Kama Sutra City of India - Khajuraho

Have you heard the name Khajuraho before? Maybe not, but you certainly will know why it is famous once I tell you. Apart from the popular Khajuraho Dance Festival Tour; Naked, almost erotic images of men and women in beautifully carved statues fill the temples in the little town in India.

Ever heard of Kama Sutra? Pictures of these statues you can find on incense boxes coming from Bangalore and other incense-creating places in India. Find out why this small town might be a travel destination for you.

Your first impression, when you view the erotic art in the central India region of Khajuraho, is that the sculptures are incredibly detailed and fragile looking. Some of the select few scenes depicting the erotic lean over to the extremities and you will bear witness to the things that you will not expect to see on temple walls. To get there takes an uncomfortable 12-hour train ride from Varanasi, the holy city of the Hindus to Satna in central India and then a further 121 km with a bus or taxi to Khajuraho. However, this will bring you to arguably the most amazing group of temples in the world. The temples are empty, and the monks and priests are long gone. But the temples and the art that can be found in stone blocks, put together as religious lessons are still there. And let me be frank, they are as naked as can be.

Erotic and Artistic

You won't be able to easily find something as artistic and mesmerizing and in such large numbers as these wonderful sculptures of men and women indulging in a deep passion for one another in Khajuraho. Eroticism plays an important part, yet it is depicted in a sensual and feminine manner that strikes the chords of your heart for deepest appreciation. Women in these sculptures are celebrated in all their true and joyous forms.

This is only my perception but it is the women that steal the show. The depiction of free sex is only a small part of the temples and one has to search for that among the more artistic sculptures. Far more interesting is the balance of art, stone, and life that seems to flow from the static bodies.

It is as if these people look at you, waiting to talk to them. You imagine how they come alive after dark and indulge in the sins of the flesh. Somehow they strike a pose to mock you as the visitor in believing that they are not real.

Youthful, nymphs with well-rounded breasts flaunt their charm from where they stand in variations of acts. From grooming, dancing, flirting, and flaunting to lovemaking, the women of Khajuraho do it in style and don’t hold back. One can only wonder how enchanting the real models must have been.

Religious Temples or Vanity

There is much speculation as to the reason for the sexual depiction of the temples that vary widely, but in the end, the world sees nothing more than pictures published in books today. The traveler sees the planning behind them and the skill of the sculpture that created a classy, charming, and elegant masterpiece. If looked after it will last another thousand years. Since the occupants of the place were highly religious one can assume that the erotic theme has more to do with spirituality than vulgarity.

Although the temple complex is known for being one of the smallest shrines as far as the measurements go, it is one of the most mesmerizing places I have ever seen in all of India. The effort to get there is worth every pothole you go through and a stay of three days is advised. If money is a consideration I would rather save the money you have to spend entering the Taj Mahal in Agra and head south to Khajuraho for an amazing experience. The Taj is a picture, and Khajuraho is an experience.