Temple Architecture: Khajuraho School

  • Location: Central part of India.
  • Built by: Chandela Dynasty
  • Basic Features
    • In these temples, both the interior and exterior walls were lavishly decorated with carvings. 
    • The sculptures were generally erotic in their themes and drew inspiration from Vatsyayana’s Kamasutra. 
    • The temples were made of sandstone. 
    • The temples had three chambers – Garbhagriha, Mandapa, and Ardha Mandapa.
    • The temples were generally north or east facing. 
    • The Panchayatana style of temple making was followed.
    • The temples were built on relatively high platforms and belong to Hindu as well as Jain religion. 
    • Examples: Kandariya Mahadev Temple, Lakshmana Temple at Khajuraho, etc.
  • Travelers: Reported for the first time by Abu Raihan Al Biruni in CE 1022 and Ibn Battuta in 1335 CE.
  • Protection: The temple was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.
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