View allAll Photos Tagged Dedicated
Aria
I profili punteggiati di cipressi
lungo i margini delle colline,
i cambi improvvisi
che si aprono in mutanti prospettive
e si estendono in spazi sempre più grandi
che sembrano moltiplicarsi all’infinito,
sono espressione di un pensiero divino.
In quei momenti il sentimento è profondo,
puoi confonderti con il cielo
e perderti nel vento con la terra.
Allora il respiro è grande
e ti pare di toccare l’aria.
(Rosalba Parrini)
------------------
Air
The profiles dotted with cypress trees
along the edges of the hills,
the sudden changes
that open in mutants prospects
and extends in larger spaces
that seem to multiply indefinitely,
are an expression of a divine thought.
In those moments the feeling is deep,
can confuse yourself with the sky
and lose yourself in the wind with the earth.
Then the breath is great
and you seem to touch the air.
(Rosalba Parrini)
Dedicated to Scal ( Patrick) 82 years young. A Dear Friend. RIP. " I will always miss you" Your smile and wave were precious and won't be forgotten. Love always Tess Sal and Terry.
View On Black Recommended This Picture is © Copyrighted. to Tess Mc Kenna
None of these images may be reproduced and or used in any form of publication, print or the Internet without my written permission
Dedicated to Lotus (Saúde, Paz e Prosperidade - www.flickr.com/photos/mpvboselli/) as a hello to a newcomer to this photostream
- Détails d' une couronne
dedicated for all flickrs!
love you all!
please full view for xtra pleasure
taken at arround 19.00, long exposure 30 seconds
no, that's not dead pixel but they're some stars :D
what dya think guys?
this will be last visit to Tanah Lot Bali, i'm going to move to another island next month
This lovely Dahlia was such a treat this last season.It grew to be a really large and stunning size. Because of it's weight and the Oklahoma winds it was bent down. So I cut it and brought it in and enjoyed it for several more days.......When going through my shots I came across it once again.So I had to picked it for my #200th photo on flickr....Well here it is still stunning and being viewed by awesome flickr people all over the world....And I'm dedicating it to all of you out there in flickr world....Thanks to each of you for all your wonderful comments and awards.Each one has been so appreciated...It's been a ball....I hope you enjoy this Amazing Dahlia,(my #200)....I can't really believe it....wow....Thanks once again....
dedicated to : «||▐ S▐ N▐ A▐ ||»→ ♥kaKa GIRL 8♥
www.flickr.com/photos/30341139@N04/
Hope U like it (L)
Dedicated to Saint Peter, the abbey church of Champagne is not located, as one would think, in the bubbly-producing hills of northeastern France, but much further south, on the banks of River Rhône, between Lyon and Valence, in the northern part of the département of Ardèche, i.e., in the old province of Vivarais.
Stylistically, this large church, built right next to the busy and noisy thoroughfare that Highway 86 is today, is very homogeneous and was built around 1150, replacing an older, 11th century church of which two capitals have been re-used in the nave. Numerous sculpted fragments from the previous church were also gathered as demolition progressed and reinserted haphazardly in the new one. But built by whom exactly, and for what exact purpose? That is much more mysterious.
From the scant written evidence that has come to us, we can surmise that it was originally built by the Albon family of powerful local lords, probably for regular canons of one or the other obedience. In 1275, it has become a priory of the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Chef. In 1172, the canons of the chapter of the Saint Maurice Cathedral in Vienne had given a number of churches to the abbey of Saint-Chef, but the charter doesn’t specify which ones. If we are right in thinking that the Champagne church was originally owned by canons, it is possible that those canons were the ones from the Vienne chapter, and if so, the Champagne church may have been among those turned over to the abbey in 1172. The deal would have been facilitated by the fact that, from 1119, the archbishop of Vienne was also the protector of the abbey of Saint-Chef. Furthermore, it has been noted (in particular in my Zodiaque collection reference book, Vivarais et Gévaudan romans, by Robert Saint-Jean) that the Champagne church offers many similarities with the abbey church of Saint-Chef, in a more accomplished version, as the former came half a century after the latter.
The link between Saint-Chef and Champagne, however, did not last. Because of deep and enduring management problems at Saint-Chef where the monks could not elect a new abbot, the archbishop of Vienne was first appointed as abbot ad perpetuitam by a papal Bull of John XXII in 1320. A second Bull, in 1328, took away from the abbey the Saint Peter Priory, under the pretext that its income was not sufficient to support the prior and his monks. The church then became a simple parish church. However, let’s not forget that, at the time, the Rhône River was the border between the kingdom of France and the Holy Roman Empire: the archbishop of Vienne had his seat on the left bank, on the Empire side, while the Saint Peter Priory was on the right bank, on the kingdom side; the archbishop may have wanted to be able to take refuge in France in the event things went sour on the Empire side... which would explain why the priory compound was indeed fortified at the same time!
Seriously damaged during the Wars of Religion in the 1560s, the church undertook important repairs during the early 1600s: it is then the the three cupolas on squinches roofing the nave were put in place in lieu of the previous Romanesque barrel vault. The church, much too big for such a small village, continued to degrade over the decades. By 1750, the upper floors of the tower-porch that framed the western entrance were in ruin, and one century later, what was left of that tower-porch was razed to allow for the enlargement of what was then the royal road number 86. This veritable act of vandalism prompted the authorities to protect the monument in 1854 by listing it as a Historic Landmark.
A systematic restoration took place between 1888 and 1894, during which (it is a rare enough occurrence to be duly noted and lauded!) all the add-ons erected after the end of the Romanesque period were eliminated. The original church was saved. In 1968, three regular Augustinian canons from a Swiss convent came and settled in Champagne, reviving the Saint Victor offshoot of the Augustinians which had been dead since the French Revolution. They proved extremely successful and in 1976, Pope Paul VI elevated the priory to abbey status. Today, the church is both canonical and parochial.
