Javari Temple, Khajuraho, Hindu temple in Eastern Khajuraho, India.
Javari Temple is a Hindu temple in the eastern group of Khajuraho, in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh, and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It consists of a main sanctuary, a vestibule, a gathering hall, and an entrance pavilion, with three horizontal bands of carved figures covering most of its outer surface.
The temple was built between the 10th and early 12th centuries under the Chandella dynasty, which commissioned dozens of temples across the region in a relatively short period. When Chandella power declined, the site was largely forgotten for centuries before being rediscovered and protected in the modern era.
The outer walls of Javari Temple are covered with carvings of deities, dancers, and mythological scenes that once served as a visual guide to Hindu teachings. Walking slowly around the structure, you keep noticing new figures in unexpected poses, all forming a single flowing composition.
The temple sits in the eastern part of Khajuraho and can be reached on foot from the main group of temples. Early morning or late afternoon light makes the carved figures on the walls much easier to read, so plan your visit around those hours if possible.
The entrance is framed by a Makara Torana arch, a decorative gateway formed by two mythical sea creatures, which is absent from many of the other temples at Khajuraho. Inside, the main Vishnu statue has lost its head, yet it continues to be treated as an object of worship.
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