Today’s India is transformed, since the antique times. Ancient India was far more open to express sensuality, love, intimacy and passion.
My journey to Khajuraho
Enchanting world of sensuality and spirituality
TIPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Travel
Follow Taj Expressway / Yamuna Expressway – AH43 – NH75 (Via Agra – Gwaliar – Jhansi). The route we took on our way back. Distance wise is almost the same. Better highways and faster speed.
Shop
In the city center, market area. You can actually fill your shopping appetite with some good collection of Kamasutra sculptures in brass and sandstone. Some of the shops also facilitate international shipping to the desired destination. Just ask!
watch
One of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India. A total of 85 temples only 20 survived. Temples are categorised into three groups: Eastern, Western and Southern. I spent majority of my time around the Western Temples.
EAT
There are lot of eating places, hygiene seemed to be a concern, so may choose to eat from selective hotels/ eating places. My favorite during the trip was luxurious The Lalit, Radisson Blue and Taj Chandela.
tour
Pandav Water Falls, Panna National Park, Raneh Waterfalls, Ken Gharial (crocodiles) Sanctuary, Ken River Lodge - Tree house.
A unique place to explore ancient culture, ancient sensuality
Before the melting hot weather of North India, early April 2014 I have visited authentic, Hindu temples in Madhya Pradesh, central Indian state, on the Ken River side, in the small town of Khajuraho.
Khajuraho is well connected through Air and Indian Railways however I took this opportunity to reach there by road on a really long drive from New Delhi.
We followed Route via Taj Expressway / Yamuna Expressway – AH1 – NH2A to NH86 for a long non-stop never ending journey (11 hours/638KM/396Miles) from Delhi.
Even though we mostly followed highways, road was very congested and of poor quality, with a lot of overloaded trucks and no good resting place or dining joints along the way. There were no sideboards to guide towards the right direction.
Sometimes GPS did not find the right path, so the only way to follow the right direction was to pull down your window and ask information from the local natives, who acted better than a GPS. Knew exactly at which tree have to turn left or right to get back on track.
We reached there late evening welcomed by huge winds and rain, taking away all the day’s tiredness and making weather pretty pleasant to walk around and explore this small town Khajuraho.
Day 1 – How is the city and the evening market?
Magical, mysterious world of love, passion, erotic stories, nudity, perversion and sensuality. On Day one, in the evening itself we decided to go towards the city center, which is just next to the Western Group of Temples in the main city. It is nice cozy place with lot of vibrancy towards spirituality and sensuality.
Even though it was off-season, market was buzzing with souvenir shops full of brass and sandstone sculptures in various Kamasutra poses as well as dancing ladies and various other art forms.
Shops are full of Kamasutra books in various versions and erotic funny key rings / small gift items. You can actually fill your shopping appetite with some good collection of sculptures in Brass and sandstone. Some of the shops also facilitate international shipping to the desired destination.
Day 2 – Discovering the Western group of Temples
We started our day with the visit to Western group of Temples, entry to which is through a gate from where you need to buy ticket and audio guide which is available in multiple languages.
There are around 8 temples in this area which are spread in vast complex, featuring huge variety of art work all carved in Sandstone, out of which around 10% is sexual or erotic art both in interior and exterior of the temples.
You really need to find some of erotic carvings in the sea of art spread across everywhere. Tour guides follow daylight technique of using mirror reflection to show erotic images carved at various locations on the temple walls.
Walking between the sky touching mesmerizing templates, staring to the detail oriented sculptures, I felt like I jumped back in time and I landed in the middle of a group orgy.
Sensuality gets well expressed by the poses carved into the stones. Emotions are well preserved in the stone sculptures, which animate the statues.
Some of the sculptures depict various aspects of everyday life, such as musicians making music, potters, farmers in their daily life, war depictions during the ancient times.
Day 3 – Is there more? Attractions beyond Khajuraho
Started our journey early morning to explore attractions beyond Khajuraho to visit, Pandav Water Falls, Panna National Park, Raneh Waterfalls and Ken Gharial (crocodiles) reserve, details of which I share in my next blog.
Keep watching this space and enjoy this journey with me. If you are in India, highly recommend you to visit this enchanting sensual and erotic world full of history, culture and architecture. Do pack your cameras and you would not like to miss amazing opportunities to click and take back memories.
