Southern Group of Temples

Travel to Khajuraho revels the architectural beauty of the exquisite temples of Khajuraho, which are unlike any other in India or anywhere in the world. The Khajuraho Temples are divided into three broad groups: Western Group, Eastern Group and Southern Group. The Southern Group of Temples, which is the most distant one comprising of two main monuments near and across the Khudarnala.

The Duladeo Temple or the Kunwar Maha is somewhat new and built in a time when the creativity of Khajuraho was well down its peak. The Duladeo Temple, constructed around 1130 A.D, on the bank of the Khudarnala, forms the last phase of building at Khajuraho for which the Chandella art and architecture are justly famous. According to several inscriptions, it was built during the time of King Madanavarman, who was the worshipper of Lord Shiva.

The Duladeo is a small, five-chambered temple, having a large closed hall with the ceiling illustrated with 20 apsaras-brackets, which are further grouped in bunches. The wall of the ceiling is adorned with repetitions of identical images of Shiva and Shiva-Parvati and figures, richly decorated with intricately carved jewellery, though somewhat 'wooden' in style and expression. Though, this temple is replete with some of the famous Khajuraho erotic carvings, but it is felt that it lacks the enchantment and magic of the Western Group of temples and is not as well constructed as its predecessors.

The Chitragupta Temple, dedicated to the Sun God - Surya, is a first and last here. About a mile away near the Khajur Sagar are the smaller shrines of this group. The Brahma Temple is one of smallest in Khajuraho and has only a single room with a Shivalinga in the centre protected by a huge pyramidal roof. The Vaman and Javari Temples are set against a rural landscape amidst fields and pastures and are miniature versions in plan and design of the larger Western group of temples.

The other temple is of Chaturbhuja, pretty far from the village. South of the river, about three km from the village and a healthy hike down a dirt road, this ruined temple has a fine three-meter high image of Vishnu. The temple has a 3-m-high statue of Vishnu.

Apart from the temples, another place that can be visited here is the Archeological Museum. It has a very good collection of sculpture, inscriptions, and architectural objects.