However, the very exceptional characteristic of this abbey is that, because the original monastery buildings had been destroyed after the French Revolution and replaced by ordinary village houses, the Augustinians had to build anew where there was space available, i.e., a couple hundred meters away from the church...! Thus, there is no proper enclosure, the canons live in the middle of the village, and walk across it to go attend to their duties. This is much too in sæculum for my taste, and not a proper way to practice the life of a so-called “regular” canon. I understand the appeal that the church may have had, but my opinion is that, owing to the present-day configuration of the village, it should have been deemed unsuitable. Likewise, the liturgy of this congregation does not truly meet with my approval, the same way “reality TV” doesn’t: a floor-heated church, cleverly designed lighting everywhere, a discreet and elaborate sound system... quite a bit too Hollywoodian for me. But obviously, just like reality TV, it does have its appeal.
The choir and the ambulatory (which does not exist in Saint-Chef). There are no radiating chapels in which relics could have been exposed (and no crypt either), and no record of any being kept in this church, so the ambulatory is a bit of a mystery. It is nicely lit by three large windows.
Dedicated to grandma Eleanor who has such an understanding and stoicism for my storytelling!
- Clin d’œil
Blackpearlz,FullMoOn,Deem,Glamorous,Sharjah Lover,blackdiamonds,pїήkїe, M!sLeaD , MISS ICEBERG ,Pink Delight ^_^
dedicated to my brother g3r1
who just happens to love macros, I finally have a lens that can do the same, amigo...
this one's for you...en tu tierra, Menoza
[Dedicated to CRA (ILYWAMHASAM)]
Macro taken February 23, 2026 and uploaded for the groups
Gigaset GS 290
ƒ/2.0
3.5 mm
1/33 Sec
ISO 494
Dedicated to my LOVELY and LOVING Wife whom I met on this date 20 years ago in California...
World of Flowers 117 - EXPLORE
Every year around this time, the so-called "meninas" are placed in specific places in Madrid.
These, let's say, colorful sculptures are dedicated to various themes that change every year.
This year, in addition, a menina has been placed in the Plaza de Colón that is decorated with the official flag of the Valencian region, and that the people of Madrid are dedicating to all the victims of the flood that unfortunately occurred on October 29, 2024, and not only in the Valencian region but in other regions as well.
At the moment, a total of 230 dead and 4 missing have been recorded, as well as tens of thousands of people affected with thousands of ruined houses.
The photo also shows the so-called "Columbus Towers", which have changed their name and exterior design several times since they were built between 1967 and 1976.
Also visible in the photo is the monument dedicated to Christopher Columbus, which was erected between 1881 and 1885, and which gives its name to this square.
And just behind the head of the "Valencian" menina, you can see an angel that is part of the night lighting in Madrid at Christmas time.
Originally, the "meninas" (or meninos) were "young women (or men) from noble families who entered the court to serve the queen or her children."
In fact, "las meninas" is an expression that became famous as a result of the nickname given to a painting by the famous painter Diego de Veázquez, which is actually called: "The Family of Philip IV" in reference to the family of that king of the dynasty of the House of Austria (Habsburg Spain dinasty), which was completed in 1656 and is considered a masterpiece for various reasons. (Source: Wikipedia)
DEDICADO A LAS VICTIMAS DE LA RIADA, 2024
Todos los años por estas fechas, se colocan en lugares determinados de Madrid las llamadas "meninas".
Estas, digamos, coloridas esculturas, están dedicadas a temas variados que van cambiando cada año.
Este año, además, en la plaza de Colón se ha colocado una menina que está adornada con la bandera oficial de la región valenciana, y que los madrileños está dedicamos a todas las víctimas de la riada que desgraciadamente ocurrió el pasado 29 de octubre de 2024, y no sólo en la región valenciana sino en otras regiones también.
De momento se contabilizan un total de 230 fallecidos y 4 desaparecidos, amén de decenas de miles de personas afectadas con miles de casas arruinadas.
En la foto, además, se ven las llamadas "Torres de Colón", que han cambiado de nombre y de diseño exterior varias veces desde que se construyeron entre 1967 y 1976.
También se ve en la foto el monumento dedicado a Cristóbal Colón, que fue erigido entre 1881 y 1885, y que da nombre a esta plaza.
Y asímismo, justo detrás de la cabeza de la menina "valenciana" se ve un ángel que es parte de la iluminación nocturna de Madrid en fechas navideñas.
En origen, las "meninas" (o meninos) eran "jóvenes de familia noble que entraban en la corte para servir a la reina o a sus hijos".
En realidad "las meninas" es una expresión que se hizo famosa a raíz del sobrenombre que se dio a un cuadro del famoso pintor Diego de Veázquez, que en realidad se llama: "La familia de Felipe IV" en referencia a la familia de ese rey de la dinastía de la Casa de Austria, que fue terminada en 1656 y es considerada una obra maestra por diversos motivos. (Fuente: Wikipedia)
Orchard Close, Egleton, Rutland.
Egleton is a small village in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It is situated south east of Oakham, and is close to the western shore of Rutland Water. The population of the village remained less than 100 at the 2011 census and was included in the civil parish of Burley. The parish church is dedicated to St Edmund and has a notable Norman tympanum.
Shallow lagoons of the reservoir come close to the village on the south and east and more are planned as a result of increased take of supplies from Rutland Water. An area of ancient meadows, rich in orchids, lie to the east. The Anglian Water Birdwatching Centre is here and the British Birdwatching Fair is held in the parish.
A double exposure of the St Johns Bridge, taken with my Holga camera as I rode across the bridge, no I wasn't driving. The fun thing about double exposures, holga, and windshield shooting is that with any of them you never quite know what you are going to get. Combine all three of them together and the results are even more unpredictable. It is this unpredictability that I am particularly drawn to. This is a vision not even my imagination would have created, yet my $25 dollar plastic camera did. Amazing.
This particular photo by the way is dedicated to a good friend, with whom I recently had a discussion with about subpar photography. They are a big fan of this bridge so hopefully they like this shot too. But these sort of discussions can drive me a bit mad at times. Especially considering I hold their photography in very high esteem. They have a wonderful vision of this world, and a true passion for seeking out and capturing the magic of it. Seeing someone of such ability fail to realize in their own work their ability for causing the rest of us marvel is a travesty. Our photography is what we make of it, nothing more and nothing less. It truly troubles me to see someone whose photography could be something more, make it something less.
