Light and Sound Show Khajuraho

 My recent visit to Khajuraho began with the unforgettable Light and Sound Show (Son et Lumière). This blog post summarizes the show's rich historical and spiritual narrative, guiding readers through the centuries. We will delve into the founding myths and the mastery of the Chandela Empire, the spectacular architecture and construction feats, the dynasty's rise and decline, and the eventual awakening and restoration that saved these magnificent temples for the world.

Khajuraho: The Timeless Song Written in Stone 🛕✨

The magnificent temples of Khajuraho's Western Group, a UNESCO World Heritage site, are more than just architectural wonders; they are a profound chronicle of a golden age. This era is brought vividly to life nightly by the captivating Light and Sound Show (Son et Lumière). The show images are mainly concentrated on the Kandariya Mahadev Temple and the Devi Jagadambi Temple, with sequences also covering the Vishwanath and Lakshmana temples. Meticulously preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), these structures stand as a testament to the Chandela dynasty's era. Furthermore, the ASI’s recent excavations have uncovered the Beejamandal Temple, potentially the largest structure yet, a discovery that has intensified the quest to fully recreate the vibrant life of this temple town.

I Genesis: Myth, Mastery, and the Chandela Empire

The Voice of the Past: A Sculptor's Legacy

The spirit of Khajuraho speaks through the voice of its master sculptors, who narrate an existence spanning a thousand years. They describe their age as one of "glorious effusion," achieving an impeccable harmony between the material and the spiritual. These artisans, incorporating generations of skill, answered the invitation of the Chandela Kings. The images they carved were not novel creations, but the collective product of centuries of sophisticated development by poets, priests, dancers, painters, and countless sculptors.

The Origin Myth: Hemvati and the Moon God 🌙

The legend begins far away in Kashi (Varanasi). On an enchanted moonlight night, the lovely Hemvati was seduced by Chandrama, the Moon God, as she bathed in a forest pond. She traveled to Khajuraho where she gave birth to Chandraman, who, the myth states, built 85 temples to atone for his mother’s "sin."

The Historical Rise of the Chandelas

History attributes the construction to the Chandela Kings between the 10th and 12th centuries. They began their ascent as vassal chieftains of the Pratihara rulers. The pivotal moment came in 940 AD when King Yashovarman captured the formidable fortress of Kalinger, the strategic gateway to Central India.

Returning to Khajuraho in a spectacular ceremonial procession (led by musicians and caparisoned elephants), the King expressed gratitude both to the gods and to his people. He gifted villages to the families of soldiers who had fallen, strategically freeing his forces from concern and inspiring fierce loyalty. The royal family then dedicated themselves to building a grand temple to Lord Vishnu.

The Architecture of Perfection

Yashovarman sought an unmatched master architect, one likened to Vishwakarma, the celestial architect. This man was described as learned in the scriptures and canons of temple architecture, an expert engineer and mathematician, and one who was righteous, kind, and free of malice, jealousy, and greed.

The artistic laws were rigorous: the unit of measurement dictated that the palm was equal to the face. The body of the sculptures, particularly the celestial damsels, had to measure exactly 5, 9, or 13 such palm units. Life and vitality were brought through careful distribution of body weight, typically in the tribhanga (three-bend pose)—head in one direction, torso in another, and knee bent—creating the impression the figure was about to step out of the wall.

II. The Golden Age of Construction and Kings

Sculptural Philosophy: Divine and Human Forms

The inclusion of female figures was based on doctrine: "A house without a wife is barren, so too a temple without the depiction of temple beauty will bear no fruit." The creation of divine figures required the sculptor to first meditate to comprehend the deity's essence, considering their own body and mind as tools of the sacred craft.

Yashovarman's Temple and Dhangadev's Legacy

Yashovarman's temple, truly sublime, featured six ascending sections whose roofs ascended like the Himalayas. A massive ritual tank, Sagar (the sea), was constructed nearby for purification.

Under Yashovarman's son, King Dhangadev, the Chandelas became one of Northern India's strongest and wealthiest powers. He built the Vishwanath Temple for Lord Shiva. Its completion was marked by a lavish ceremony where the King was weighed against gold and precious stones, which were then distributed to Brahmins and the general populace. The master architect, poet Ram, and the Rajguru (head priest) were all suitably rewarded with lands, purses, and provisions to ensure their prosperity and dedication.

