The Eastern Group of Temples
The Eastern
Group of Temples
The Eastern Group of monuments,
I situated near Khajuraho village, includes
three Brahmanical temples, Brahma,
Vamana and Javari, and three Jaina temples,
Ghantai, Adinatha and Parsvanatha. The
Brahmanical temples are located along or near
the Khajuraho-sagar, while the Jaina temples are
situated further south and are conveniently
accessed by a metalled road.
A colossal statue of Hanuman, the monkey-god,
is housed in a modern shrine situated about half┬м
way between the Western Group of temples and
Khajuraho village. It is interesting mainly
on account of a short dedicatory inscription on its
pedestal, dated 316 of possibly the Harsha era
(AD 922), being the oldest dated inscription
at Khajuraho.
Brahma Temple
This temple has a
simple plan and design.
Its sikhara is made of
sandstone and the body
of granite. It occupies a
fine position on the
bank of the Khajurahosagar or Ninora-tal. It is mistakenly called
Brahma Temple on
account of a four-faced
linga now enshrined in
the sanctum, but it must
have originally been
dedicated to Vishnu as
shown by his figure
carved on the lintel of
the sanctum doorway.
It is a modest structure,
comprising a sanctum
and a porch, the latter
now completely lost
and the former roofed
by a pyramidal sikhara
of receding tiers of
pidhas, crowned by a
prominent bell-member.
The sanctum is
cruciform externally,
with projections on each side, and square
internally, resting on
12 plain pilasters of
granite. The projection
on the east contains the
entrance and that on the
west is pierced with a
smaller doorway, while
the lateral projections on
the remaining two sides
contain plain latticed
windows.
Except for the boldlymodelled figures of the
Brahmanical trinity on
the lintel and of Ganga
and Yamuna at the base,
its doorway is
unornamented. Its jangha
or wall, divided into two
registers, is also plain.
Despite some difference
in details, this temple
belongs to the same
structural phase as the
Lalguan-Mahadeva,
with which it shares a
common plan, design,
decoration and
building material.
The temple is
consequently
assignable to c.900.