Photography is such an incredibly subject business. You take a soulless metal and glass device that has no opinion, thoughts or feelings...in other words, bias, and you use it to capture something as unique and undefinable as one's own vision. There is no way to be able to quantify this. It is what we believe it to be. I do not like to think of good pictures or bad pictures. To me, a slightly out of focus shot of some 40 year old man from the 1950's may be boring (it often isn't) but to that man's granddaughter who is seeing it 50 years later, it is priceless. Maybe this shot of the bridge, which I find intriguing and mysterious, might bore or confuse another. How can one possibly label a photo as being necessarily a "good" shot or a "bad" shot, or a "subpar" shot for that matter then? You show it to ten people and you will likely get ten different responses. Majority opinion then? Surely not. Because majority opinion would often be unimpressed with all your personal family photos, yet we still love to display them at home.
Each photographer shoots at least partially themselves, even if the photograph is meant for some other audience. It is their vision they are recording, their craftsmanship being put to the test. Ultimately I believe the person's opinion who matters the most when it comes to your photography is your own. And yes, I agree, the opinions of others, especially the nice and constructive ones, certainly make an impact too. I guess what all this long-winded rambling was about, was me just trying to say, don't do yourself that injustice by failing to see what you are capable of when you pick up a camera. Do not fail to believe in yourself, for to do so is to limit yourself, to handicap your ability to see. One does not have to be an arrogant snob about it either, instead of thinking good or bad, think potential, think vision, think possibility. I am always a little sad when I see such great photographers producing great photography, which everybody else enjoys except for themselves. Alright then, off of my soapbox. Hope you made it this far, now get away from that comp and go take some photos. ;-)
If you are interested in pricing for my images, or just plain curious, more info can be found at my website: www.zebandrews.com
Dedicated to my friend Kat Kots as she is so impressed by this kind of macro shooting!
- Spectre en tonalités bleues
Dedicated with all my love to my darling wife Theresa Jane Brown who is in Nottingham, England as a ROYAL ACADEMY OF DANCE EXAMINER (from November 9 - December 3, 2018).
ΜΕΤΗΟΝΙ - ΜΕΘΩΝΗ
Summer vacation with my wife Theresa Jane Brown in Messinia - Μεσσηνία, Peloponnese, Southern Greece.
Taken on July 26, 2018.
Methoni has been identified as the city of Pedasus, which Homer mentions under the name "ampeloessa" (of vine leaves), as the last of the seven cities that Agamemnon offers Achilles in order to subdue his rage. Along with the rest of Messenia, the town gained its independence from the Spartans in 369 BC.
During the Byzantine years Methoni retained its remarkable harbor and remained one of the most important cities of the Peloponnese.
The castle of Methoni is a medieval fortification which occupies the whole area of the cape and the southwestern coast to the small islet that has also been fortified with an octagonal tower and is protected by the sea on its three sides. The Venetians built on the ancient battlements and added on and repaired it during both periods that they occupied the castle.
Thanassis Fournarakos - Θανάσης Φουρναράκος
Professional Photographer, Athens, Greece
(retired in 2011, born in 1946).
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
None of my images may be downloaded, copied, reproduced, manipulated or used on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission. THANK YOU!
Dedicated to my cousin Diana, 8 months pregnant, gone forever in the South Tower September 11, 2001...I miss you so much. I love you
A golden idol
flushed away
by bloody tears.
But it was the blood,
that brought healing
to the wounded heart.
Drops of the soul
caught and saved
by loving hands.
(Ines Langs, June 3rd, 2007)
Highest position in Explore on Monday, June 11, 2007: # 116
THIS POSTING IS DEDICATED TO THE LIVES LOST THROUGH HOMOPHOBIA AND VIOLENCE.
THE RECENT TRAGEDY IN ORLANDO’S PULSE NIGHTCLUB, ON JUNE 12, 2016, IS ESPECIALLY IN OUR THOUGHTS.
–
Silence = Death
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This photograph is a copyrighted image. please do not download this image to use or blog, or for any other purposes, without crediting me, and informing me of its use.
+++++++ From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia +++++++++
"Khajuraho"
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Location Madhya Pradesh, India Edit this at Wikidata
Coordinates 24°51′08″N 79°55′20″E
Criteria Cultural: (i), (iii) Edit this on Wikidata[1]
Reference 240
Inscription 1986 (10th Session)
Khajuraho Group of Monuments is located in India
Khajuraho Group of Monuments
Location of Khajuraho Group of Monuments
[edit on Wikidata]
The Khajuraho Group of Monuments is a group of Hindu and Jain temples in Madhya Pradesh, India, about 175 kilometres (109 mi) southeast of Jhansi. They are one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India.[2][3] The temples are famous for their nagara-style architectural symbolism and their erotic sculptures.[4]
Most Khajuraho temples were built between 950 and 1050 by the Chandela dynasty.[5] Historical records note that the Khajuraho temple site had 85 temples by the 12th century, spread over 20 square kilometers Of these, only about 25 temples have survived, spread over 6 square kilometers.[3] Of the various surviving temples, the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple is decorated with a profusion of sculptures with intricate details, symbolism and expressiveness of ancient Indian art.[6]
The Khajuraho group of temples were built together but were dedicated to two religions, Hinduism and Jainism, suggesting a tradition of acceptance and respect for diverse religious views among Hindus and Jains in the region.[7]
Contents
1 Location
2 History
3 Description
3.1 Architecture of the temples
4 Construction
5 Chronology
6 Arts and sculpture
7 Tourism and cultural events
8 See also
9 References
10 Further reading
11 External links
Location
The Khajuraho monuments are located in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, in Chhatarpur district, about 620 kilometres (385 mi) southeast of New Delhi. The temples are near a small town also known as Khajuraho,[8] with a population of about 20,000 people (2001 Census).
