Parshvanatha Temple

Parshvanatha Temple is the largest and most ornate Jain temple in Khajuraho, located in the Eastern Group of Temples in Chhatarpur District, Madhya Pradesh. Built between 950 and 970 CE during the Chandela period, it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Khajuraho Group of Monuments. Dedicated to Parshvanatha, the 23rd Jain Tirthankara, it is renowned for its intricate sculptures, vaulted ceilings, and detailed carvings depicting daily life and spiritual themes.

Visitors can expect a well-preserved stone temple set within the open, park-like Eastern Group complex in Khajuraho. The temple features a rectangular plan with an entrance porch, mandapa, and sanctum, adorned with highly detailed exterior sculptures, perforated windows, and ornate ceilings. Inside, a seated image of Parshvanatha is enshrined. The surroundings are quiet compared to the Western Group, allowing close viewing of carvings and architecture.

Constructed between 950 and 970 CE during the Chandela period, Parshvanatha Temple is the largest Jain temple at Khajuraho. Originally dedicated to Adinatha, the first Jain Tirthankara, the image was later replaced with that of Parshvanatha. It exemplifies the mature Khajuraho architectural style and forms part of the Khajuraho Group of Monuments inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.

Dedicated to Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara of Jainism, the temple is an important Jain religious site and a fine example of Jain art and architecture in central India. Its sculptures illustrate Jain iconography alongside secular themes, reflecting the cultural and artistic synthesis of the Chandela era.