Khajuraho Unknown

by Onkar Rahi

Khajuraho Unknown is a book about Khajuraho temple- complex, a world heritage, which presents before us sculpture as manifestation of refinement rekindling creative fire all around us. Khajuraho art has the lucidity of structure with passionate unrest, riotous activity and a preference for vast, wild and the predominantly picturesque. The sculptors not only have portrayed individual figures but turned sculpture to compositions with innumerable legends invading the stones of Khajuraho Temples.

The author has exposed the deliberate display of nudity where effervescent woman as a goddess, an apsara and a source of joy is seen unloosening the knots of her garments and portraying variety of moods, actions and sentiments. ‘Khajuraho Un-known’ presents erotica where sexo-yogic postures depict Tantric and cult details whereas reverential attitude in erotics represents devotion and renunciation.

Eastern mysticism mixed with out thoughts and actions allows us to be governed by sentiments, emotion and belief. Religion is man’s quest of immortality and Khajuraho is a macro and micro view of our widespread cultural fabric where religion of the world and aesthetic ideals have fashioned us into a meeting point f art and religion, where divine and the worldly combine and exist for a united purpose to take us to the unknown and we are trained to find our discipline and freedom both at one and the same point.

‘Khajuraho Unknown’ is a book which gives us a Sheet Anchor- which opens our inner self to us and takes us to attain the fulfillment which is not so easy to achieve without the outer garbs.