Khajuraho- A landmark in the religious history represents the most refined manifestation of the northern or Indo Aryan the Nagar style of Hindu Architecture. Its stability and elegance are equally remarkable Chandellas who ruled over Jejakbhukti in central India between 9th & 13th century A.B. were a Rajput tribe of mixed blood claiming descent from the moon through the legendary sage Chandrotreya. local tradition lists 85 Temples in Khajuraho group of temples out of which only 25 survived in various stages of preservation. Tradition ascribed their origan to Maniyagadh a hill fort 19 K.M south of Khajuraha named after their deity Maniya Devi whose shrine still exists. The earlier Chandella chiefs were local feudatories of the imperial Pratihars who had gained paramauntcy in north India after break up of Harhavardhan’s empire in the middle of the century. Earlier this region had played a significant role in Indian cultural history from 200 B.C. during the sunga period with Bharhut and between 4th to 6th century during the Gupta period with leading centers of Arts at Bhumra, Nachn and Deogarh, all of which boast significant temples. There was a spurt in temple building from 9th -10th century onword. Which was natural corollary of the resurgence of Hindism during that period the Nagar or Northern style of temple Architecture like Hadoti region reached at its heights during this period. The temple town visited by muslim scholar Alberuni and Ibnbatuta but soon after Chandelle dynsty expired in 13th century remained lost till 1838 when T.S. Burt a British engineer explored them Conningham visited in 1852, 1864-65 and F. Kullorn first published some major inscorption in the first volume of Epighraphica India. Sir John Marshall & Henry Cousins planned for a conservation and protection plan with A.S. I Krishna Deva wrote a book on Temple of Khajurho Western group of Temples was recognized as a world Heritage site by the UNESCO in 1986 Western Group of Temples. Consist 12 temple other groups are southern and eastern. The first notable Chandela prince was Harshadeva (A.D 905 to 928) who successfully fought with Rashtrakutas from deccm and instated his Pratihar overlord Mahipal on the throne of Khajuraho Harshas marriage with the Rajput princess Kanchuka of the chahaman family indicates the rise in his status, His son Yashovarman alias Lakshmanvarman defended his suzerain from the attacks of both Rashtrakutes and pals, Inscription declares Yashovarmans conquest on Kalanjur. He built a magnificent temple of Vishnu identifiable with Lakshman temple. This was said to be the most ornate and evolved tempelof its age in central India. He installed a huge icon the III incarnation of Vishnu in fromt of the lakshman temple.
His son Dhang Deva (1950 – 1002 AD) Worshiper of Shiva installed to two lingas now called vishvanath Dhangas grandson Vidyadhar succeeded Ganda. To celebrated his victory. Temple over Khajuriya and parmars and active resistance against foreign in vaion of Kalchurislarge staff grandest temple of khajurao The kandariya mahadev After Vidyadhar the power of chandellas gradually declined but the artistic momentum of Khajuraho was not lost and temples continued to be built here till 12th century, such as Vaman, Javari Adinat, Chaturbhuj, and Duladeo later rulers concentrated on the hill forts of Mahipal, Ajyagarh and kalinjur for strategic reasons but in spite of loss of their polited importance khajuraho continued to be the religious capital of Indian. The religion at khajuraho was Tantric puranic conperilepi remain of Jain temples are also fund here and Buddinst sculptures also preserved in musems.