
Khajuraho's Chausathyogini Temple is
perhaps the oldest yogini
shrine in India. It is also
unique among yogini
temples in that it is
quadrangular and not
circular on plan; and its
main shrine is situated
against the back wall
and not in the centre of
the courtyard.
Three sandstone images,
representing Brahmani,
Mahesvari and
Mahishasuramardini,
have survived and are
now in the local site
museum of the ASI.
Massive and rather
squat in form, they are
among the oldest
sculptures of Khajuraho.
The latter two are
inscribed as Mahesvari
and Hinghalaja.
The evidence of the
sculptural and
architectural styles,
coupled with the early
palaeography of the
short labels on the
images, indicates that
the temple can probably
be dated to the last
quarter of the
9th century.
Lalguan-Mahadeva Matangesvara
Temple
Situated some 603
metres west of the
Chausath-yogini, on
the bank of an old lake
called Lalguan-sagar,
this temple is of modest
size and design. A nowdilapidated pyramidal
superstructure of
receding tiers of pidhas
roofs it. Its entrance
porch has completely
disappeared, and the
doorway is plain but for
a diamond carved on
the door-sill.
The interior of the
sanctum is quite plain,
and has six pilasters;
its sandstone ceiling,
comprising two
intersecting squares,
is topped with a course
bearing a lotus flower
in relief. As this temple
shares its plan and
design with the
Brahma Temple and
like it belongs to the
transitional phase
when sandstone was
introduced but granite
had not ceased to be
used, it is slightly later
than the Chausathyogini and is datable
to c.900. This temple,
like Chausath-yogini,
is outside the present
enclosure of the
Western Group.
Right:
Bhairava idol on the path.
Matangesvara
Temple