It was a slow moving December morning and as a reward for an aimless stroll, I was at a lonely granite temple on a rocky outcrop overlooking green waters of a pond buzzing with cackling ducks. In Khajuraho, the usual crowd of bewildered onlookers was missing. The poise of this time-worn structure, however, was unmistakable-the oldest shrine of Khajuraho, a temple of the Chausath Yoginis or 64 aspects of the Mother Goddess had been gradually consigned to anonymity and had paled in comparison to the grandeur of its lofty neighbours.
A slight drizzle had ensued as I walked towards the entrance of the world heritage Western Group of Temples past an empty town centre and the museum, which houses several exquisite sculptures of gods and goddesses, Surasundaris (nymphs) and Vyalas (heraldic animals) salvaged from ruins around the area; a colossal statue of the Buddha, a four-armed Mauna-Vratin Vishnu in yogasana, Parvati flanked by chauri bearers and an Andhaksuravadha sculpture are notable. The smell of masala dosa and filter coffee wafted from Madras Café across the museum-an unexpected sight in the heartland of Madhya Pradesh. The establishment-the owner had moved from Tamil Nadu in the early 1960s-retains the flavours from South of the Vindhyas perfect for cold rainy days.
While the larger temples dazzled the observer with their sheer scale, the smaller shrines of Jagdambi, Chitragupta and Parvati exuded elegance often seen in relics that have survived the ravages of time.
If the rain had been oddly shy during the first day, its coyness had vanished quickly during the night. The next morning chilliness had firmly taken over and the jovial residents of Khajuraho were huddled over inadequate fires relishing the traditional poha-jalebi with hot tea. In the eastern corner of the town and set amidst green fields, the Vamana Temple was being mobbed by a busload of Bengali tourists outdoing each other in clicking pictures. Further to the east, the caretaker was busy sweeping the raised plinth on which stood the splendid Javari Temple. A relatively smaller structure, it boasts of all the architectural features, found in the larger temples, which are executed with immaculate detail; a carved makara torana arch above the entrance showcases the skill possessed by the stone carvers of yore. The caretaker, a feisty lad from neighbouring Bihar, was immensely proud of protecting a symbol of India's past and was slightly perturbed by the dismissive attitude of a group of youngsters who seemed more interested in selfies than understanding these expressions on stone. A few children in school uniform, obviously skipping class, were guiding a French tourist through the remnants of the inconspicuous Ghantai Temple. The most prominent of these eastern group of temples are the ones dedicated to the Jain Tirthankars, Parsvanatha, Adinatha and Santinatha, and there I had stumbled upon Jaari.
Jaari, a Norwegian, had been traveling across North India over the past weeks. Staggered by the crowds in Agra, he had decided to extend his stay in Khajuraho to find some peace. For the past 10 days, he had been walking across town studying the sculptures and looking for secluded corners for contemplation. On that particular day, he was concentrating on the beautiful images of sura-sundaris that are particularly striking in the Jaina Temples-a celestial maiden applying kohl in her eyes; another wearing anklets and yet another putting make-up on her feet stand apart. A retired computer professional who conducted classes to introduce the elderly to the online world, Jaari had been on the move gathering material for his book that explored the influence of spirituality in our daily lives.
For most visitors, Khajuraho is limited to the western group of temples. Some enthusiasts venture as far as the eastern group, but the southern group rarely features in cramped itineraries. The Dulhadeo and Chaturbhuj temples lie far from the town centre and beyond the patience of hurried tourists. Recently, the ASI has excavated the foundation of what would have been the largest temple of the historic city in Bijamandal, close to the Chaturbhuj Temple. Khajuraho is still spitting out secrets from a bygone era and a visit to the town barely scratches surface of the civilisation that flourished here and still continues to inspire. The journey to catch a glimpse of its real character had begun at its oldest temple and it ended at the deserted Tribal and Folk Art museum where, quite abruptly, the grandness was supplanted by endearing simplicity. Terracotta toys, wooden masks, pottery birds, paintings with finger design, bows and arrows, utensils, wooden combs, metal figurines of gods and goddesses crafted with remarkable creativity to illustrate life in the villages. Are grandiose temples the pulse of Khajuraho or that disregarded exhibit of fallible human endeavours? It is a riddle that will continue to baffle every traveller who attempts to peel off the layers of this magnificent ancient city.
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