Khajuraho is served by Civil Aerodrome Khajuraho (IATA Code: HJR), with services to Delhi, Agra, Varanasi and Mumbai.[9] The site is also linked by the Indian Railways service, with the railway station located approximately six kilometres from the entrance to the monuments .
The monuments are about 10 kilometres off the east-west National Highway 75, and about 50 kilometres from the city of Chhatarpur, which is connected to the state capital Bhopal by the SW-NE running National Highway 86.
The 10th century Bhand Deva Temple in Rajasthan was built in the style of the Khajuraho monuments and is often referred to as 'Little Khajuraho'.
History
The Khajuraho group of monuments was built during the rule of the Chandela dynasty. The building activity started almost immediately after the rise of their power, throughout their kingdom to be later known as Bundelkhand.[10] Most temples were built during the reigns of the Hindu kings Yashovarman and Dhanga. Yashovarman's legacy is best exhibited by The Lakshmana Temple. Vishvanatha temple best highlights King Dhanga's reign.[11]:22 The largest and currently most famous surviving temple is Kandariya Mahadeva built in the reign of King Vidyadhara.[12] The temple inscriptions suggest many of the currently surviving temples were complete between 970 and 1030 CE, with further temples completed during the following decades.[7]
The Khajuraho temples were built about 35 miles from the medieval city of Mahoba,[13] the capital of the Chandela dynasty, in the Kalinjar region. In ancient and medieval literature, their kingdom has been referred to as Jijhoti, Jejahoti, Chih-chi-to and Jejakabhukti.[14]
Khajuraho was mentioned by Abu Rihan-al-Biruni, the Persian historian who accompanied Mahmud of Ghazni in his raid of Kalinjar in 1022 CE; he mentions Khajuraho as the capital of Jajahuti.[15] The raid was unsuccessful, and a peace accord was reached when the Hindu king agreed to pay a ransom to Mahmud of Ghazni to end the attack and leave.[14]
Khajuraho temples were in active use through the end of 12th century. This changed in the 13th century; after the army of Delhi Sultanate, under the command of the Muslim Sultan Qutb-ud-din Aibak, attacked and seized the Chandela kingdom. About a century later, Ibn Battuta, the Moroccan traveller in his memoirs about his stay in India from 1335 to 1342 CE, mentioned visiting Khajuraho temples, calling them "Kajarra"[16][17] as follows:
Until the 12th century, Khajuraho was under Hindu kings and featured 85 temples. Central India was seized by Delhi Sultanate in 13th century. Under Muslim rule, some temples were destroyed and the rest left in neglect. Ruins of some old temples (Ghantai temple above) are still visible.
...near (Khajuraho) temples, which contain idols that have been mutilated by the Moslems, live a number of yogis whose matted locks have grown as long as their bodies. And on account of extreme asceticism they are all yellow in colour. Many Moslems attend these men in order to take lessons (yoga) from them.
— Ibn Battuta, about 1335 CE, Riḥlat Ibn Baṭūṭah, Translated by Arthur Cotterell[18]
Central Indian region, where Khajuraho temples are, remained in the control of many different Muslim dynasties from 13th century through the 18th century. In this period, some temples were desecrated, followed by a long period when they were left in neglect.[7][10] In 1495 CE, for example, Sikandar Lodi’s campaign of temple destruction included Khajuraho.[19] The remoteness and isolation of Khajuraho protected the Hindu and Jain temples from continued destruction by Muslims.[20][21] Over the centuries, vegetation and forests overgrew, took over the temples.
In the 1830s, local Hindus guided a British surveyor, T.S. Burt, to the temples and they were thus rediscovered by the global audience.[22] Alexander Cunningham later reported, few years after the rediscovery, that the temples were secretly in use by yogis and thousands of Hindus would arrive for pilgrimage during Shivaratri celebrated annually in February or March based on a lunar calendar. In 1852, Maisey prepared earliest drawings of the Khajuraho temples.[23]
Nomenclature
The name Khajuraho, or Kharjuravāhaka, is derived from ancient Sanskrit (kharjura, खर्जूर means date palm,[24] and vāhaka, वाहक means "one who carries" or bearer[25]). Local legends state that the temples had two golden date-palm trees as their gate (missing when they were rediscovered). Desai states that Kharjuravāhaka also means scorpion bearer, which is another symbolic name for deity Shiva (who wears snakes and scorpion garlands in his fierce form).[26]
Cunningham’s nomenclature and systematic documentation work in 1850s and 1860s have been widely adopted and continue to be in use.[23] He grouped the temples into the Western group around Lakshmana, Eastern group around Javeri, and Southern group around Duladeva.[27]
Khajuraho is one of the four holy sites linked to deity Shiva (the other three are Kedarnath, Kashi and Gaya). Its origin and design is a subject of scholarly studies. Shobita Punja[28] has proposed that the temple’s origin reflect the Hindu mythology in which Khajuraho is the place where Shiva got married; with Raghuvamsha verse 5.53, Matangeshvara honoring ‘’Matanga’’, or god of love.
Description
Sections and orientation of Khajuraho temples.
The temple site is within Vindhya mountain range in central India. An ancient local legend held that Hindu deity Shiva and other gods enjoyed visiting the dramatic hill formation in Kalinjar area.[27] The center of this region is Khajuraho, set midst local hills and rivers. The temple complex reflects the ancient Hindu tradition of building temples where gods love to play.[27][29]
The temples are clustered near water, another typical feature of Hindu temples. The current water bodies include Sib Sagar, Khajur Sagar (also called Ninora Tal) and Khudar Nadi (river).[30] The local legends state that the temple complex had 64 water bodies, of which 56 have been physically identified by archeologists so far.[27][31]
All temples, except[27] one (Chaturbhuja) face sunrise - another symbolic feature that is predominant in Hindu temples. The relative layout of temples integrate masculine and feminine deities and symbols highlight the interdependence.[28] The art work symbolically highlight the four goals of life considered necessary and proper in Hinduism - dharma, kama, artha and moksha.
Of the surviving temples, 6 are dedicated to Shiva and his consorts, 8 to Vishnu and his affinities, 1 to Ganesha, 1 to Sun god, 3 to Jain Tirthankars.[27] For some ruins, there is insufficient evidence to assign the temple to specific deities with confidence.
