indianheritage: 'Kandariya Mahadev Temple (11th-12th AD), Khajuraho, India'

The Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, meaning "the Great God of the Cave", is the largest and most ornate Hindu temple in the Khajuraho group of temples in Madhya Pradesh, India. It is dedicated to Mahadev or Lord Shiva.

The temples at Khajuraho were built during the Chandela dynasty, between 950 and 1050. Only about 20 temples remain; they fall into three distinct groups Western Temples, Eastern Temples & Southern Temples. These belong to two different religions – Hinduism and Jainism.

Khajuraho group of temples, including the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple were declared to be World Heritage sites by UNESCO in 1986.

The Kandariya Mahadeva temple was built during the reign of Vidhyadhara (1003-1035 AD). Vidhyadhara, also known as Bida in the recordings of the historian Ibn-al-Athir was a powerful ruler who fought Mahmud of Ghazni in the first offensive launched by the latter in 1019. This battle was not conclusive and Mahmud had to return to Ghazni.

Mahmud again waged war against Vidhyadhara in 1022. He attacked the Fort of Kalinjar. The siege of the fort was unsuccessful. It was lifted and Mahmud and Vidhyadhara called a truce and parted by exchanging gifts.

Vidhyadhara celebrated his success over Mahmud and other rulers by building the Kaṇḍāriyā Mahādeva Temple, dedicated to his family deity Shiva. Epigraphic inscriptions on a rectangular column of the manadapa in the temple mentions the name of the builder of the temple as Virimda, which is interpreted as another name of Vidhyadhara.

The Kandariya Mahadeva Temple is in the western complex, which is the largest among the three groups of the Khajuraho complex of temples.The temple architecture is an assemblage of porches and towers which terminates in a shikhara or spire, a feature which was common from the 10th century onwards in the temples of Central India.

The temple is founded on a high plinth of 4 metres (13 ft) height. The superstructure is built in a steep mountain shape or form, symbolic of Mount Meru, which is believed to be the mythical source of creation of the world. The superstructure has richly decorated roofs which rise majestically terminating in the shikara, which has 84 miniature spires. This temple is characteristically built over a plan of 31 metres (102 ft) in length and 20 metres (66 ft) in width. with the main tower soaring to a height of 31 metres (102 ft).

By Tangopaso - Own creation, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20697270

A series of steep steps with high rise lead from the ground level to the entrance to the temple. Right at the entrance there is torana, a very intricately carved garland which is sculpted from a single stone; such entrances are part of a Hindu wedding procession.

In the interior space from the entrance there are three mandapas or halls, which successively rise in height and width, which is inclusive of a small chamber dedicated to Lord Shiva, a chamber where Shiva's wife, Devi Parvati is deified, and a central sanctum or the garbhgriha (womb chamber) where the Shiva linga, the phallic emblem of Lord Shiva is deified. The sanctum sanctorum is surrounded by interlinked passages which also have side and front balconies. Due to inadequate natural light in the balconies the sanctum has very little light thus creating a cave like atmosphere.

In the interior halls of the temple and on its exterior faces there are elaborately carved sculptures of gods and goddesses, musicians and apsaras or nymphs. The huge pillars of the halls have architectural features of the 'vine or scroll motif'. Among the images of gods and heavenly beings, Agni, the god of fire is prominent.

The niches also have sculptures of Saptamatrikas, the septad of mother goddesses along with the gods Ganesha and Virabhadra. The image of Sardula, a mythical creature with lion face and human limbs in lower panel is a unique figure seen in the temple. Thus there is much more to this temple than the erotic sculptures. In this presentation of photographs I have consciously chosed non-erotic photos to stress this point.