• Home

The Complete Pilgrim - Religious Travel Sites

Howard Kramer's, The Complete Pilgrim, Religious Travel Site

  • AMERICAN RELIGIOUS SITES
  • CHRISTIAN SITES
  • JEWISH SITES
  • CATHOLIC SITES
  • INDIAN/HINDU SITES
  • HOLIDAY SITES
  • CASTLES
  • BATTLEFIELDS
  • MOUNTAINS
  • NATURE
  • WILDLIFE SITES
  • PHOTO GALLERIES
  • ARCHIVES
  • ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

KANDARIYA, MAHADEV, JAGADAMI TEMPLES

August 10, 2015 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh

The city of Khajuraho is home to one of the best collections of temples in India. There are nearly two-dozen major temples here, including some from both the Jain and Hindu traditions. Of the Hindu temples, the Kandariya/Mahadev/Jagadami Temple (three temples connected in a single complex) is the largest and among the most popular. It is part of the Western Group of temples (those located on the west side of the city), and is one of the must-stops for any visitor to Khajuraho.

History

There are few places in India where Hindus and Jains seem to have gotten along better than in the city of Khajuraho. The two groups apparently lived here side by side since at least the 9th century. During the 10th century, a new regional power arose in Central India, the Chandela. The Chandela emerged in the vicinity of Khajuraho, and it became one of the major cities of the realm.

The Chandela kingdom survived in one form or another for the better part of the next four hundred years, during which time they built Khajuraho into a major urban and religious center. From the 10th through the 12th centuries they sponsored the construction of dozens of major temples in the city, including both Jain and Hindu shrines.

The main Hindu temples included the Lakshmana Temple around 939 AD, the Vishnavath Temple around 999 AD, the Chitragupta Temple around 1023 AD and the Kandariya-Mahadev-Jagadami Temple around 1029 AD. As many as eighty other temples of both religions were also constructed in Khajuraho at this time. Khajuraho remained a major Hindu center throughout the period of Chandela rule.

After the Muslim conquest of the region in the 13th century, many of Khajuraho’s temples were destroyed, while others were neglected and ultimately abandoned over time. They were rediscovered by British explorers in the 19th century. Most of those that survived have since been restored. One new temple, the Shantinath Temple, was constructed from the ruins of other temples during the colonial era.

Visiting

The Kandariya/Mahadev/Jagadami Temple is actually three large temples that occupy the same immense platform, and are considered by some to be a single immensy religious shrine. The main temple is the Kandariya Mahadev Temple, which is dedicated to Shiva. It is the tallest temple in Khajuraho, and some enthusiasts say it is also the best. It is famous throughout India for the its extensive and varied collection of erotic carvings.

Sharing the great platform are the Mahadev Temple, also dedicated to Shiva; and the Devi Jagadami Temple, dedicated to Vishnu and Kali. Both of these temples are smaller, but no less impressive in their artwork. The latter in particular is known for its depictions of beautiful women and its excellent shrine to Kali.

The Kandariya/Mahadev/Jagadami Temple is located on west central Khajuraho, approximately 300 miles southeast of New Delhi. It is part of the Western Group of Temples which are clustered together as a single site. The Western Group of Temples is open daily from sunrise to sunset. The cost of admission is Rs5. Web: www.khajuraho-india.org (official website).

Other Sites

The Lakshmana Temple is part of what’s referred to as Khajuraho’s western group of temples, which includes the Chitragupta Temple, the Lakshmi Temple, the Matangeshvar Temple, the Varaha Temple and the Vishvanath Temple.

Filed Under: Hindu Tagged With: India (NE)/Nepal

Where would you like to go?

Africa (North) Africa (Sub-Sahara) Arabia Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia Australia/Pacific Austria/Switzerland Balkans Belgium/Netherlands British Isles Canada Caribbean Central Asia China Czech Republic Egypt France Germany Greece Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria India (NE)/Nepal India (NW) India (South)/Sri Lanka Iran/Iraq Israel Italy/Malta Japan/Korea Latin America Mexico Palestine Poland/Lithuania Russia Scandinavia Southeast Asia Spain/Portugal Syria/Jordan/Lebanon Turkey/Cyprus Ukraine US-California US-Mid Atlantic US-Midwest US-New England US-New York US-Pacific Northwest US-South US-Southwest

About Howard Kramer

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is a culmination of years of his work and passion.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

THE COMPLETE AMERICAN PILGRIM – NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

THE COMPLETE PILGRIM

Welcome to The Complete Pilgrim(TM)! This site, created by Howard Kramer, is a combination travel blog and online guide to the world's greatest sites of religious interest (with some historic and recreational places thrown in for good measure). All written content has been originally researched and produced and is provided free for public research and enjoyment. Thank you for visiting!

Site of the Week

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

Wittenberg, Germany The … [Read More...]

Friends of TCP Spotlight

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

by Glory Ali The City of Brotherly Love offers tons to see and do and get this, it’s FREE. That’s right you heard it right it’s FREE. Click here for complete article  

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

by Mary Neuhauser President Trump recently announced his intentions to move the United States Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, thereby recognizing Jerusalem as the official capital of Israel. The purpose of this article is to give you a brief overview of what this decision means and why it matters. Click here for […]

Photo of the Week

BASILICA OF ST. DENIS

Last month, I visited one of the most fascinating churches I have ever been to, the almost completely ignored Basilica of St. Denis in the northern suburbs of Paris.  Almost every French monarch is buried here, and almost nobody goes here.  Here are some pics I took:

Basilica of St. Denis

Tomb of Clovis

Tomb of Clovis

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Royal Tombs

Royal Tombs

The Crypt

The Crypt

 

 

 

 

Follow us!

Where would you like to go?

Africa (North) Africa (Sub-Sahara) Arabia Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia Australia/Pacific Austria/Switzerland Balkans Belgium/Netherlands British Isles Canada Caribbean Central Asia China Czech Republic Egypt France Germany Greece Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria India (NE)/Nepal India (NW) India (South)/Sri Lanka Iran/Iraq Israel Italy/Malta Japan/Korea Latin America Mexico Palestine Poland/Lithuania Russia Scandinavia Southeast Asia Spain/Portugal Syria/Jordan/Lebanon Turkey/Cyprus Ukraine US-California US-Mid Atlantic US-Midwest US-New England US-New York US-Pacific Northwest US-South US-Southwest

Contact Us

Have a comment, a great photo or a religious site you'd like to nominate for the weekly spotlight? We would love to hear from you. Email us at hkramer@thecompletepilgrim.com.

About the Author

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is the culmination of years of his work and passion.

Return to top of page
Copyright © 2025 The Complete Pilgrim, LLC || Marietta, GA 30068 || Legal Disclaimers

Website by: Kristina McInerny, Notes From Kris, Inc.