An overall examination of site suggests that the Hindu symbolic mandala design principle of square and circles is present each temple plan and design.[32] Further, the territory is laid out in three triangles that converge to form a pentagon. Scholars suggest that this reflects the Hindu symbolism for three realms or trilokinatha, and five cosmic substances or panchbhuteshvara.[27] The temple site highlights Shiva, the one who destroys and recycles life, thereby controlling the cosmic dance of time, evolution and dissolution.[28]
The temples have a rich display of intricately carved statues. While they are famous for their erotic sculpture, sexual themes cover less than 10% of the temple sculpture.[33] Further, most erotic scene panels are neither prominent nor emphasized at the expense of the rest, rather they are in proportional balance with the non-sexual images.[34] The viewer has to look closely to find them, or be directed by a guide.[35] The arts cover numerous aspects of human life and values considered important in Hindu pantheon. Further, the images are arranged in a configuration to express central ideas of Hinduism. All three ideas from Āgamas are richly expressed in Khajuraho temples - Avyakta, Vyaktavyakta and Vyakta.[36]
The Beejamandal temple is under excavation. It has been identified with the Vaidyanath temple mentioned in the Grahpati Kokalla inscription.[37]
Of all temples, the Matangeshvara temple remains an active site of worship.[28] It is another square grid temple, with a large 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) high and 1.1 metres (3.6 ft) diameter lingam, placed on a 7.6 metres (25 ft) diameter platform.[27]
The most visited temple, Kandariya Mahadev, has an area of about 6,500 square feet and a shikhara (spire) that rises 116 feet.[10][27]
Jain temples
Main article: Jain temples of Khajuraho
The Jain temples are located on east-southeast region of Khajuraho monuments.[38] Chausath jogini temple features 64 jogini, while Ghantai temple features bells sculptured on its pillars.
Architecture of the temples
The layout plan of Kandariya Mahadeva Temple. It uses the 64 pada grid design. Smaller Khajuraho temples use the 9, 16, 36 or 49 grid mandala plan.[39]
Khajuraho temples, like almost all Hindu temple designs, follow a grid geometrical design called vastu-purusha-mandala.[40] This design plan has three important components - Mandala means circle, Purusha is universal essence at the core of Hindu tradition, while Vastu means the dwelling structure.[41]
The design lays out a Hindu temple in a symmetrical, concentrically layered, self-repeating structure around the core of the temple called garbhagriya, where the abstract principle Purusha and the primary deity of the temple dwell. The shikhara, or spire, of the temple rises above the garbhagriya. This symmetry and structure in design is derived from central beliefs, myths, cardinality and mathematical principles.[42]
The circle of mandala circumscribe the square. The square is considered divine for its perfection and as a symbolic product of knowledge and human thought, while circle is considered earthly, human and observed in everyday life (moon, sun, horizon, water drop, rainbow). Each supports the other.[29] The square is divided into perfect 64 sub-squares called padas.[40]
Most Khajuraho temples deploy the 8x8 (64) padas grid Manduka Vastupurushamandala, with pitha mandala the square grid incorporated in the design of the spires.[39] The primary deity or lingas are located in the grid’s Brahma padas.
Khajuraho temples use the 8x8 (64) Vastupurusamandala Manduka grid layout plan (left) found in Hindu temples. Above the temple’s brahma padas is a Shikhara (Vimana or Spire) that rises symmetrically above the central core, typically in a circles and turning-squares concentric layering design (right) that flows from one to the other as it rises towards the sky.[29][43]
The architecture is symbolic and reflects the central Hindu beliefs through its form, structure and arrangement of its parts.[44] The mandapas as well as the arts are arranged in the Khajuraho temples in a symmetric repeating patterns, even though each image or sculpture is distinctive in its own way. The relative placement of the images are not random but together they express ideas, just like connected words form sentences and paragraphs to compose ideas.[45] This fractal pattern that is common in Hindu temples.[46] Various statues and panels have inscriptions. Many of the inscriptions on the temple walls are poems with double meanings, something that the complex structure of Sanskrit allows in creative compositions.[26]
All Khajuraho temples, except one, face sunrise, and the entrance for the devotee is this east side.
An illustration of Khajuraho temple Spires (Shikhara, Vimana) built using concentric circle and rotating-squares principle. Four spires (left) are shown above, while the inside view of one Shikara ceiling (right) shows the symmetric layout.
Above the vastu-purusha-mandala of each temple is a superstructure with a dome called Shikhara (or Vimana, Spire).[41] Variations in spire design come from variation in degrees turned for the squares. The temple Shikhara, in some literature, is linked to mount Kailash or Meru, the mythical abode of the gods.[29]
In each temple, the central space typically is surrounded by an ambulatory for the pilgrim to walk around and ritually circumambulate the Purusa and the main deity.[29] The pillars, walls and ceilings around the space, as well as outside have highly ornate carvings or images of the four just and necessary pursuits of life - kama, artha, dharma and moksa. This clockwise walk around is called pradakshina.[41]
Larger Khajuraho temples also have pillared halls called mandapa. One near the entrance, on the east side, serves as the waiting room for pilgrims and devotees. The mandapas are also arranged by principles of symmetry, grids and mathematical precision. This use of same underlying architectural principle is common in Hindu temples found all over India.[47] Each Khajuraho temple is distinctly carved yet also repeating the central common principles in almost all Hindu temples, one which Susan Lewandowski refers to as "an organism of repeating cells".[48]
Construction
The temples are grouped into three geographical divisions: western, eastern and southern.
The Khajuraho temples are made of sandstone, with a granite foundation that is almost concealed from view.[49] The builders didn't use mortar: the stones were put together with mortise and tenon joints and they were held in place by gravity. This form of construction requires very precise joints. The columns and architraves were built with megaliths that weighed up to 20 tons.[50] Some repair work in the 19th Century was done with brick and mortar; however these have aged faster than original materials and darkened with time, thereby seeming out of place.
