DESTINATION

KHAJURAHO

Preserving Culture & Heritage, Emerging MICE Destination

Prominently known as the Temple Town of Madhya Pradesh – Khajuraho is certainly amongst the most popular destinations on the list of the foreign and domestic travellers coming to the state. The town is famous for its ancient temples that depict some of the finest art in the world.

Built between 950-1050 AD by the Chandela Dynasty, these temples depict various forms like meditation, spiritual teachings, kinship, wrestling, royalty and most significantly, erotic art. The temples consist of stunning displays of fine sculptures and exceptional architectural skill, making them one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India.

Based on their geographical location, the temples are categorised into three groups; Eastern, Western and Southern. Beautiful, intricate and expressive, the sculptures of the Khajuraho temples will leave you in awe and wonder. The splendour of the statues is one of the reasons which make it a popular location to visit among the tourists. Like most of the Hindu temples, the architecture of Khajuraho temples also follows a grid geometrical design called Vastu-Purusha-Mandala. As per the grid, most of the temples face sunrise whereas entrances for the devotees open on the east side.

SOME OTHER PROMINENT STATUES

Among other idols on the outer walls of the temple, there are sculptures of UmaMaheshwar, Laxmi-Narayan and Vishnu's vast forms. Below are some other sculptures engraved on the facades of various temples. The sandstone structure of Varaha (boar) at the Varaha temple is huge. There are around 674 figures of god and goddess carved on the shrine. Each piece is associated with a tale.

On the other hand, the Lakshmana temple houses some extraordinary sculptures explaining some instances including a man and woman listening to tantric preacher sitting on a chair; a group of musicians dancing with joy. All these figurines describe the great work of sculptors, displaying different dimensions of life carved on stone. The professional guides at the site still get amazed as they find something new to make statements on each visit.

ONCE THERE WERE 85 TEMPLES IN KHAJURAHO

Built around a thousand years ago by the Chandela rulers, there were around 85 temples which got ruined over the years, and today around 20 of them are left that could survive the damage. The sculptures with minute intricacies that are engraved on the outer walls of the temples are something that tourists really adore. Moreover, the designs erected at the Khajuraho group of temples portray several phases of life including pleasure, spirituality, sculptures of dancing nymphs and figurines of nymphs wearing beautiful accessories around waists, wrist, neck, arms and legs. All these statues represent the liberal mindset of Chandela society. The Khajuraho group of monuments are the supreme specimens of the finest architectural edifices, these have also been recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1986.

Visit one of the famous group of monuments in Madhya Pradesh and witness the yearsold traditions, tales of ancient monuments and festivities! The best time to visit these historical temples is during the monsoons and winters.

EMERGING MICE DESTINATION

Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation (MPSTDC) along with Madhta Pradesh Tourism Board (MPTB) making all efforts to develop Khajuraho with world class facilities and bring more tourists to the town. Taking a step in this direction, a convention centre has been launched just a couple of months ago to attract more business events or meetings to Khajuraho. While inaugurating the Maharaja Chhatrasal Convention Center (MCCC), the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Sigh Chouhan said this Convention Center will attract conferences, meetings and spiritual events to Khajuraho and enhance the livelihood of the people living in the vicinity of the town. The newly built convention centre at a cost of 51 crore 43 lakh (60:40) under Swadesh Darshan scheme, is equipped with the state-of-art facilities and amenities.

The Convention Hall has a capacity of 1200 pax. Meeting Hall 01 can accommodate 65 pax whereas the Meeting Hall 02 and Meeting Hall 03 can accommodate 65 pax each. Pre Function Area 01 has the capacity of 515 pax and the Pre Function Area 2 can accommodate 550 pax.

NEARBY DESTINATIONS

DAZZLING PANNA

Panna has the amazing superpower to calm and thrill the travellers. While a large number of travellers are obsessed with tiger sightings, Panna National Park boasts of seven different species of vultures. This National Park is an ideal place to spot these in their natural habitat. Visitors will also come across a variety of flora and fauna here. The royal past of this destination dates back to mid of 17th Centuary AD, when it became the capital of Maharaja Chhatrasal's kingdom. The whole campus, structure and services are designed as per environment friendly building guidelines. High performance, UV resistant, heat resistant glass is used; energy efficient HVAC system is installed and energy efficient LED lights are used. Do plan a trip to Khajuraho around February when you will also be able to witness Khajuraho Dance Festival. This grand cultural extravaganza is a stunning blend of art and architecture. One gets to experience a wonderful symphony of mesmerizing classical dance performances being performed by renowned artists across the nation.

MAJESTIC ORCHHA

The historic town of Orchha, nestled on the banks of river Betwa, was founded in the 16th century by the Bundela Rajput Chief, Rudra Pratap. Here, the river Betwa splits into seven channels, also called the Satdhara. Legend goes that this is in honour of the seven erstwhile Chiefs of Orchha. The ancient town seems frozen in time, with its many monuments continuing to retain their original grandeur even to this day. Here you will find some of the most fascinating temples and palaces that will help you realise a childhood fantasy - travelling back in time!