What do you think?
Rate this book
Khajuraho
This book is an introduction to the magnificent world of the Khajuraho temples; their history, patronage, court culture, religion, iconography, and distinctive features of the sculptures and architecture. Addressed to the general reader by an expert on the subject, this book systematically describes the twenty-two temples and the three museums at the site.
132 pages, Paperback
First published January 4, 2001
5 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 5, 2022
This is one of multiple books that came out as part of Monumental Legacy series. The book is dedicated to one of the famous sites in India, Khajuraho. While the attention is always drawn to one set of sculptures, the author has quite understandably explained that these carvings make up for only 10% of the overall treasure.
The author has reiterated multiple places that there is lot more to Khajuraho that has been excavated and potentially could be excavated in future. The book explains the various temples dedicated to multiple sampradayas like Shaiva, Vaishnava, Jains, Buddhist etc. A brief history of the Chandella kings starts off the book, which is dedicated to the sculptures and carvings and bas-reliefs around.
In one specific instance, the author quoted the Odia text Shilpaprakasha, where it is said that without a figure of a woman, the monument will be of inferior quality and bear no fruit. Regarding the sculptures in erotic forms (mithunas), the author has explained that these are related to the fertility cults and are observed in all types of temples i.e. Hindu, Buddhist & Jains.
Some interesting anecdotes I learnt are about Vyala - a mythical form with a body of a lion, but head of elephant, crocodile, horse etc which is usually found in temple pillars. Another very interesting aspect is the worship of Varaha swamy. Varaha seems to have a larger universal appeal than what is perhaps know right now.
Vishnu is worshipped in some unique forms including Vamana, Vaikunta - composite form with faces of Varaha, Narasimha & human face. There is also another 4 faced Vaikunta with a horse face as the 4th. Chaturbahu Vishnu is another very interesting sculpture. Surya in a standing posture with shoe-like accessories, in a samabhanga posture is also equally enthralling.
Yaksha and Yakshi aspects, especially the overlap between Hinduism and Jainism is quite interesting and throws up many more new questions. Last but definitely not the least is the Varaha Roopa which is considered to be a Vishwaroopa form.
The only flip side I would say is the lack of good quality pictures, which definitely would have augmented the user’s reading experience. A refurbished version with better colour pictures would be an awesome addition to any library. Irrespective of this, this book is a definite must read.
Highly Recommended!!
The author has reiterated multiple places that there is lot more to Khajuraho that has been excavated and potentially could be excavated in future. The book explains the various temples dedicated to multiple sampradayas like Shaiva, Vaishnava, Jains, Buddhist etc. A brief history of the Chandella kings starts off the book, which is dedicated to the sculptures and carvings and bas-reliefs around.
In one specific instance, the author quoted the Odia text Shilpaprakasha, where it is said that without a figure of a woman, the monument will be of inferior quality and bear no fruit. Regarding the sculptures in erotic forms (mithunas), the author has explained that these are related to the fertility cults and are observed in all types of temples i.e. Hindu, Buddhist & Jains.
Some interesting anecdotes I learnt are about Vyala - a mythical form with a body of a lion, but head of elephant, crocodile, horse etc which is usually found in temple pillars. Another very interesting aspect is the worship of Varaha swamy. Varaha seems to have a larger universal appeal than what is perhaps know right now.
Vishnu is worshipped in some unique forms including Vamana, Vaikunta - composite form with faces of Varaha, Narasimha & human face. There is also another 4 faced Vaikunta with a horse face as the 4th. Chaturbahu Vishnu is another very interesting sculpture. Surya in a standing posture with shoe-like accessories, in a samabhanga posture is also equally enthralling.
Yaksha and Yakshi aspects, especially the overlap between Hinduism and Jainism is quite interesting and throws up many more new questions. Last but definitely not the least is the Varaha Roopa which is considered to be a Vishwaroopa form.
The only flip side I would say is the lack of good quality pictures, which definitely would have augmented the user’s reading experience. A refurbished version with better colour pictures would be an awesome addition to any library. Irrespective of this, this book is a definite must read.
Highly Recommended!!