The Khajuraho and Kalinjar region is home to superior quality of sandstone, which can be precision carved. The surviving sculpture reflect fine details such as strands of hair, manicured nails and intricate jewelry.
While recording the television show Lost Worlds (History Channel) at Khajuraho, Alex Evans recreated a stone sculpture under 4 feet that took about 60 days to carve in an attempt to develop a rough idea how much work must have been involved.[51] Roger Hopkins and Mark Lehner also conducted experiments to quarry limestone which took 12 quarrymen 22 days to quarry about 400 tons of stone.[52] They concluded that these temples would have required hundreds of highly trained sculptors.
Chronology
The Khajuraho group of temples belong to Vaishnavism school of Hinduism, Saivism school of Hinduism and Jainism - nearly a third each. Archaeological studies suggest all three types of temples were under construction at about the same time in late 10th century, and in use simultaneously. Will Durant states that this aspect of Khajuraho temples illustrates the tolerance and respect for different religious viewpoints in the Hindu and Jain traditions.[53] In each group of Khajuraho temples, there were major temples surrounded by smaller temples - a grid style that is observed to varying degrees in Hindu temples in Angkor Wat, Parambaran and South India.
The largest surviving Saiva temple is Khandarya Mahadeva, while the largest surviving Vaishnava group includes Chaturbhuja and Ramachandra.
Kandariya Mahadeva Temple plan is 109 ft in length by 60 ft, and rises 116 ft above ground and 88 ft above its own floor. The central padas are surrounded by three rows of sculptured figures, with over 870 statues, most being half life size (2.5 to 3 feet). The spire is a self repeating fractal structure.
Temples, religious affiliations and consecration years
Sequence Modern Temple name Religion Deity Completed by
(CE)[27][54] Image
1 Chausath Yogini Hinduism Devi, 64 Yoginis 885 Khajuraho,Chausath-Yogini-Tempel2.jpg
2 Brahma Hinduism Vishnu 925
3 Lalgun Mahadev Hinduism Shiva 900 India-5696 - Flickr - archer10 (Dennis).jpg
4 Matangeshwar Hinduism Shiva 1000 India-5772 - Flickr - archer10 (Dennis).jpg
5 Varaha Hinduism Vishnu 950 India-5595 - Flickr - archer10 (Dennis).jpg
6 Lakshmana Hinduism Vaikuntha Vishnu 939 India-5679 - Flickr - archer10 (Dennis).jpg
7 Parshvanatha Jainism Parshvanatha 954 Le temple de Parshvanath (Khajuraho) (8638423582).jpg
8 Vishvanatha Hinduism Shiva 999 India-5749 - Visvanatha Temple - Flickr - archer10 (Dennis).jpg
9 Devi Jagadambi Hinduism Devi, Parvati 1023 Khajuraho Devi Jagadambi Temple 2010.jpg
10 Chitragupta Hinduism Sun, Chitragupta 1023 India-5707 - Flickr - archer10 (Dennis).jpg
11 Kandariya Mahadeva (Largest temple) Hinduism Shiva 1029 Temple at Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, India.jpg
12 Vamana Hinduism Vamana 1062 Khajuraho Vaman Temple 2010.jpg
13 Adinath Jain Temple Jainism Adinatha 1027 Adinath Jain Temple Khajuraho 12.jpg
14 Javeri Hinduism Vishnu 1090 Javari Temple, Khajuraho.jpg
15 Chaturbhuja Hinduism Vishnu 1110 Khajuraho Chaturbhuja Temple.jpg
16 Duladeo (Duladeva) Hinduism Shiva 1125 Khajuraho Dulhadeo 2010.jpg
17 Ghantai Jainism Adinatha 960 A ruin, pillars at Khajuraho, India.jpg
18 Vishnu-Garuda Hinduism Vishnu 1000
19 Ganesha Hinduism Shiva 1000
20 Hanuman Hinduism Hanuman 922[55] Hanuman Inscription at Khajuraho.jpg
21 Mahishasuramardini Hinduism Mahishasuramardini 995 Khajuraho India, Lakshman Temple, Sculpture 10.JPG
22 Shantinatha temple Jainism Shantinatha 1027 Jain group of temples - Khajuraho 09.jpg
Arts and sculpture
Khajuraho temples are famous for their erotic arts. These constitute about 10% of total art displayed at the monuments.
Erotic sculptures
The Khajuraho temples feature a variety of art work, of which 10% is sexual or erotic art outside and inside the temples. Some of the temples that have two layers of walls have small erotic carvings on the outside of the inner wall. Some scholars suggest these to be tantric sexual practices.[56] Other scholars state that the erotic arts are part of Hindu tradition of treating kama as an essential and proper part of human life, and its symbolic or explicit display is common in Hindu temples.[6][57] James McConnachie, in his history of the Kamasutra, describes the sexual-themed Khajuraho sculptures as "the apogee of erotic art":
"Twisting, broad-hipped and high breasted nymphs display their generously contoured and bejewelled bodies on exquisitely worked exterior wall panels. These fleshy apsaras run riot across the surface of the stone, putting on make-up, washing their hair, playing games, dancing, and endlessly knotting and unknotting their girdles....Beside the heavenly nymphs are serried ranks of griffins, guardian deities and, most notoriously, extravagantly interlocked maithunas, or lovemaking couples."
Over 90% of the art work at the temple is about daily life and symbolic values in ancient Indian culture.
The temples have several thousand statues and art works, with Kandarya Mahadeva Temple alone decorated with over 870. Some 10% of these iconographic carvings contain sexual themes and various sexual poses. A common misconception is that, since the old structures with carvings in Khajuraho are temples, the carvings depict sex between deities;[58] however the kama arts represent diverse sexual expressions of different human beings.[59] The vast majority of arts depict various aspects the everyday life, mythical stories as well as symbolic display of various secular and spiritual values important in Hindu tradition.[3][6] For example, depictions show women putting on makeup, musicians making music, potters, farmers, and other folks in their daily life during the medieval era.[60] These scenes are in the outer padas as is typical in Hindu temples.
