Khajuraho is most famous for its erotic wall carvings — from voluptuous nymphs to men having their way with horses and orgies, it is all here! These carvings on temples — only 20 of 85 remain — are pretty much the beginning and end of all things touristy in Khajuraho. Situated some 400 km from Kanpur, Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh is one of the most popular tourist destinations of India.
Standing against the backdrop of Vindhyas, Khajuraho presents a magnificent view to the beholder. The sacred temples of Khajuraho are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Because of the sculptures, the temples are also referred as Kamasutra temples. However, unlike popular belief, the temples neither have any connection nor were inspired by Vatsyayana’s famous book. In fact just 10 per cent of the art is erotic or sexual in nature. ALSO SEE Khajuraho: Feast for the senses
There are several theories about these sculptures — some suggest that these are tantric sexual practices, others believe them to be part of the Hindu tradition of accepting sex or kama as part of everyday life.
The temple complex hosts a very good sound-and-light show every evening and an annual dance festival in February. Some of the famous temples in the complex are the Lakshmana Temple, the Vishwanath Temple and the Kandariya Mahadev Temple.
BEST PLACES TO STAY IN KHAJURAHO
Khajuraho has accommodation for all budgets. Most of the luxury hotels are located on the Airport Road. Majority of the budget and mid-range hotels are located along Bamhita Road and near the Western group of temples. MP Tourism also has a clean guest house with rooms available at affordable rates. For wildlife lovers, accommodation is also available at Panna National Park on the outskirts of Khajuraho.
BEST PLACES TO EAT IN KHAJURAHO
Khajuraho has several restaurants serving a variety of Indian dishes. The small town also has a vibrant street food culture with stalls serving yummy jalebis, kaju barfis and moong daal ka halwa among other delicacies. Khajuraho has a few Italian cafes and in-house restaurants of the larger hotels serve Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisines.
BEST TIME TO VISIT KHAJURAHO
The average minimum and maximum temperature of Khajuraho is as given below. The best time to visit Khajuraho is also specified.