Lakshmana Temple: Khajuraho

Mystical Temples of Khajuraho: The Western Group

Step into the heart of India's golden age of temple architecture. While many come to Khajuraho for its sheer scale and famous carvings, it is the Lakshmana Temple that reveals the full, unblemished story of the Chandela dynasty. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, this monument—consecrated in the mid-10th century—is far more than a place of worship; it is a perfectly preserved diagram of the sophisticated Nagara architectural style and a historical declaration of royal power. From its unique, three-headed Vaikuntha deity to the meticulously carved friezes documenting social life and warfare, the Lakshmana Temple stands as the definitive masterpiece of Khajuraho, where stone speaks with unparalleled clarity and detail. Prepare to explore the most complete architectural vision on the entire site.

The Khajuraho temple complex is geographically segmented into three spheres: the Western, Eastern, and Southern Groups. The Western Group hosts the majority of the temples dedicated to Shaivite and Vaishnavite cults; the Eastern Group comprises beautifully carved Jain temples; and the Southern Group features only a few scattered monuments. Our exploration begins with the most iconic and structurally complete ensemble: the Western Group of Temples.

Situated west of the Bamitha-Rajnagar road on the banks of Sib-Sagar, these magnificent edifices—dedicated primarily to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu—serve as the cornerstone of Khajuraho's architectural legacy.

The Lakshmana Temple—A Vaishnava Masterpiece

The Lakshmana Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, is arguably the most important surviving monument at Khajuraho. Built by King Yashovarman between 930-950 AD, this east-facing structure is celebrated as a "mini-museum", for its superb state of preservation, offering the most complete documentation of Chandella architecture and art. 

Builder and Date: This temple is one of the oldest and most intact structures in Khajuraho, built in the mid-10th century CE. A crucial Sanskrit rock inscription near the Ardha-Mandapa entrance details its consecration, dynasty, and patron, confirming it as a Vaishnava temple (Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya).

I. Architectural Brilliance and Engineering

The Lakshmana Temple is a complete, intact example of the Nagara Panchayatana style for North and Central India, where the main shrine is surrounded by four fully preserved subsidiary shrines at the corners of the platform (jagati).

• Plan and Platform: It features an elaborate "double cross" plan and stands upon a high, elaborately decorated platform. The platform's friezes depict vivid scenes of daily life, including battles, festivals, and amorous activities.

Plan of Lakshmana temple

• Multi-Storey Mystery: The temple rises three floors high. While the ground floor is open to visitors, the upper two floors are barred, adding to the temple’s mysterious grandeur.

• Structural Ingenuity: The Chandella builders utilized advanced engineering:

• Load Distribution: Pillars in the central portion are strategically designed with a broader base and a dense spread of carvings to effectively distribute the structural loads.

• Interlocking System: The sandstone blocks were designed to fit together without mortar. Empty holes visible on pillar capitals once housed sculptures, forming part of an ingenious interlocking system (many sculptures were later stolen).

• The Sandhara Style and Journey to the Sanctum: The temple is built in the Sandhara style, meaning it includes a covered, inner passageway (pradakshina patha) for circumambulation, lit and ventilated by small windows. Entry proceeds through increasingly sacred spaces:

• Welcome Arch (Makara-Torana): The entrance features a sculpted archway depicting singers and Gandharvas (celestial musicians), signifying a ceremonial welcome for the purified devotee.

• Garbha Griha (Sanctum): This most sacred space houses the unique main deity: an 8.5-foot, three-headed Vaikuntha Vishnu icon, representing his human, Narasimha (lion), and Varaha (boar) incarnations.

II. Water Management and Ritual Practices

The temple's design incorporates sophisticated systems for ritual flow and drainage:

• Pranali System: Above the balcony, the stone structure includes a gargoyle point called Pranali (water outlet) designed for the organized discharge of abhishek materials and rainwater.

• Gaumuk Channel: In Vishnu temples, this Pranali is specifically referred to as Gaumuk (cow's mouth). Hindu tradition mandates four full rounds of Pradakshina (circumambulation) when the channel is a Gaumuk (in contrast to the four-and-a-half rounds for a Shiva temple, known as the Soma Sutra).

III. The Sculptural Tapestry: Gods, Epics, and Society

The temple is renowned for its intricate carvings which cover nearly every surface across its three tiers of exterior sculpture. The dense carvings narrate Hindu cosmology, epic narratives, and social customs. The mandapam ceiling boasts shell and floral motifs. The exterior base showcases some of Khajuraho's most famous sculptures: gods and goddesses on protruding corners, erotic couples in recesses, and apsaras in between. Friezes along the tall platform depict daily life, including battles, festivals, and amorous scenes. Inside, an 8.5-foot, three-headed Vishnu (Vaikuntha) icon, representing his human, Narasimha, and Varaha incarnations are surrounded by images of his ten avatars. Above the main shrine's entrance, a lintel depicts Lakshmi flanked by Brahma and Shiva, with a planetary frieze above. The doorway relief illustrates the churning of the ocean, while the sanctum walls narrate Krishna's legends. The walls come alive with deities, sensual figures symbolising fertility and love. 

A. Deities and Cosmology

• The Trimurti & The Navagrahas: A detailed carving at the upper left corner of the entryway showcases the divine hierarchy: Lord Brahma (with a beard and three faces), Vishnu (center, holding a conch and chakra, with his vehicle Garuda), and Lord Shiva (holding a trident and cobra). Flanking Shiva are the Navagrahas (nine planets), including Rahu and Ketu, confirming the practice of Tridev and Navagraha worship from ancient times.

