Vishwanatha Temple, Khajuraho
– The Temple
This
Temple is facing towards east and measures 27.5 metres (90 ft) in length & 13.7
metres (45 ft) in width. This
temple comes midway between the Lakshmana temple
and Kandariya
Mahadeva temple in architectural style. This
temple follow nagara style of architecture. This
temple is in the Panchayatana style
of architecture. Panchayatana is an architectural style where the main shrine
is built on a raised platform with four smaller subsidiary shrines at the four
corners and making it a total of five shrines.
Out of four subsidiary shrines, only two shrines have
survived in the north-east and
south-west corners. This is the only
temple at Khajuraho which had a Nandi pavilion
in front of the
temple. The
temple is constructed on high raised jagati (platform) which is
approached by a fleet of steps. The stairs leading from the base to the porch
are flanked by lions on one side, and elephants on the other side.
This
temple consists of Mukha Mandapa (porch), Mandapa (assembly
hall), Maha Mandapa (dance hall), Antarala (vestibule) and Garbhagriha
(sanctum) enclosed by an ambulatory with transepts on the sides, on the rear
and on elevation. This is a sandhara temple, having common ambulatory passage
around its sanctum. The sanctum has balconies on three sides for
light and ventilation.
The sanctum has a stone Linga;
the emerald Linga mentioned in the inscription is missing. The interior
features faceted pillars in all the rooms. The ceiling and the brackets supporting
it are intricately carved. However, the bracket figures in the large hall are
now badly worn. The niches of the sanctum wall has Shiva’s manifestations
namely Andhakantaka (subduing Andhaka demon), Nataraja (cosmic dancer) and
Ardhanareeshwara (half-male and half-female representation of Lord Shiva and
Parvathy).
The exterior portion above the
base has three bands featuring sculptures of various deities, surasundaris (female
figures) such as apsaras, and mythical creatures. The surasundaris are
shown performing various day-to-day activities, such as applying sindoor (vermilion
powder) to their foreheads and kohl to their eyes, wringing their
hair after bathing, playing flute, plucking thorn from their feet, dancing,
admiring themselves in a mirror, dressing or simply posing provocatively.
Their hairstyles, patterned
garments, ornaments and expressive faces are noticeable in these sculptures.
The north and south walls of the
temple feature erotic reliefs. The junction of the vestibule and
the sanctum features a variation of the famous acrobatic sex sculpture at the Kandariya
Mahadeva temple. Like the Kandariya sculpture, this one also features a
couple supported by two women, but in this sculpture, the man is on the top.
The woman at the bottom fingers the
woman on the left with one hand, while her other hand rests on the ground for
support. Some sculptures feature men indulging in bestiality, as women cover
their eyes. The base of the
temple has several niches with sculptures of the Saptamatrikas (seven
goddesses), Shiva's consort Parvati and a dancing Ganesha. This is
the first
temple at Khajuraho having the peculiar arrangement of Saptamatrikas
around the exterior walls of the
temple.
These are placed in counter circumambulatory
manner. The similar arrangement was later adopted in Kandariya
Mahadeva temple. The theme of an apsara removing the scorpion from her
body is one of the common and earliest motif carved in the Khajuraho temples. This
representation might depict fertility. Khajuraho might have derived its name
from this representation as Khajura means scorpion in Sanskrit.
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