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Western Group
The Varaha Temple dates back to the
10th Century and is dedicated to
the third incarnation of Vishnu, the
preserver in the form of a boar (Varaha).
Mythology relates that the Rat-Demon
Hiranyaksha stole the earth, pulled it under
the waters to his abode and created 1000
replicas of him to confuse his pursuer.
Vishnu, on the request of the other Gods,
incarnated himself as a boar, and retrieved
the earth from the clutches of the Demon and
saved the world. The huge sandstone polished
Varaha is shown, along with hundreds of
deities flanked about his and the three
worlds-water, earth and heaven, perched on
the serpent Shesha, with the broken
figure of Prithvi of his feet.
Opposite to this, is
one of the
best- preserved Lakshmana
Temple, which is the earliest of them (950
AD). The exterior is richly carved and a
platform has frenzies of hunting and battle
scenes showing, both man and animal apart
from daily life and erotic depictions. The
basement also has intricate carvings on the
same lines. Two figures have a relaxed
expression and rest on one leg. Inside, one
enters through a simple Makara-Toran flanked
on either side by gladiators. The circular
ceiling of the porch is carved in the design
of a Lotus in four concentric circles. The
raised platform in the hall is used as a
dance floor or for rituals. The pillars on
each corner depict Apsaras on carved
brackets. Among the finest of sculptures,
these eight figures, on each column,
represent each sect of the Tantras. The Pancha-Ratha
has a three heads and four arms as Lord
Vishnu at Vaikuntha, apart from 10
incarnations and 14 forms of Vishnu.
Dedicated to Shiva, the Kandariya Mahadeva
Temple is the largest and tallest of all.
The inner sanctum has a marble Linga
and the roof rises in a series of seven
bands, to a summit of the central 31 meters
high Shikhara. There are over 800 statues of
Gods Goddesses, musicians and erotic poses
carved onto its internal and external
surface. Towards the North of these is the
Devi Jagdambe Temple built around the early
11th Century. It has a dancing Parvati
image and is decorated with some of the best
carvings of deities, especially Yama.
The Chitragupta Temple
of early 11th Century is the only one
dedicated to the Sun God, Surya. A lot of
restoration work has been done here. The Garbha-Griha
has Surya driving his chariot of seven
horses and a statue of Vishnu with 11 heads
showing 10 of his incarnations. Matangesvara
Temple stands next to the Laxamana Temple,
outside the main complex. It is suggested
that it is one of the oldest in Khajuraho.
It has a statue of Ganesha just outside the
temple where people offer flower garlands in
the mornings and inside is a 2.5 meters high
polished linga of Lord Shiva.
Beyond the tank at some distance from the
ruins of the Western Group of temples is,
probably the first of the temples of
Khajuraho, known as the Chausath (sixty
four) Yogini, believed to have been built in
900 A.D. This temples is built entirely of
Granite, and is the only one not aligned
East to West. Now in ruins, it once had
sixty-five cells of which sixty-four
belonged to each attendee of the Goddess
Kali, while one belongs to the goddess
herself.
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