Lakshamana Temple Khajuraho

Vital Information for Visitors

Address:

Lakshamana Temple, Western Group of Temples, Sevagram, Khajuraho, Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh

Open & Close:

Open on all days: 05:00 AM to 12:00 PM (morning)

04:00 PM to 09:00 PM (evening)

Entry Fees:

INR 10 – Indians

INR 500 - Foreigner

Duration:

Approx 01 Hr

Importance:

Nagar style temple architecture of north India

Lakshamana Temple is also known as Ramachandra Chaturbhuja Temple - and is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is part of a cluster known as Western Group of Khajuraho Temple. The construction of the Lakshamana Temple in Khajuraho was begun by Chandel King Yashovarman in 930 AD. It took no less than twenty years to complete. The temple is built on a high platform and contains all the main elements ‘ardhamandapa’ (front porch), ‘mahamandapa’ (lobby), ‘antarapa’ (space between the sanctum and other rooms of the temple) and ‘garbhagriha’ (sanctum sanctorum). The Sikhara (tower) is protected by numerous smaller Sikharas. The exterior walls are decorated with two floors of sculptures including divine representations and erotic scenes. Inside, the door of the sanctum is embellished with several representations of Vishnu and one with four arms stands at its center.

Its grand entrance shows the figures of Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva. On the doorway is a relief showing the Samudra Manthan—the churning of the ocean by the gods on one side and the demons on the other. The two rows of figures on the outer walls show in bold outlines procession, hunting and other scenes from life. Above the lintel are the Nava Graha—the nine planets. The lintel above the entrance shows the trinity of Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva, with Goddess Lakshmi, Vishnu's wife. The sanctuary is richly carved and has a three-headed idol of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu, Narsimha and Varâha. The boar incarnation also appears in another Vaishnavite shrine, the Varaha Temple. The Lakshamana Temple stands on a high platform of masonry with smaller shrines at the four comers thus presenting a Panchayatana type of temples.

The Lakshmana or the Chatarbhuj Temple, standing near the Kandariya Mahadev Temple, is important for the innovation of the bands of plastic decorations which began to be used around the waist of the temples. These bands were reminiscent of the triple girdles which decorate the beautiful Apsaras in Indian Sculpture. This system of plastic embellishment in horizontal strips, begun in the Lakshamana Temple, was to be continued in the Devi Jagadamba Temple. From here on, the architecture begins to assume more and more the form of sculpture as in the Gothic Cathedral of France.