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Published: January 16th 2006
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Horseplay
Note shocked bystander at rear (of picture) Khajuraho is famous for its erotic sculptures. The temples here were constructed by the Chandela dynasty just before the time that William the Conqueror was moseying over the English Channel, however the place is barely mentioned in Chandela literature. Architecturally, the most impressive temples are in the so-called Western Group, with Eastern and Southern Groups also existing but containing generally lesser erections.
Lest the above description proves misleading, it should be noted that the vast majority of the sculptures in these temples are not erotic in nature. There are many examples of hunting, dancing, and feasting sculptures, plus a large number celebrating the male and female form, but only a minority displaying any action.
The temples are amazing nonetheless. The detail is astonishing, and to a level exceeding that of the Jain temples I saw in Jaisalmer. They are set in extremely pleasant grounds, consisting of neatly trimmed lawns with flowering bushes and shady trees, and there is absolutely no hassle from anyone. I'll let my photos do the talking when it comes to just what sort of erotica can be seen.
The insides of the temples are something of an anticlimax given their exteriors, with barely a
penis wielded with intent. However I suspect this would probably have aided prayer and meditation, without unnecessary distractions.
In the afternoon, I went to the Eastern Group, which was a significantly more trying experience, as entry was free and so touts could roam at will. Dealing with one or two people is achievable, but after fifteen or twenty have approached and asked exactly the same questions, my patience does begin to wear a bit thin. I was forced to resort to rudeness, just to get some time to myself. This resulted in the question "Do you not like Indians?" being asked in a hurt tone, as though my irritability was something to do with the questioner being Indian rather than just intrusive. One guy denied following me around, even though I'd suspected this and had circled a roundabout twice with him 10 yards behind me - the look on his face when I confronted him said everything about his guilt.
Even walking back to the hotel in the evening, when it was completely dark, was no barrier to being accosted. A rickshaw-wallah did not seem to understand why I would turn down his Rs 5 fare, despite the
fact that my hotel was only a few hundred yards away.
My suspicions about the staff here have unfortunately proved to be correct. Despite me saying yesterday that I wasn't interested in having a massage, I was reminded three times today that an ayurvedic masseur was on site, reminded twice that there was an on-site laundry, and one of them even turned up at my room in the evening to ask if I wanted anything from room service - despite room service being, to my mind, a last resort option.
At least I was able to get a Rs 2,600 offer for a taxi to Bandhavgarh, which I accepted. It's only Rs 100 off my target price, and I just can't be bothered with doing another round of haggling.
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