Gangadev and the Five Elements

Dhangadev's son, King Gangadev, built another temple for Lord Vishnu. The foundation ceremony was deeply symbolic, involving the placement of grain, copper, silver, gold, and the nine precious gems—the concentrated essence of the Earth. Later, during worship, the King and Queen made offerings with the five elements: water from sacred rivers, flowers (Earth), incense (Wind), sacred fire, and ringing bells (Sound/Aether).

Vidyadhar: Defender and Master Builder

King Vidyadhar (1004 AD) proved to be the kingdom’s greatest defender. Following a solar eclipse, his chief queen, Sathyabama, requested the King to join her in prayer and gift land to the priests to avert the inauspicious evils associated with the heavenly discord.

Vidyadhar then faced the monumental threat of Mahmud Ghazni in 1019 AD. By mustering a huge allied army at Kalinger, he successfully deterred Ghazni’s initial invasion. Ghazni returned three years later, but after months of siege, the fortress proved impregnable, forcing an honorable settlement and exchange of gifts.

The Ultimate Expression: Kandariya Mahadev

Flushed with this prestige, Vidyadhar built the Kandariya Mahadev Temple for Lord Shiva—the ultimate proclamation of Chandela glory. The architects meticulously studied all existing temples to achieve perfect proportions. The architects achieved a "symphony of form and line" and a "veritable tale of perfection":

• Design and Surface: The surface was a harmony of sculpture and architecture, covered with hundreds of carved figures, where projections were set off by recesses, creating an incredible array of mouldings, offsets, and bands of carvings.

• Structure: The structure would proclaim God’s glory through its perfect geometry and soaring vertical lines.

• The Shikhara: Architecturally, the massive towering spire (shikhara) would be buttressed by smaller ones, lending a special rhythm and movement and accentuating its height.

Construction was a feat of engineering, based on complex mathematical calculations to achieve immaculate balance. A huge ramp was constructed to reach the height of 31 meters for the spire, allowing the heavy keystone to be carefully maneuvered into its final position using ropes, with great emphasis placed on safety. The temple's completion featured a powerful ceremony where religious merit flowed from the sculptor to the architect, and finally to the King, acknowledging the sacred endeavor was a culmination of skill, concept, and patronage.

III. Philosophy, Decline, and The Eternal Song

The Spiritual Ascent and the Sacred Dance

The chief priest explained the profound purpose of the exterior carvings during parikrama (circumambulation):

• Transcending the Material: Everyday life and celestial women must be viewed and transcended. The devotee must admire their beauty, but not be impassioned by it, shedding material aspects.

• Cosmic Act of Creation: The scenes of love are a powerful symbol—representing the moment the self is left behind and the cosmic act of creation. Man must transcend the body to aspire to the spirit.

King Vidyadhar also enhanced temple rituals by summoning the finest dancers to perform sacred dances to Lord Kandariya Mahadev. The dancer, adorned in the 16 rituals of adornment, moved like "poetry in motion," with every moment being a "prayer of the heart."

The ritual life began at dawn as devotees bathed in the lake and offered water to the sun, reciting the sacred Gayatri Mantra.

The Long Silence

The golden age ended with King Vidyadhar’s death in 1029 AD. Successors lacked his martial prowess, and the kingdom, assailed by invaders, shifted its focus to the more defensible Kalinger. Khajuraho was saved from destruction by the thick forests and rugged hills, but royal patronage and maintenance ceased. The temple precincts grew deserted, the sculptors moved to new centers, and the town drifted into obscurity.

Around 1335 AD, the great chronicler Ibn Batuta visited the neglected site, noting the silent wooden palaces and the presence of Yogis famed for healing through the power of Vaidyanath and Surya, the sun, who has great curative powers.

The Awakening (1838)

Years passed, and the forest completely reclaimed the temples; spires fell, platforms disintegrated, and the edifices were covered in the dust of centuries. Then, in 1838, while mapping Central India, British officer Captain T. S. Burt was alerted by a local man and discovered the "hidden city of gods." Burt was flabbergasted by the wondrous images, realizing the sheer magic sculptors had wrought.

Today, Khajuraho remains a source of profound spiritual solace. Local people continue to perform personal devotions, finding individual truths in the carvings:

• A devotee contemplating a sculpted damsel removing a thorn reflects on suffering, karma, and the need for good deeds.

• Another, pausing before an image of a woman looking into a mirror, is reminded that the world is but an illusion, transient and without substance in itself.

The timeless song of the bold artists of Khajuraho lives on in stone, drawing thousands seeking to celebrate life in all its moods, to seek solace, to seek truth, to seek balance and harmony, and to seek peace.