Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh

Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh

Kandariya Mahadeva Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located at Khajuraho town in Chhatarpur district in Madhya Pradesh, India. This Temple is the largest and most ornate Hindu temple in the medieval temple group found at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, India. It is considered one of the best examples of temples preserved from the medieval period in India. This temple is considered as part of the western group at Khajuraho. This temple is part of UNESCO World Heritage Site along with other temples in Khajuraho Group of Monuments.

History

The Kandariya Mahadeva temple was built during the reign of Vidyadhara (1003-1035 CE). Vidyadhara, also known as Bida in the recordings of the Muslim historian Ibn-al-Athir was a powerful ruler who fought Mahmud of Ghazni in the first offensive launched by the latter in 1019. This battle was not conclusive, and Mahmud had to return to Ghazni. Mahmud again waged war against Vidyadhara in 1022. He attacked the fort of Kalinjar. The siege of the fort was unsuccessful. It was lifted and Mahmud and Vidyadhara called a truce and parted by exchanging gifts.

Vidyadhara celebrated his success over Mahmud and other rulers by building the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, dedicated to his family deity Shiva. There is an inscription on a pilaster of the mandapa in the temple mentions the name of the builder of the temple as Virimda, which is interpreted as the pseudonym of Vidyadhara. Its construction is dated to the period from 1025 and 1050 AD. When Alexander Cunningham visited this temple in 1864, he counted 646 figures on the exterior of the temple and 226 figures on the interior.

The Temple

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2021/03/kandariya-mahadeva-temple-khajuraho-temple.html

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 1.5 Kms from Khajuraho Bus Stand, 7 Kms from Khajuraho Airport, 7 Kms from Rajnagar, 9 Kms from Khajuraho Railway Station, 12 Kms from Bamitha, 41 Kms from Chhatarpur, 47 Kms from Panna and 379 Kms from Bhopal. Khajuraho is situated on Bamitha to Rajnagar route. Khajuraho railway station connects the town by a daily train to Delhi via Mahoba, Jhansi and Gwalior. It provides a daily train connecting to Agra, Jaipur, Bhopal and Udaipur. A local daily train also connects to Kanpur, whilst Varanasi is connected three times a week. Khajuraho Airport has flights to Delhi, Agra, Varanasi and Mumbai.

Location | Photos