The crown jewel of ancient Indian architecture, the Khajuraho temple complex is a testimony to the times when the craftsmanship Indian sculptors and architects was at its very best.
It's bewildering and awe-inspiring to stand in the midst of thousands of erotic Hindu and Jain sculptures, knowing that all of them have been carved out of a monolithic mountain during the reign of the Chandela dynasty.
Modern scientists often stand befuddled when asked to explain how a group of artisans, in the 9th-10th century, could carve out the Khajuraho temple complex of a sandstone mountain, using nothing but hammers and chisels and without any mortar. The pillars are held in place by nothing but gravity and it's astonishing to think about the scientific imagination of the ancient craftsmen of central India.
The UNESCO World Heritage site attracts travellers from around the world, including photographers, archaeologists, historians, artists and art enthusiasts. It takes some time to walk around the entire complex as it has 85 temples in total; however, only 22 of them have been restored and are open for tourists. Some of the most famous temples in Khajuraho are Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, Chausath Yogini Temple, Adinath Temple, and Lakshmana Temple etc.
It's nearly impossible to visit all the Khajuraho sculptures but you should definitely check out the highlights that make Khajuraho one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world. Many of the sculptures are depictions of wrestling, royal figures, meditation postures, spiritual doctrines, and kinship. But most common inspiration behind the erotic sculptures is the book of Kama Sutra. The physical representation of the postures mentioned in the ancient Indian book of eroticism is abundant in the complex.
The famous Khajuraho Dance Festival is something you should not miss. Celebrated at the advent of spring, the festival hosts renowned artists, musicians and performers rich in the cultural tradition of India. Travellers enjoy witnessing different nuances of various classical dance styles from all around India.
No matter if you are on a short or long trip to India, you can easily include Khajuraho into your itinerary. Khajuraho has a domestic airport, which is connected to all major cities in India. There is a daily flight from Delhi to Khajuraho connecting Varanasi. You can also enjoy the scenic landscape of central India by taking a train to Khajuraho directly from Delhi, Varanasi or Udaipur or take a train to Jhansi railway station and take a cab from there.
Vue India has designed special tour packages that include Khajuraho into the Golden Triangle tour, alongside Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. A trip to Varanasi and Khajuraho also gives a holistic idea of the mythology and history of ancient India.
| Route | Arrival – Delhi (02) – Jaipur (02) – Agra (02) – Jhansi – Orchha – Khajuraho (01) – Varanasi (02) – Kathmandu (03) – Delhi (01) – Departure |
| Duration | 13 Nights / 14 Days |
Arrival – Delhi – Varanasi - Khajurao – Orchha - Jhansi - Fatehpur Sikri - Bharatpur - SAawai Madhopur - Jaipur - Delhi
Our Classical Indian Tour covers all the famous destinations of the subcontinent. It starts from the national capital Delhi and continues to the holiest city of Varanasi. In Delhi, you will see all the major places including Jama Masjid, Raj Ghat, Qutub Minar, India Gate, Red Fort and more.
The most famous Ganga Aarti of Varanasi and the topmost attraction of the place Sarnath will be the next halts for the tourists. Erotic and historic wall carvings of Khajuraho, present in the temples of this beautiful destination lie the next in our list. After that, enjoy the exciting places and sceneries of Agra – where the symbol of love is waiting for your arrival. To give it a nice twist, we have added jungle safari in the tour schedule. The National Park of Ranthambore is a perfect destination to make this happen. Jaipur’s royal tourist attractions like Hawa Mahal, Amber Fort, Jantar Mantar, etc. All in all, this trip will give you the glimpses of whole country in a short period of time. From historic to modern, from religious to romantic, and from jungle safari to sight-seeing – the trip is full of entertaining and informative places to visit in India.
| Included |
|
| Excluded |
|
| Included |
|
| Excluded |
|
| Places Covered | About Delhi
Perhaps there is no other capital city in the world so steeped in history and legend as the Indian capital Delhi. It was the magnet, which drew the Mongols, Turks, Persians, Afghans, Mughals and the British, all of whom contributed to its glorious but turbulent past. The fascination with Delhi was such that even though it was abandoned many times, its rulers returned to it again and again rebuilding it at least seven times. Today, the twin cities of Old and New Delhi still intrigue Indians and tourists alike as the cultural and political capital of the largest democracy in the world. This city owes much to Great Muslim rulers who gifted it world heritage monuments. About Kanha Kanha’s sal and bamboo forests, rolling grasslands and meandering streams stretch over 940 sq km in dramatic natural splendour which form the core of the Kanha Tiger Reserve created in 1974 under Project Tiger. This was the park that the Central Indian Barasingha, also known as the hardground barasingha, was brought back from the virtual edge of extinction. By a special statute in 1955, Kanha National Park came into being. Since then, a series of stringent conservation programmes for the protection of the park’s flora and fauna has given Kanha its deserved reputation for being one of the finest and best administered National Parks in Asia, an irresistible attraction for all wildlife lovers and a true haven for its animal and avian population. About Kanha The original home of all the white tigers alive, today, Bandhavgarh was the hunting preserve of the Maharajas of Rewa: their old fort still dominates a hill rising out of the forest. These have been found in the old state of Rewa for many years. The last known was captured by Maharajah Martand Singh in 1951. This White Tiger, Mohan, is now stuffed and on display in the palace of the Maharajas of Rewa. |