Kandariya Mahadeva Temple

The Kandariya Mahadeva Temple is the largest and most ornate temple in the Western Group of the Khajuraho Group of Monuments in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it was built around 1025-1050 CE during the Chandela dynasty and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 1986. Renowned for its soaring 31-metre shikhara, intricate sandstone carvings and Nagara-style architecture, it represents the pinnacle of medieval central Indian temple art.

Visitors can expect a grand west-facing sandstone temple set within the enclosed Western Group complex. The temple features a high platform, ornate entrance porch, mandapa, and a towering shikhara with miniature spires. Exterior and interior walls are densely covered with detailed sculptures of deities, musicians, dancers and mythological scenes. Inside, a dimly lit sanctum houses a Shiva lingam. The surrounding complex includes manicured lawns, pathways and other adjacent temples to explore on foot.