A day in Khajuraho

Khajuraho, India

Dawn - Chaunsat Yogini temple

Cool air and pale light sit on the coarse granite around me. I move slowly through this oldest enclosure, keeping close to the stone. Chaunsat Yogini is the oldest surviving temple at the site, dedicated to sixty-four esoteric female deities.

Morning - Lakshmana Temple

The carved entrance lintel catches soft morning sun on this well-preserved shrine. I pass among the temples and pause a moment before the Vaishnavite building. Lakshmana Temple was commissioned by the Chandela rulers, and its lintel shows the Hindu divine triad.

Morning - Ghantai Temple

Chain-and-bell shapes run down the cool elegant pillars all around me. I cross this ruined sanctuary slowly and look closely at the carved stone. Ghantai Temple is a Jain sanctuary known for these pillars and for delicate friezes depicting sacred dreams.

Midday - Kandariya Mahadev Temple

Dense sculpted figures cover every part of the spire above this court. I move through the great shrine and keep my eyes on the stonework. Kandariya Mahadev Temple is the largest and most famous surviving shrine, and it stands as the pinnacle of medieval Indian art.

Midday - A table in town

Heat and spice rise from the potato and tomato curry in front of me. I sit at a table in town and eat it piping hot with flatbreads. Aloo Tamatar is a comforting curry served this way at straightforward local eateries near the temple lanes.

Afternoon - Chitragupta Temple

Warm west light falls on the elaborate carved royal court scenes across this sanctuary. I look slowly along the stone walls at the processions of deities. Chitragupta Temple faces west and is dedicated to the celestial recordkeeper of human deeds.

Afternoon - Open-air temple grounds

Warm sandstone and open air surround me here among the shrines on these grounds. I explore between them in loose, breathable cotton that covers my shoulders. September to March offers the most comfortable weather for exploring the open-air temple grounds.

Golden Hour - Soaring Nagara spires

Gold light climbs the soaring Nagara spires high above me. I tip my head back and take in the full height of the stone. Khajuraho is renowned for these spires and for its extraordinary sculptural artistry on the medieval temples.

Night - Evening street in town

The cotton of this crimson saree feels light on my shoulders in the warm town air. I move along the evening street in modest dress. Women here often wear cotton sarees, and loose natural fibres help with the regional heat.

Night - Medieval stone temples

A dark sky sits over the medieval stone temples all around me. I remain beneath them and watch their outlines against the night. The hot summer months bring intense heat, and the monsoon brings heavy rain from June to September.