The world renowned temple town of Khajuraho in Madhya
Pradesh designated by UNESCO as a world heritage site for its
archaeological and historical monuments.
The Khajuraho temples were built in the short span of a hundred
years, from 950-1050AD in a truly inspired burst of creativity.
Of the 85 original temples, 22 have survived till today to
constitute one of the world's great artistic wonders.
The Creators of Khajuraho claimed descent from the moon and the
legend behind the founding of this great dynasty and the temples
is a fascinating one. Hemwati, the lovely young daughter of a
Brahmin priest, was seduced by the moon-god while bathing in a
forest pool. The child born of this union was Chandravarman,
founder of the Chandela dynasty. Brought up in the forests by his
mother who sought refuge from a sensorious society,
Chandravarman, when established as a ruler, had a
dream-visitation from his mother. It is said that she implored
him to build temples that would reveal human passions, and in
doing so, bring about a realization of the emptiness of human
desire. It is also possible that the Chandelas were followers of
the Tantric cult, which believes that gratification of earthly
desires is a step towards attaining the infinite liberation of
nirvana.