September 24, 2018
‘Monumental Legacy’ is a series of books on the rich architectural heritage of India, published by the Oxford University Press. This volume is on Khajuraho which is world famous for its magnificent temples, richness of construction and the uncharacteristic boldness in erotic depictions portrayed on its walls. Thousands of tourists visit the town every year, and there is nothing which delights a serious enthusiast of Indian temple architecture more than an authoritative text from a master of the art. Guides – both human and books – often provide fantastic and farfetched explanations for mundane things which challenge one’s commonsense. Dependable books such as this would go a long way in satisfying the craving for knowledge. Devangana Desai is a reputed art historian and former vice president of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai. She has served in the boards of well-known museums in India. She was consultant to the project on the Museum Images of Khajuraho and has also authored many books on ancient art and its rich representation in Khajuraho.
What we see in Khajuraho is a full blown representation of the religious pantheon prevailing in the tenth to twelfth centuries CE of the Chandela dynasty. Shiva, Vishnu and Surya are the male gods worshipped there, along with Jain tirthankaras. However, Desai reminds us that the adoration of mother goddesses seen in many temples was derived from the worship of Maniya Devi, a tutelary deity of the Chandelas. She was a tribal goddess of the Gonds who inhabited the tract, but was later incorporated as an aspect of Goddess Parvati in the refined theology of Hinduism. The architecture of the temples follows the Central Indian Nagara style. All the religious places more or less follow the same pattern of a sanctum (garbhagriha), a connecting chamber (antarala), a large pavilion (mahamandapa), a smaller pavilion (mandapa), a porch (mukhamandapa) and a platform (jagati). The temple’s spire rises exactly above the centre of the sanctum. This invisible axis joining the centre of the sanctum on the ground level and the finial of the superstructure above is conceived as the cosmic axis connecting the earth and heaven.
Any mention of Khajuraho evokes references to wild erotic postures sculpted on the temple walls. This is especially significant considering the Victorian morality of the Indian state and its present society. Authors are hard-pressed to explain away the presence of shocking sexual unions portrayed there which would make porn industry barons nod in agreement and smile in silent amusement. However, Desai specifically informs that such erotic sculptures don’t constitute even a tenth of the total number of such icons. Belief in ‘free love’ that once abounded in the region is clearly unfounded. Women, as usual anywhere in the medieval world, were not allowed much freedom by the male-dominated patriarchal society, whatever may be the Chandela representations on temple walls. The author suggests that the shilpashastras and other authoritative texts on temple art have recognized the auspicious and protective aspects of erotic figures. She reminds the readers that such figures appear in temples built between 900 and 1300 CE. Perhaps the tastes of the country’s elite had undergone a change in that era! Anyway, erotic figures appear on the walls only at Khajuraho, whereas it is shown on the platforms in others temples. As all apologists do, Desai puts forward a hypothesis that these figures can be metaphoric and might conceal a deeper symbolism. The influence of Kamasutra on the postures is definitely ruled out as fellatio is condemned in that ancient text, but is freely seen at Khajuraho.
Hinduism and Jainism thrived side by side in India, even though there are some indications of strife in the South. Traders generally practiced Jainism. In many places we see magnificent Jain temples accompanying equally grand Hindu temples. The kings patronized Hinduism by the medieval period. The dignified magnificence of Jain temples at Khajuraho attests to the material wellbeing of the trading community. All Jain shrines are of the Digambara sect. In addition to images of Tirthankaras, figures of Yakshas and Yakshis are freely found. The jina images are only objects of meditation and no earthly rewards are expected from their veneration. Yakshas and Yakshis fulfil the worldly needs of devotees. The main Yakshis depicted are Chakreshwari, Ambika and Padmavati who are respectively associated to Adinatha, Neminatha and Parshwanatha.
The glossary of common terms used in the book is extensive and nearly covers all attributes of Indian archeology. The great effort exerted in compiling such a long list is commendable. Equally noteworthy is the chapter on interesting places situated in and around Khajuraho that can be visited without much effort. The book’s contention that the town of Khajuraho is not connected by rail is, however, plain wrong. The rail link to the town was commissioned in 2008 and since the book was published in 2000, the omission is understandable. What is unpardonable is the tardiness of the publisher in issuing a revised edition. This book can be read in full very quickly and is an asset to the traveler who plans to visit Khajuraho.
The book is highly recommended.
