Places to See : Eastern Group of Temples

Kandatya Mahadeo Temple
The Kandariya Mahadev temple, the most magnificent and the biggest temple of the Khajuraho school of architecture stands on the same platform as the two shrines described above. It is a temple of perfect proportions and rich ornamentation. It is the culmination of the temple art of Central India and is one of the finest achievements of Indian temple architecture. The shrine is 31 m (102 ft. 3 in.) in length, 2.0.3 m ( 66 ft. 10 in.) in width and 30.9 m (101 ft. 9 in.) in height. Four subsidiary shrines at the corners have perished, but the main shrine is in excellent condition and impresses the beholder by its majestic size and the perfect symmetry of its feature.

The platform on which the temple stands is 4 m (13 ft.) high. The temple has three broad bands of sculpture one above the other. And then there are several bands of projecting moulding. Above these are the pillard balconies of the transepts of the sanctum. Decorated with graded and ascending series of smaller replicas of itse it, totaling eighty four in number, the grand shikhara of the Kandariya ;is a lofty and intricately ornamental pile, somewhat restless in movement but unified in theme and design. Shikhars appearing like peak gives it a look of a mountain range. The word 'kandariya' means of cave and refers to the abode of Lord Shiva in Kailash Mountian.

The temple is thus aptly named as 'Kandriya' which is a 'mountian of masonary'. The plan and design of this temple has many similarities with the other temples in North India of this period like the Martand Temple in Kashmir. All of these have the entrance porch or ardhamandapa, the mandapa or the Maha mandapa, the antarla or intermediate chamber and the garbhagriha, which is the sanctum. The doorway of the sanctum with seven sakhas or vertical components is more ornate than those of most of the Khajuraho temples, which have only five. The sanctum enshrines a marble lingsa which is 4 ½ ft in girth. The image of Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu are also enshrined in the sanctum.

The ceilings of the temple are gorgeous and are the outcome of the ingenuity and architectural skill of the craftsmen. The ceiling above the four central pillars, with eight cusped circles is particularly impressive. A pendant hangs from the center of each cusp and the whole pattern is further ornamented by a large circle filled with intricate designs. There are three bands of sculptures on the Jangha of the temple. There are quite a number of erotic figures, singles as well as mithunas (couples) along with the usual sculptures of the Hindu pantheon, all carved to perfection. What a wealth of carving! On the walls, pillars, the projection brackets, recesses, there are sculptures everywhere.

Almost every inch of the surface of the walls, boasts of the most vivid representation of art at its best. Cunningham counted "No less than 226 statues inside the temple and 646 outside, or 872 statues altogether of which the greater number are from two and a half to nearly three feet in height". In continuation with the projection on the transepts in the Kandariya temple, the Jagati also has projection on the lateral sides and at the back. It has the loftiest adhishthana among all the Khajuraho temples, with the most numerious and elegantly ornamented mouldings, which include two rows of processional friezes teeming with elephants and horses, warriors and hunters, acrobats and musicians, dancers and devotees and other miscellaneous scenes including erotic couples.