THE FIRST IMPRESSION OF A KHAJURAHO TEMPLE IS that of one giant carving reaching out to the skies. A closer look, which brings into focus the hundreds of sculptures of gods and goddesses, celestial beauties and their enchanting human counterparts, mythical animals and the mundane, only serves to strengthen this impact. In the temples of khajuraho architecture and sculpture are perfectly integrated, making them dual masterpieces of these arts.
The sculptures belong to the surface on which they are carved, as its constituent, integral part. They are not added from the outside after completion of the framework, but are carved out of the same blocks of stone which form the structural fabric of the temple. The builders evolved a formula for the placement of the sculptures, each set occupying its assigned zone, and this has been uniformly adhered to. Thus the temple rose, tier upon tier, with the sculptured slabs being placed simultaneously according to their scheme of depiction.