There is iconographic symbolism embedded in the arts displayed in Khajuraho temples.[6] Core Hindu values are expressed in multitude of ways. Even the Kama scenes, when seen in combination of sculptures that precede and follow, depict the spiritual themes such as moksha. In the words of Stella Kramrisch,
This state which is “like a man and woman in close embrace” is a symbol of moksa, final release or reunion of two principles, the essence (Purusha) and the nature (Prakriti).
— Stella Kramrisch, 1976[29]
The Khajuraho temples represent one expression of many forms of arts that flourished in Rajput kingdoms of India from 8th through 10th century CE. For example, contemporary with Khajuraho were the publications of poems and drama such as Prabodhacandrodaya, Karpuramanjari, Viddhasalabhanjika and Kavyamimansa.[61] Some of the themes expressed in these literary works are carved as sculpture in Khajuraho temples.[26][62] Some sculptures at the Khajuraho monuments dedicated to Vishnu include the Vyalas, which are hybrid imaginary animals with lions body, and are found in other Indian temples.[63] Some of these hybrid mythical art work include Vrik Vyala (hybrid of wolf and lion) and Gaja Vyala (hybrid of elephant and lion). These Vyalas may represent syncretic, creative combination of powers innate in the two.[64]
Tourism and cultural events
Temples layout map – Khajuraho Group of Monuments.
The temples in Khajuraho are broadly divided into three parts : the Eastern group, the Southern Group and the Western group of temples of which the Western group alone has the facility of an Audio guided tour wherein the tourists are guided through the seven eight temples. There is also an audio guided tour developed by the Archaeological Survey of India which includes a narration of the temple history and architecture.[65]
The Khajuraho Dance Festival is held every year in February.[66] It features various classical Indian dances set against the backdrop of the Chitragupta or Vishwanath Temples.
The Khajuraho temple complex offers a light and sound show every evening. The first show is in English language and the second one in Hindi. It is held in the open lawns in the temple complex, and has received mixed reviews.
The Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development has set up kiosks at the Khajuraho railway station, with tourist officers to provide information for Khajuraho visitors.
See also
List of megalithic sites
Jain temples of Khajuraho
Ajanta Caves
Badami Chalukya architecture
Western Chalukya architecture
Hindu temple
Madan Kamdev
Hemvati
Kama Sutra
Kamashastra
References
"World Heritage Day: Five must-visit sites in India".
Khajuraho Group of Monuments UNESCO World Heritage Site
Philip Wilkinson (2008), India: People, Place, Culture and History, ISBN 978-1405329040, pp 352-353
Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam, ed. India through the ages. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 179.
Devangana Desai (2005), Khajuraho, Oxford University Press, Sixth Print, ISBN 978-0-19-565643-5
James Fergusson, Norther or Indo-Aryan Style - Khajuraho History of Indian and Eastern Architecture, Updated by James Burgess and R. Phene Spiers (1910), Volume II, John Murray, London
"Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
Khajuraho airport AAI, Govt of India
G.S. Ghurye, Rajput Architecture, ISBN 978-8171544462, Reprint Year: 2005, pp 19-24
Sen, Sailendra (2013). A Textbook of Medieval Indian History. Primus Books. ISBN 9789380607344.
Devangana Desai 2005, p. 10.
also called Erakana
Mitra (1977), The early rulers of Khajuraho, ISBN 978-8120819979
J. Banerjea (1960), Khajuraho, Journal of the Asiatic Society, Vol. 2-3, pp 43-47
phonetically translated from Arabic sometimes as "Kajwara"
Director General of Archaeology in India (1959), Archaeological Survey of India, Ancient India, Issues 15-19, pp 45-46 (Archived: University of Michigan)
Arthur Cotterell (2011), Asia: A Concise History, Wiley, ISBN 978-0470825044, pp 184-185
Michael D. Willis, An Introduction to the Historical Geography of Gopakṣetra, Daśārṇa, and Jejākadeśa, Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 51, No. 2 (1988), pp. 271-278; See also K.R. Qanungo (1965), Sher Shah and his times, Orient Longmans, OCLC 175212, pp 423-427
Trudy King et al., Asia and Oceania: International Dictionary of Historic Places, ISBN 978-1884964046, Routledge, pp 468-470
Alain Daniélou (2011), A Brief History of India, ISBN 978-1594770296, pp 221-227
Louise Nicholson (2007), India, National Geographic Society, ISBN 978-1426201448, see Chapter on Khajuraho
Krishna Deva (1990), Temples of Khajuraho, 2 Volumes, Archaelogical Survey of India, New Delhi
kharjUra Sanskrit English Dictionary, Koeln University, Germany
vAhaka Sanskrit English Dictionary, Koeln University, Germany
Devangana Desai (1996), Chapter 7 - Puns and Enigmatic Language in Sculpture in The Religious Imagery of Khajuraho, Project for Indian Cultural Studies, Columbia University Archives
Rana Singh (2007), Landscape of sacred territory of Khajuraho, in City Society and Planning (Editors: Thakur, Pomeroy, et al), Volume 2, ISBN 978-8180694585, Chapter 18
Shobita Punja (1992), Divine Ecstasy - The Story of Khajuraho, Viking, New Delhi, ISBN 978-0670840274
Stella Kramrisch, The Hindu Temple, Vol 1, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-0222-3
Ibn Battuta in his 1335 CE memoirs on Delhi Sultanate mentioned the temples to be near a mile long lake, modern water bodies are much smaller and separate lagoons; Director General of Archaeology in India (1959), Archaeological Survey of India, Ancient India, Issues 15-19, pp 45-46 (Archived: University of Michigan)
The number 64 is considered sacred in Hindu temple design and very common design basis; it is symbolic as it is both a square of 8 and a cube of 4.
