The visit
to this Lakshmana Temple, one of the UNESCO, World Heritage Sites, Khajuraho, was a part of
the “Bhopal, Udayagiri Rock Cut Caves, Bhimbetka Rock Shelters, Sanchi,
Bhojpur, and Khajuraho – of Madhya Pradesh Heritage walk” organized by the எண்திசை வரலாற்று மரபுநடைக்குழு, between 25th and 28th December 2024. The
Khajuraho Complex Temples are classified into three groups, namely Western,
Eastern, and Southern Groups of Temples. The temples Chausath Yogini and the
Lalguan Mahadeva are exempted from the above three groups since they are
farthest away.
Western
Group is the largest and most important. The temples in this group are dedicated to
Shiva, Ma Parvati, Jagathambi, and Maha Vishnu. The Western Group consists of
the following temples.
Lakshmana
Temple
This
Lakshmana Temple is dedicated to the Vaikuntha form of Maha Vishnu. So-called after
Lakshavarman, the king who constructed the temple. The sanctum
enshrines a three-headed and four-armed image of Vishnu as Vaikuntha with a
human central head and the side heads of a boar and lion (Rajoguni,
Varaha, and Narasimha). Vishnu’s ten avatars and
fourteen out of twenty-four forms of Vishnu are also represented around the
Vishnu Deity’s image.
ARCHITECTURE
This
is the earliest and best-preserved temple in mature Chandella architecture. The temple stands on
a high platform and retains the powerful processional friezes. It is a Sandhara
temple of the Panchayatana variety and consists of principal elements of a
developed temple, viz., mukha-mandapa (entrance porch), mandapa, and maha-mandapa
with transepts. Antarala and grabha-griha are enclosed by an inner ambulatory with
transepts on the sides and rear. Unlike other temples. Its sanctum is
Pancharatha on plan, and its main sikhara is clustered with minor sikharas. The
wall portion of the temple is studded with balconied windows with ornate
balustrades. The jangha portion is decorated with two bands of graceful
sculptures, which include divine figures, couples, and erotic scenes
adorning the wall surfaces. The sanctum doorway is of Saptasakhas. The central
one is decorated with various incarnations of Vishnu. The lintel depicts
Lakshmi in the center flanked by Brahma and Shiva. The upper lintel frieze
shows the Navagrahas in niches. with a huge image of
Rahu. The sanctum
enshrines a three-headed and four-armed image of Vishnu as Vaikuntha, with a
human central head and the side heads of a boar and lion.
The
base platform depicts hunting scenes, soldiers armed with a wide variety of
weapons, processions of elephants and horses, erotic images, and other
representations of domestic life. This is the only temple where the four
subsidiary shrines stand intact and the only one to have such wonderfully
preserved sculptures along the platform facades. The finest examples of medieval
art adorn the walls of this temple with the apsaras and surasundaris, dancing, playing
musical Instruments, adorning or attending to deities, the mithunas, and the
gods and goddesses like the dancing Ganesha are among the finest.
The
pillared hall leads to the Sanctum Sanctorum, whose doorway is richly carved
with sculptures. The circumambulation path/pradakshina has finely carved
sculptures portraying scenes from the life of Krishna, the eighth avatar of
Vishnu.
HISTORY
AND INSCRIPTIONS
King Yasovarman (930 – 950 CE) was a Chandela
Dynasty military genius. The Khajuraho records prove an unchallenged
authority over the whole of northern India from Ganga Yamuna doab to Dakshina
Koshal. He obtained the Vaikuntha image from Pratihara King Devapala. He
constructed the Lakshman Temple (dedicated to Vishnu) and installed the Vaikuntha
Vishnu image in it.
LOCATION
OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
--- OM
SHIVAYA NAMA ---
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