Kandariya Mahadeva Temple - Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, India - Great Buildings of the World on Waymarking.com

The Khajuraho Group of Monuments is a group of Hindu and Jain temples in Madhya Pradesh. They are one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in India. The temples are famous for their nagara-style architectural symbolism and their erotic sculptures.

Of the eighty-five temples originally built by Rajputs who ruled between the 9th and the 13th centuries, only about twenty still exist. The temples are grouped into three geographical divisions: western, eastern and southern. The Western group alone has the facility of an audio guided tour wherein the tourists are guided through the temples.

Kandariya Mahadeva Temple belongs to the western group. It was built in 1030 by King Vidhyadhara of Chandela dynasty and is considered one of the best examples of temples preserved from the medieval period in India.

It has an area of about 6,500 square feet and a shikhara (spire) that rises 116 feet. The temple is decorated with more than 900 stone carvings and the stones are set without mortar; most of it on the exterior surface of the temple as the interior decoration is sparse.

Kandariya Mahadeva temple is dedicated to Shiva, in the form of a linga (phallus). The name 'Kandariya' means "cave" and 'Mahadeva' ("The Great God") is an epithet of Shiva. It is the most visited temple of the Khajuraho Group of Monuments.

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City, State or City, Country: Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, India Year Built: 1030 Architect: unknown Webpage from GreatBuildings.com or other approved listing: [Web Link] Other website with more information about building: [Web Link]

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