What we see in Khajuraho is a full blown representation of the religious pantheon prevailing in the tenth to twelfth centuries CE of the Chandela dynasty. Shiva, Vishnu and Surya are the male gods worshipped there, along with Jain tirthankaras. However, Desai reminds us that the adoration of mother goddesses seen in many temples was derived from the worship of Maniya Devi, a tutelary deity of the Chandelas. She was a tribal goddess of the Gonds who inhabited the tract, but was later incorporated as an aspect of Goddess Parvati in the refined theology of Hinduism. The architecture of the temples follows the Central Indian Nagara style. All the religious places more or less follow the same pattern of a sanctum (garbhagriha), a connecting chamber (antarala), a large pavilion (mahamandapa), a smaller pavilion (mandapa), a porch (mukhamandapa) and a platform (jagati). The temple’s spire rises exactly above the centre of the sanctum. This invisible axis joining the centre of the sanctum on the ground level and the finial of the superstructure above is conceived as the cosmic axis connecting the earth and heaven.
Any mention of Khajuraho evokes references to wild erotic postures sculpted on the temple walls. This is especially significant considering the Victorian morality of the Indian state and its present society. Authors are hard-pressed to explain away the presence of shocking sexual unions portrayed there which would make porn industry barons nod in agreement and smile in silent amusement. However, Desai specifically informs that such erotic sculptures don’t constitute even a tenth of the total number of such icons. Belief in ‘free love’ that once abounded in the region is clearly unfounded. Women, as usual anywhere in the medieval world, were not allowed much freedom by the male-dominated patriarchal society, whatever may be the Chandela representations on temple walls. The author suggests that the shilpashastras and other authoritative texts on temple art have recognized the auspicious and protective aspects of erotic figures. She reminds the readers that such figures appear in temples built between 900 and 1300 CE. Perhaps the tastes of the country’s elite had undergone a change in that era! Anyway, erotic figures appear on the walls only at Khajuraho, whereas it is shown on the platforms in others temples. As all apologists do, Desai puts forward a hypothesis that these figures can be metaphoric and might conceal a deeper symbolism. The influence of Kamasutra on the postures is definitely ruled out as fellatio is condemned in that ancient text, but is freely seen at Khajuraho.
Hinduism and Jainism thrived side by side in India, even though there are some indications of strife in the South. Traders generally practiced Jainism. In many places we see magnificent Jain temples accompanying equally grand Hindu temples. The kings patronized Hinduism by the medieval period. The dignified magnificence of Jain temples at Khajuraho attests to the material wellbeing of the trading community. All Jain shrines are of the Digambara sect. In addition to images of Tirthankaras, figures of Yakshas and Yakshis are freely found. The jina images are only objects of meditation and no earthly rewards are expected from their veneration. Yakshas and Yakshis fulfil the worldly needs of devotees. The main Yakshis depicted are Chakreshwari, Ambika and Padmavati who are respectively associated to Adinatha, Neminatha and Parshwanatha.
The glossary of common terms used in the book is extensive and nearly covers all attributes of Indian archeology. The great effort exerted in compiling such a long list is commendable. Equally noteworthy is the chapter on interesting places situated in and around Khajuraho that can be visited without much effort. The book’s contention that the town of Khajuraho is not connected by rail is, however, plain wrong. The rail link to the town was commissioned in 2008 and since the book was published in 2000, the omission is understandable. What is unpardonable is the tardiness of the publisher in issuing a revised edition. This book can be read in full very quickly and is an asset to the traveler who plans to visit Khajuraho.
The book is highly recommended.
April 13, 2025
It is a nice little companion for your trip to Khajuraho: some history, lots of details about the temples and the sculptures. It was invaluable on our maiden trip. Definitely get your hands on it before you go.
August 24, 2017
A lovely compilation of the subject, She has done a marvelous work. Every temple detail is so nicely given. I recommend everyone to read this book before going to Khajuraho. Its not just about 'Erotica' it is not even 1% that is depicted, rather its the daily life of the people and then the other levels for Vyalas, surasundaris and Gods and Goddesses. The only issue is there are less of photographs of the actual location. Overall its an excellent book.
February 18, 2023
This was a great book to read before visiting the temple complex. It's short, covers the history, has good illustrations and has sufficient, well organised detail (with academic analysis of the carvings).
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews