Duladeo Temple
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History
The Khajuraho temples were built during the two-century reign of the Chandela
dynasty from 950 AD to 1150 AD. It is
believed that there were more than eighty temples originally of which only a score have survived. Of the surviving
temples, seventeen are dedicated to Hindu deities and 3 to Jain Tirthankara s. The temples are spread over an area of
twenty square kilometers and are divided into three major groups; the Western, the Southern, and the Eastern group.
T. S. Burt, a captain in British Army, rediscovered the temples in 1838. Since then many of the temples have
been restored.The Duladeo Temple is in the Southern group of temples, about 5 kilometers from the village of Khajuraho. The temple had probably been built during the reign of King Madanaverman who ruled from 1128 t0 1165, one of the last rulers of the Chandela dynasty and is considered to be one of the last temples to be built in Khajuraho. The word ‘Vasala’ appears in several places in the temple as well as in the other temple leading to the general belief that Vasala was the chief architect. There are others who think that ‘Vasala’ was the mark of masons. In 1986 all the temples taken together were declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Architecture and Construction
Situated on the banks of the Khodar River, the Duladeo Temple is constructed from fine grained sandstone like most of the others. It is constructed in a style that resembles Mount Kailash, the abode of the principal diety, Lord Shiva. Unlike other temples, the Duladeo Temple does not have a Pradakshina or a circumambulatory around the inner sanctum. The Shikara, the main pinnacle of the temple above the Garbhagriha (inner sanctum) is preceded by a row of smaller shikaras .The ceiling of the large Mahamandapa, the main hall, is carved with figures of celestial females or Apsaras in dancing and erotic postures. Sculpture of Lord Shiva and his consort, Parvati, in erotic postures can be seen all over the temple. An exquisite figure of Shiva is carved at the entrance to the inner sanctum. In general, the figures sculptured on the walls of the temple are so well proportioned that they appear real at the first glance.
Visiting the Temple
The temples are open to visitors from 8AM to 6PM. The entry fee for Indian visitors is ₨ 10 ($0.16) while foreigners will have to pay a fee of $ 10 USD in equivalent value in Indian rupees. Sound and light shows are conducted daily in English at 6.30 PM to 7.25 PM. There is a show in Hindi thereafter. Entry fees for the shows are ₨ 75 ($1.20) for an Indian adult and ₨ 25 ($0.40) for a child, while a foreign adult will have to pay ₨ 300 ($4.80) and a child ₨ 150 ($2.40).
, the monuments can be reached by road from most of the surroundings cities and towns by road.
Khajuraho is connected by air to Mumbai, Delhi, and Varanasi from the
airport located five kilometers away from the village. The Khajuraho railway station is connected by direct trains to
Delhi, Varanasi, Agra, and Jhansi. But tickets from Khajuraho by train will have to be purchased at
the main bus station. Accommodation is available for all budgets starting from budget hotels like Isabel Palace, Hotel Harmony, and Hotel Surya to the luxurious Taj Hotel Chandela, and Radisson Jass. The months between November and March are the best time to visit the monuments as the climate is cool and pleasant.
Other Places of Interest
There are nineteen other fabulous temples to see around Khajuraho other than the Duladeo Temple, among them the Lakshmana Temple, the Adinath Jain Temple, and the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, the largest of them all. Within a radius of 300 kilometers are the holy city of Varanasi and the Gwalior Fort.Do you see any omissions, errors or want to add information to this page? Sign up.
Author: jackmartis. Last updated: Dec 11, 2014
Pictures of Duladeo Temple
