History and Legend: Khajuraho, one of the most epic Indian travel destinations, is a small town in Madhya Pradesh specifically in the Bundelkhand region known for its rich history & its existence dates back to the 10^th century. Khajuraho has been a popular travel destination of the country because of the astounding World Heritage Sites the city has. Also, known as the city of temples, Khajuraho temples stands as the most important landmark of the city for the tourists. Khajuraho temples are basically a group of Hindu and Jain temples that stand tall and are known for the ancient Indian art. The intricate details inside the temple are known for the explicit erotic sculptures. The sculptures on the walls of the temples make it the most fabulous temple art in the world. Khajuraho travel guide provides you all meaningful & requisite details-cum-information regarding representative highlights of Khajuraho.

These temples were built between 950 AD and 1050 AD during the Chandela dynasty of central India. Khajuraho was in fact the capital city of their kingdom and was called as Vatsa during that time. It took around 200 years to build these temples. During the reign of the Chandela dynasty, the temples were preserved to the fullest but after their fall, these temples were left to be stand alone under the palm trees for a lot of years. This is how these temples got their name as Khajuraho because they were covered under the Khajur trees. Khajur in English means ‘date fruit’.  Then came the era of the British and, in around 1838 AD, a British army engineer, Captain T.S. Burt, rediscovered these temples and out of 85 temples, only 22 temples remained.

Talking about the erotic artwork done on the walls of the temples describe the Indian aesthetics to the fullest. These erotic sculptures are nothing but the depiction of Kama Sutra which is ancient Indian Sanskrit text on eroticism, sexuality and emotional fulfillment in life. These sculptures, totally unique in the world, represent the Indo Aryan architecture. To add more info to these sculptures, it is very important to note that these sculptures are of some of the most revered gods of Hinduism. These images of different gods show off many expressions of the divine Shiva and Shakti. The unique architecture on the walls depict stories related to royalty, courtship, spiritual teachings, marriage, meditation, kinship and intimate scenes of human emotions and relationships. The stunning Khajuraho temples embody the manifestation of a highly matured civilization. These temples are also ranked as the best monuments of antiquity by Archaeological Survey of India.

Presently, the most important temple for the tourists in Khajuraho is Kandariya Mahadev Temple. The name of the temple translates to the great God of the cave. This one is the most ornate and the largest Hindu temples of the city.

Famous Events, Fairs & Festivals: Different festivals are celebrated in a grand way in the Khajuraho city but the most important festival celebrated here is Mahashivratri. Mahashivratri is a very important Hindu festival that celebrates the marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati who is believed in the Hindu mythology as the daughter of Himalayas. There is a Shiva lingam inside the Kandariya Mahadev Temple which is 2.5 meter tall and is decorated lavishly on this festival. The lingam is made ready like a bridegroom wherein he is dressed in white and saffron dhotis. The lingam is also surmounted by a huge, conical, silver paper crown. A whole night ceremony is arranged for the day wherein the son of the chief priest performs the wedding ceremony. He anoints the lingam with water from the sacred rivers of India. It is a beautiful night where different ceremonies are carried throughout where continuous hymns are chanted. The end of the ceremony marks when the Brahmins throw Bilva Patra (Bel Leaf which is considered very auspicious in regards to Lord Shiva) and flower petals over the lingam. This is the sign of the completion of the wedding ceremony of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

There is another week-long festival – Khajuraho Dance Festival – hosted in the month of February where classical dances are arranged for the tourists. Seven different forms of Indian classical dances are performed by the famous dancers of India for the tourists to enjoy the vibrancy, colorfulness, variety and sophistication of Indian classical dance forms. Manipuri, Bharat Natyam, Oddissi, Kucchipudi, Mohiniattam, Kathak, and Kathakali are the 7 dance forms which are performed during this weekly festival. A large number of domestic and foreign tourists gather here on this occasion.

Tourist Attractions in Khajuraho: Khajuraho is a very popular town with respect to Indian tourism. The temples are world heritage sites which makes them very popular worldwide and people from different parts of the world visit to explore this epic temple.

• There are three groups of temples – Western, Eastern and Southern – that are there for the people to explore.
• Bansagar Lake is a stunning tourist spot just around 7 km from Khajuraho.
• Dhubela Museum is located on the banks of a lake make for a great tourist spot which is 74 km from the main city.
• A beautiful historical city called Panna is 56 km from Khajuraho has one of the world’s most famous diamond mines. There is also a National Park here to explore wildlife and spot tigers.
• Pandava waterfall and the Ken River are the next best places to explore here and know more about mythology and Pandavas from Mahabharata is believed to have spent some time here during exile.
• Rajgarh Palace, Ranguan Lake, and Ajaygarh Fort are some other places to explore nearby and make the most of the trip.

Best Time to Visit Khajuraho: Winter season (October to March) offers the most suitable climate and weather conditions to explore the world famous ancient temples, chief attractions of Khajuraho tourism.

How to Reach Khajuraho: Khajuraho, located at the edge of central India, is the most visited tourist destination in Madhya Pradesh. It is well connected by road, train and air. Khajuraho has its own rail-head and trains from Delhi, Agra, Bodhgaya, Varanasi etc reach Khajuraho daily. Khajuraho airport is connected with regular flights from Delhi, Varanasi and Agra. Khajuraho’s road connectivity is excellent. It can be reached by car, taxi & bus from all major cities in India.

Khajuraho Tour Packages: Depending upon the interest, budget & duration, there are several Khajuraho tour itineraries. A visitor can opt for either single destination or multi-destinations Khajuraho travel packages. Find some most popular Khajuraho tours……

2 Days – Khajuraho Tour
3 Days – Khajuraho Honeymoon Tour
4 Days – Khajuraho Dance Festival with Panna Wildlife Tour
4 Days – Khajuraho Agra Tour from Delhi
8 Days – Golden Triangle with Khajuraho Tour
9 Days – Golden Triangle with Khajuraho Varanasi Tour