India
Khajuraho is where sacred and sensual become indistinguishable. This small town in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh is home to a group of Hindu and Jain temples built between 950 and 1050 AD by the Chandela dynasty that constitute one of the supreme achievements of Indian art and architecture. Of the original eighty-five temples, twenty-five survive—and their exterior walls are covered with some of the most extraordinary sculptural programs in the world: thousands of figures depicting gods, goddesses, celestial musicians, warriors, dancers, and—most famously—amorous couples in positions of remarkable variety and athletic ambition.
The temples are organized into three groups—Western, Eastern, and Southern. The Western Group includes the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple—the largest and most ornate, its shikhara rising 116 feet and its walls covered with 872 statues. The sculptural quality is extraordinary: the stone figures possess a fluidity and naturalism that prefigures the Renaissance by five hundred years. The apsaras (celestial maidens) applying makeup, removing thorns from their feet, or wringing water from their hair display a humanity and intimacy that transcends religious iconography.
The cuisine of Khajuraho and the surrounding Bundelkhand region is North Indian with local distinctions. Dal bafla—steamed wheat dumplings served with lentil soup and ghee—is the regional specialty. The thali offers a sampling of dal, sabzi, roti, rice, raita, and pickle. Khajuraho's restaurants serve tandoori dishes, biryanis, and cream-based curries. Chai—sweet, spiced, milky tea—is the constant companion of exploration, served at roadside stalls.
The Chandela kings who built the temples were devotees of Tantrism, a tradition that sees the physical body not as an obstacle to spiritual liberation but as a vehicle for it. The non-erotic sculptures—which vastly outnumber the erotic ones—depict the full spectrum of medieval Indian life. The Jain temples of the Eastern Group display sculptural finesse equal to the Hindu temples and offer a quieter visiting experience.
Khajuraho has its own airport with connections to Delhi and Varanasi. The best time to visit is October through March. The Khajuraho Dance Festival, held against the illuminated backdrop of the Western Group temples each February, presents classical Indian dance forms in a setting of extraordinary power. Summer brings extreme heat, and the monsoon brings rain but also lush greenery and fewer tourists.