The temples of Khajuraho were built during the Chandella dynasty, which lasted from about 950 until about 1050 A.D. That is, this stunning group of monuments, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is about a thousand years old. There are some twenty main structures and more smaller ones.

For what might be the first time since I started writing this blog, I am at a loss to know how to present this material. I am at a loss even to tell you whether what we saw the day we were in Khajuraho was architecture…or sculpture…or poetry.

The beauty of these temples works at every level of detail. To show you what I mean, I am going to zoom in on a couple of the rounded cylindrical forms that make up the walls of this temple. Look for a woman bent backwards to examine the sole of her foot. In the first picture, she is on the right-hand column in the middle row of figures.

Now look at the figures all around her. They are all exquisitely detailed, all different, all perfect. Now imagine this kind of sculpture covering the entire building–covering twenty entire buildings. The place is simply, literally breathtaking.

Here I need to insert a word about the subject matter of the sculptures. There are gods. There are animals. There are mythical creatures. But most of all there are people. The people are engaged in what UNESCO is pleased to call “all aspects of life.” Which, that is to say, includes rather explicit portrayals of sex in permutations that might occasionally surprise even an adult. However, the sculptures are not about sex. They are (according to UNESCO) about the Tantric doctrine in which the mating of the male principle (form and potential) and female principle (energy) creates the entire world. I have, after some thought, not included explicit subject matter in this blog. The statues are, every one of them, gorgeous. I want all readers to feel comfortable about looking at what I post here.

Ready? Let’s get started with one of the earlier temples…

What I love about this picture is the procession of people, some on horseback, that marches along the bottom. But the whole building is full of interesting details.

The last statue is inside the temple. Isn’t she lovely? And after a thousand years you can still count each individual bead in her necklace.