Kandariya Mahadeva temple description and photos - India: Khajuraho (Topic)

Kandariya Mahadeva Temple description and photos - India: Khajuraho. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The name in English is Kandariya Mahadeva.

Photo and description

The beautiful Hindu temple complex in the city of Khajuraho, which is located in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, is famous all over the world. The Kandarya-Mahadeva Temple belongs to the Western Group of temples and is one of the largest and most richly decorated buildings in it. It is he who is permeated with obvious eroticism more than all other buildings of the complex.

The construction of the temple began by the famous ruler of Chandela Vidyadhara, it is believed, around 1050. The name of this temple comes from the words "kandara", which means "cave" and "Mahadeva" - another name of Shiva. Its outer walls are decorated with more than 640 graceful statues depicting animals, dancers, musicians. The greatest attention of tourists is attracted, of course, by sculptures of an erotic character, which Kandarya Mahadeva abounds in. There you can see many erotic scenes, some of which are quite exotic. Several entrances to the temple "look" to the east and west and are small "porches", to which several long flights of stairs lead. Inside, the building has several large halls decorated with tall colonnades and beautiful balconies, as well as a main sanctuary. It is in it that the sacred "linga" of Shiva, made of marble, is located, which is a small column symbolizing the divine essence.

The spire (shikhara) of the main temple of Kandarya-Mahadeva rises 31 meters and is surrounded by 84 miniature copies of itself.

As part of the large temple complex Khajuraho, Kandarya-Mahadeva is included in the list of the World UNESCO heritage site.

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Topic: Kandariya Mahadeva temple description and photos - India: Khajuraho.