• Dasha-Avatars: The top of the door frame explicitly depicts the ten major incarnations of Vishnu, from Matsya to Kalki.

•  The directional guardians (Dikpalas) reveal incredible detail:

• Nirṛti (South-West): This direction of ancestors is guarded by Nirṛti, one of the four key Dikpalas found here. Observe the minute detail in the carvings, such as nails, wrists, and the iconic Tribhanga (three-bend) posture of the figures.

• Mahishasuramardini (North-West): Near the north-west, the image of Durga killing the Mahishasura demon is prominent. This region is also associated with Vayu (the 6th Dikpala) and features the stone water outlet pipe connected to the Pranali for the flow of abhishek materials. Here you can also see the rare Hayagriva avatar (horse-faced).

• Kubera and Ishana (North and North-East): Kubera (7th Dikpala), the symbol of wealth, faces North. The last Dikpala, Ishana (North-East), features Shiva with his vehicle, the bull.

• Sun God (Surya) and Vandalism: A moving sculpture on the west wall displays Lord Surya with an aura like a star behind him, accompanied by his wives, Chaya and Sandhya. This image was defaced by vandals during theft attempts in the 1960s-70s when the area was open and unprotected, necessitating the later replacement of the damaged portion with new blocks.

• Mythological Depictions (Asta Vasus, etc.): Pillars and panels feature the Asta Vasus and beautiful Apsaras. Look for specific depictions:

• Bhudevi (Earth Goddess) on top, and Parvati with her vehicle, the lion.

B. Religious and Epic Narratives

• Ritual in Stone: A horizontal panel documents religious practices, showing devotees worshipping a Shivling and depicting the ritual process of Abhishek (pouring water from a pot) carved all around the temple.

• Early Vaishnava Epics: Panels feature scenes of baby Krishna crossing the River Yamuna and fighting a demon, as well as the presence of Rama with his bow and arrow, highlighting the beginning of Vaishnava epics in 10th-century temple art.

IV. The Living Stone—Feminine Grace and Chandella Culture

The Lakshmana Temple's walls move beyond deity figures, acting as a vivid document of Chandella society, particularly through the life and spirit of women. These figures, often referred to as Apsaras or Surasundaris, are masterclasses in sculptural detail, often perfected in the graceful Tribhanga Mudra (three-bend posture).

A. The Artistry of the Feminine Form: 

The artisans of Khajuraho perfected the Tribhanga Mudra (three-bend posture), where the body gracefully bends at the neck, waist, and knee. This difficult pose is seen in many figures, showcasing the sculptors' skill in bringing motion to stone. 

• Darpan Sundari (Mirror Beauty): A captivating figure depicts a woman looking at a polished metal surface used as a mirror while adjusting her makeup, highlighting the importance of personal adornment. The level of detail—down to the lady applying vermilion with an assistant nearby—highlights the importance of beauty and personal adornment.

• Celebrating Movement and Detail:

• Observe the lady stretching her back, where the sculptor painstakingly captured the subtle wrinkles at her waist and the movement of her necklace and beads.

• Another figure depicts a lady undressing, with her fingers delicately holding the garment as it floats away, displaying an incredible curvature of the spine and detailed musculature.

• The famous depiction of a lady removing a thorn from her feet is exquisitely rendered, allowing one to witness the minutest detail of her fingers pulling the object—a simple, yet profound, slice of daily life.

B. Women's Roles: Beyond the Domestic

The sculptures offer evidence of the respect and participation of women in various aspects of Chandella life:

• Literacy and Communication: The statue of a lady writing a letter stands as proof of women's literacy during this era.

• Music and Arts: A sculpture of a lady playing a flute with her back to the viewer beautifully captures the art of performance.

• Sports: One remarkable carving shows a woman holding a ball in a position that suggests a short-put throw, indicating active participation in physical activities.

• Social Life and Fashion: A unique scene shows a helper assisting a lady with her foot while carrying what strikingly resembles a modern purse, hinting at the sophisticated standard of life and fashion.

                                                                                                                            Purse of the Assistant

C. Symbolism and Kama

• The Vish Kanya: On the inner pillars, a sculpture of a Vish Kanya (poison maiden), an Apsara from the lower realms, is depicted with a snake above her head, symbolizing both danger and beauty.

• The Power of Desire (Kama): The world-famous Kamasutra-related carvings constitute only a small fraction (approximately 10%) of the temple's decorative elements. Their inclusion speaks volumes about the broad-mindedness of Chandella society, which viewed Kama (desire) as a natural and essential part of the four goals of life (Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha).

To conclude 

“The Lakshmana Temple is not merely a ruin to be admired; it is a masterpiece to be studied. Its continued existence, complete with four subsidiary shrines and an intact structural system, offers a priceless key to understanding the full evolution of temple architecture in Central India. Every stone, from the interlocking system that defied gravity to the graceful figures celebrating literacy and life, confirms the maturity and broad-mindedness of the Chandela civilization. Standing on its high jagati, one is left with a profound sense of awe—not just at the artistry, but at the architectural genius that enabled such a complex, profound vision of the cosmos to endure for over a thousand years. The Lakshmana Temple is, quite simply, the most perfect chapter in the enduring epic of Khajuraho”.