Brahma temple is 19 feet square; Kandariya Mahadev has a four fused square grid; Matangeshvara temple is a 64 grid square; etc. See G.S. Ghurye, Rajput Architecture, ISBN 978-8171544462, Reprint Year: 2005, pp 19-25; and V.A. Smith (1879), "Observations on some Chandel Antiquities", Asiatic Society of Bengal, Vol. 48, Part 1, pp 291-297
D Desai (1996), The religious imagery of Khajuraho, Project for Indian Cultural Studies, ISBN 978-8190018418
Desai states that Khajuraho and Orissa Hindu temples are distinctive in giving erotic kama images the same weight as others and by assigning important architectural position; in contrast, surviving sculpture from temples of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Mysore show that there kama and sexual images were assigned to insignificant parts of the temple; Meister suggests that this aspect of eroticism in temple design and equal weight reflects evolution of design ideas among Hindu artisans, with temples built in later medieval centuries placing equal weight and balance to kama; see Meister, Michael (1979). "Juncture and Conjunction: Punning and Temple Architecture". Artibus Asiae. 41 (2–3): 226–234. JSTOR 3249517. doi:10.2307/3249517.
Edmund Leach, The Harvey Lecture Series. The Gatekeepers of Heaven: Anthropological Aspects of Grandiose Architecture, Journal of Anthropological Research, Vol. 39, No. 3 (Autumn, 1983), pp 243-264
Bettina Bäumer, A review, Artibus Asiae, Vol. 59, No. 1/2 (1999), pp. 138-140
Cunningham, Alexander (1880). Report of Tours in Bundelkhand and Malwa in 1874-75 and 1876-77. 8 Hastings Street, Calcutta: Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing. p. 22. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
James Fergusson, Jaina Architecture - Khajuraho History of Indian and Eastern Architecture, Updated by James Burgess and R. Phene Spiers (1910), Volume II, John Murray, London
Meister, Michael W. (April–June 1979). "Maṇḍala and Practice in Nāgara Architecture in North India". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 99 (2): 204–219. JSTOR 602657. doi:10.2307/602657.
Meister, Michael (1983). "Geometry and Measure in Indian Temple Plans: Rectangular Temples". Artibus Asiae. 44 (4): 266–296. JSTOR 3249613. doi:10.2307/3249613.
Susan Lewandowski, The Hindu Temple in South India, in Buildings and Society: Essays on the Social Development of the Built Environment, Anthony D. King (Editor), ISBN 978-0710202345, Routledge, pp 68-69
Stella Kramrisch (1976), The Hindu Temple Volume 1, ISBN 81-208-0223-3
Meister, Michael W. (March 2006). "Mountain Temples and Temple-Mountains: Masrur". Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians. 65 (1): 26–49. JSTOR 25068237. doi:10.2307/25068237.
Meister, Michael W. (Autumn 1986). "On the Development of a Morphology for a Symbolic Architecture: India". RES: Anthropology and Aesthetics. Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology (12): 33–50. JSTOR 20166752.
Devangana Desai, Khajuraho, Oxford University Press Paperback (Sixth impression 2005) ISBN 978-0-19-565643-5
Rian et al (2007), Fractal geometry as the synthesis of Hindu cosmology in Kandariya Mahadev Temple, Khajuraho, Building and Environment, Vol 42, Issue 12, pp 4093-4107, doi:10.1016/j.buildenv.2007.01.028
Trivedi, K. (1989). Hindu temples: models of a fractal universe. The Visual Computer, 5(4), 243-258
Susan Lewandowski, The Hindu Temple in South India, in Buildings and Society: Essays on the Social Development of the Built Environment, Anthony D. King (Editor), ISBN 978-0710202345, Routledge, Chapter 4
V.A. Smith, "Observations on some Chandel Antiquities", Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Volume 48, pp 290-291
"Lost Worlds of the Kama Sutra" History channel
"Lost Worlds of the Kama Sutra," History Channel
Lehner, Mark (1997) The Complete Pyramids, London: Thames and Hudson. ISBN 0-500-05084-8. pp. 202–225
Will Durant (1976), Our Oriental Heritage - The Story of Civilization, ISBN 978-0671548001, Simon & Schuster
From inscription or estimated from other evidence
Cunningham in Archaeological Survey Reports noted that one of two Hanuman statues bears an inscription of 868 CE
Rabe (2000), Secret Yantras and Erotic Display for Hindu Temples, Tantra in Practice (Editor: David White), ISBN 978-8120817784, Chapter 25, pp 434-446
See:
Heather Elgood (2000), Hinduism and the Religious Arts, ISBN 978-0304707393, Bloomsbury;
Stella Kramrisch, The Hindu Temple, Volume 1, ISBN 81-208-0223-3, pp 92-96;
Alain Danielou (2001), The Hindu Temple: Deification of Eroticism, ISBN 978-0892818549, pp 101-119
"Khajuraho". Liveindia.com. Retrieved on 2014-07-14.
Alain Danielou (2001), The Hindu Temple: Deification of Eroticism, ISBN 978-0892818549
George Michell, The Hindu Temple: An Introduction to Its Meaning and Forms, University of Chicago Press, ISBN 978-0226532301, pp 117-123 and pp 56-58
L. H. Gray, Journal of American Society, Vol. 27
H.M. Woodward (1989), The Lakṣmaṇa Temple, Khajuraho, and Its Meanings, Ars Orientalis, Vol. 19, pp. 27-48
Smith, David (1 January 2013). "Monstrous Animals on Hindu Temples, with Special Reference to Khajuraho": 27–43. doi:10.1558/rosa.v7i1-3.27. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
The Lakṣmaṇa Temple, Khajuraho, and Its Meanings, Hiram W. Woodward, Jr., Ars Orientalis, Vol. 19, (1989), pp. 27-48
Tourists to Khajuraho will now have an audio compass The Times of India (25 August 2011)
Khajuraho Festival of Dances
A thin place is where the veil that separates heaven and earth is lifted and one is able to receive a glimpse of the glory of God. A contemporary poet Sharlande Sledge gives this description.
“Thin places,” the Celts call this space,
Both seen and unseen,
Where the door between the world
And the next is cracked open for a moment
And the light is not all on the other side.
God shaped space. Holy.
Dedicated to that person who says I cannot take a happy picture to save my life.
Bear Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. View large on black
Thank you for all your warm wishes to my sister. It means a lot. This picture is dedicated to you and your pool.
Dedicated to a fun and wonderful friend. Hope you find lots of tulips while on vacation. You deserve a break!