Temples and Erotic Arts of Khajuraho

$34
FREE Delivery
Quantity
Delivery Ships in 1-3 days
Item Code: IHF039
Publisher: Rupa Publication Pvt. Ltd.
Author: R. Nath
Edition: 2004
ISBN: 8129103877
Pages: 95 (Illustrated Throughout In Full Colors
Cover: Paperback
Other Details 8.0” X 5.4”
Weight 200 gm
Fully insured
Fully insured
Shipped to 153 countries
Shipped to 153 countries
More than 1M+ customers worldwide
More than 1M+ customers worldwide
100% Made in India
100% Made in India
23 years in business
23 years in business
Book Description
Back of the Book

For countries the erotic sculptures of the temples of Khajuraho have thrilled human imagination. Do these sculptures merely ornament them or can their presence be attributed to some other reason? All these questions related to the architecture of these temples have been answered in an extremely simple and lucid style/ supported by black and white and color plates and drawings this study of the art and architecture of Khajuraho will be appreciated by both the layman and the serious scholar.

Prof. R. Nath (b.1933) has worked at more than 50 ancient and medieval sites of India and with his extensive knowledge of Sanskrit and Persian has authored several books monographs research papers and articles currently he lives and works from Agra.

Preface

This is a study of the temples of Khajuraho and the devangana-mithuna sculpture which ornament them perhaps no other phenomenon of Indian art history has been as widely misunderstood as the ‘mithuna’ of the Hindu temple. Attempt has been made here to historically interpret the relationship of the former with the latter which is the key to its understanding.

Though essentially a research work it is written without its jargon in a simple form for the general reader. Diacritical marks have not been used but the style of Sanskrit transliteration has been necessarily followed (e.g. bhrasta, sikhara, srngara, urksita, etc) except with the popular names of the temples.

Introduction

Khajuraho (ancient kharjuravahaka) is situated in Madhya Pradesh and is accessible by air form Delhi and Varanasi and by road from Jhansi (Map No 1) Jhansi is connected to Delhi and Bombay by the central Railway.

Khajuraho was the capital of the Chandellas a Rajput dynasty of Jejakabhuti (modern Bundelkhan) which rose to power about the beginning of the 10th century A.D. Yashovardhan (c. 925-50) dhanga (c. 950-1002) Ganda and Vidyahdhar were its great kings. The period between 950 and 1050 A.D was the hey day of their glory and it was during this period of prosperity that the greatest of the temples of Khajuraho were built.

Khajuraho is situated in a valley which is surrounded on all sides by hills. The terrain is rugged and difficult. Rock and thick jungle abound. Except for rainfall water is scanty Rain water is collected in several large tanks. The small river Khudarah flows only for four months of the rainy season and there is no perennial stream. Subterranean water of an indifferent taste is the main source of water supply. There is little agriculture. No fruit trees are grown and there are no date palms. It seems that the main consideration which led the Chandellas to found their capital at Khajuraho was its situation which accorded the city an excellent protection against invasion. Similar is the case with Gwalior and Chanderi which too have almost invincible natural defenses around them.

More important than the local terrain is the fact of its situation in one of the most ancient region of the country which was also the richest in art traditions. This is comprised of the ancient Mahishmati and Avanti on and around the river Ksipra and Narmada Dashpura on the Charmanyavati Padmavati (modern Pawaya) on the river of the same name Vidisha on the Vetravati and Desharna on the river of the same name and is vaguely known as the lower viz, the Narmada the Chamble the Padmavati the Betwa and the Dhansana the last being in the close neighborhood of khajuraho.

It is in this region that the ancient and the important cultural centers from the 3rd century B.C to 12th century A.D flourished e.g. Sanchi Vidiash Besnagar Udaigiri Gyaraspur Bodoh-Pathari Pawaya Kadawaya Surwaya Gwalior Padhaoli Mitaoli and Suhania on its western side Sagar Eran Notha Bheraghat Amarakantak Gurgi Rajim and Sirpur to its north-east and chitrakoot Kannauj and Varanasi to its north-east. Many of the greatest monuments of India are situated in this region which was famous for the development of stone art to its most sophisticated standards.

Contents

1.Introduction 9-11
2.Growth of the Hindu temple 12-15
3.Characteristics features of the Khajuraho Temple 16-20
4.The Temples of Khajuraho
1. The Chaunsath Jogini 21
2. The Kandariya Mahadeva 23
3. The Devi Jagdamba 35
4. The Chitragupta 37
5. The Vishwanath 40
6. The Nandi 45
7. The Parvati 45
8. The Devi (Lakshmi) 45
9. The Varaha 45
10. The Lakshman 46
11. The Matangeshwar (Mrtangeshwar) 51
12. The Ghantai 51
13. The Parshwanth 52
14. The Adinath 57
15. The Shantinath 58
16. The Brahma 59
17. The Javari 59
18. The Vamana 61
19. The Duladeva 62
20. The Chaturbhuj 64
5The Devangana Mithuna Sculpture 66-73
6The Raison d’etre of Mithuna Depiction 74-85
Appendix: Synopsis of the temple of Khajuraho 87-91
Glossary of Technical terms 92-96
Frequently Asked Questions
  • Q. What locations do you deliver to ?
    A. Exotic India delivers orders to all countries having diplomatic relations with India.
  • Q. Do you offer free shipping ?
    A. Exotic India offers free shipping on all orders of value of $30 USD or more.
  • Q. Can I return the book?
    A. All returns must be postmarked within seven (7) days of the delivery date. All returned items must be in new and unused condition, with all original tags and labels attached. To know more please view our return policy
  • Q. Do you offer express shipping ?
    A. Yes, we do have a chargeable express shipping facility available. You can select express shipping while checking out on the website.
  • Q. I accidentally entered wrong delivery address, can I change the address ?
    A. Delivery addresses can only be changed only incase the order has not been shipped yet. Incase of an address change, you can reach us at help@exoticindia.com
  • Q. How do I track my order ?
    A. You can track your orders simply entering your order number through here or through your past orders if you are signed in on the website.
  • Q. How can I cancel an order ?
    A. An order can only be cancelled if it has not been shipped. To cancel an order, kindly reach out to us through help@exoticindia.com.
Add a review
Have A Question

For privacy concerns, please view our Privacy Policy