KANDARIYA MAHADEVA TEMPLE

                                                    KANDARIYA MAHADEVA TEMPLE

                                 

Country	India
State	Madhya Pradesh
District	Chhatarpur
Location	Khajuraho
Date built	circa 1030
Creator	Vidyadhara (Chandela king)

KHAJURAHO; It is largest and most ornate Hindu Temple in Khajuraho (M.P). It is conisdered one of the best example of Temple preserved form the medieval period in India. It was built by king Dhangadeva in 1050A.D.D Decorating the sides of the Temple are over 646 statues.

* Kandariya Mahadev temple at khajuraho sets the benchmark Hindu art in India.

* This temple was constructed in the middle of 11th century when Hindu temples had attained the higest point of mastured desigen.

* The structure is 30.5m long and 20m wide faced to the east to welcome the first rays of sun. The whole structure consists of four major parts:
   
      1. Grbhagriha i.e., santuary where the main deity has been kept .

      2. ardaskshina path i.e., cricumambulatory path haveing three sides baloncy  bringing ventilatia and light to the interior.

      3. Mandapa, i.e., columned assembly hall haveing two sides balcony.

      4. Artha mandapa i.e., entrance porch.


Khajuraho was once the capital pf the Chandela dynasty.The kandariya Mahadeva Temple ,one of the best example of temples preserved from the medieval petoid in india , is the largest of westorn group of temples in the Khajuraho complex which was built by  the Cgaandela rulers. Shiva is  the  cheif deity in the temple deified in the sanctum sanctorium.

1. The siege of the fort was unsuccessful. It was lifted and Mahmud and Vidhyadhara called a truce and parted by exchanging gifts. Vidhyadhara celebrated his success over Mahmud and other rulers by building the Kaṇḍāriyā Mahādeva Temple, dedicated to his family deity Shiva. Epigraphic inscriptions on a pilaster of the mandapa in the temple mentions the name of the builder of the temple as Virimda, which is interpreted as the pseudonym of Vidhyadhara. Its construction is dated to the period from 1025 and 1050 AD.                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
2. The Kandariya Mahadeva temple was  built during the reign of vidyadhara (r.c. 1003-1035 CE). At various periods of the reign dynasty many famous temples dedicated to Vishnu. Shiva, Surya, Shakti of the Hindu religion and also for the Thirthankaras of jain religion were built. Vidhyadhara , also known as bida in the recording of the Muslim historian Ibu-al-Athir   was a powerful ruler who fought Mahmud of Ghazni in the first offensive launched by the latter in 1019. This battle was not conclusive and Mahmud had to return to Ghazni. Mahmud agian waged war against Vidhyashara  in 1022. He attacked called the fort of Kalinjar...                                                                                     
3. All the extant temples including the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple were inscribed in 1986 under the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites under Criterion III for its artistic creation and under Criterion V for the culture of the Chandelas that was popular till the country was invaded by Muslims in 1202.