The thousand-year-old temples of Khajuraho may be architecturally impressive but what they've come to see are the many erotic sculptures that grace the ancient structures.
Some of the stone artwork is so explicit that Mahatma Gandhi once advocated their destruction. It's hard to believe the Father of India, practitioner of non-violent civil disobedience, and proponent of all things Indian, would give his blessing to a band of vandals who wanted to chip the offending sculptures off the temple walls.
What exactly did he find so objectionable? It could've been the scenes of group lovemaking, bestiality or any of the other myriad combinations of intimate acts so openly portrayed.
According to a book on Khajuraho I bought from a vendor in town, the Bengali poet and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore informed Gandhi that a national treasure "could not be so cavalierly demolished because some people were uncomfortable that their ancestors were sexual beings."
Fortunately, damage was prevented and the sculptures, which can be found on almost all of the 25 temples, were saved. Today, Khajuraho is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the highlights of a trip to northern India.
A superb example of Indo-Aryan architecture, the temples were built between the 9th and 10th centuries by the Chandela dynasty, which dominated Central India at the time. The temples are divided into three groups: Western, Eastern and Southern groups, which you can see in about a day or so.
The Western group is the most spectacular and the one with the most erotic sculptures. This is where you'll find the Kandariya Mahadev Temple, considered the finest in Khajuraho with almost 900 statues adorning the interior and exterior. It also has a 30-metre-high spire with 84 smaller spires rising up alongside it, creating the impression of a mountain range.
About an hour into my tour, I was beginning to see a pattern in the stone erotica -- it appeared that men were always on the receiving end of all the pleasure. I pointed this out to my guide.
"Wait," he said, leading me around the other side of the temple where he singled out a few particular panels for my attention.
I cannot describe the scenes (afterall, I was reminded, this paper is distributed in schools), suffice to say, it would satisfy a woman's sense of fair play -- or should that be foreplay? Either way, it appeared the Chandela carvers were equal-opportunity pleasure masters.
Scholars cannot explain the reason for all the erotic art, though theories abound. One interpretation (though not a popular one) is that artists were representing life as it was in their society with unhampered sexual expression, or perhaps the sculptures were a form of sex education for adolescent Brahmin boys growing up in all-male temple schools.
My guide seemed to subscribe to the theory that the images were manifestations of tantric practices. By gratifying the baser instincts, he said, it was believed one could transcend evil and gain enlightenment.
The erotic stone work garners a lot of attention, but it comprises only a small part of the temple art. Most of the sculptures portray a range of other subjects: Gods and goddesses, dancers, musicians, warriors, real and mythological animals, elephants engaged in playful battle, and soldiers on the march.
At one time marching soldiers, in the form of Islamic invaders, could have posed a threat to Khajuraho had it not been for the temples' remote location. After the decline of the Chandelas in the 13th century, Khajuraho was abandoned and the temples were hidden in thick jungle for an astounding 700 years.
By the time of their accidental rediscovery by a British military adventurer in 1838, only about 25 of the original 85 temples were found. But most visitors today agree it's more than enough to make a journey here worthwhile.
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IF YOU GO ... OR DON'T
Khajuraho, a pleasant town of 19,290 people, is 600 km southeast of Delhi. To learn more about the temples while at the site, you can rent an audio guide or hire a guide (ask the tourist office across from the Western group of temples to recommend one). There's also an informative 50-minute sound and light show in the evening at the Western group narrated by Amitabh Bachchan, one of India's most popular screen icons.
Everyone in town is now gearing up for the annual Khajuraho Dance Festival, which takes place this year from Feb. 25 to March 2. India's top classical dancers will perform various traditional dances with the temples as the backdrop. Book ahead as hotels are busy during this time. For details, check khajuraho-temples.com. For travel information on India, check incredibleindia.org or call 416-962-3787.
INDIAN LOVE STORY PART OF TORONTO'S WORLD STAGE
If you can't make it to Khajuraho this Valentine's, a good alternative close to home is a performance of Shakuntala, an epic love story by the 5th century Indian playwright Kalidasa. The world premiere of this new Canadian adaptation of an Indian masterpiece runs until Feb. 15 at Fleck Dance Theatre (former Premier Dance Theatre) at Harbourfront Centre.
For more information, contact harbourfrontcentre.com or 416-973-4000.
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