Sacred Sex

Photo essay: Splendor of Khajuraho's erotic monuments

by Keyvan Tabari
27-Sep-2011
 
Khajuraho is famous for its erotic sculptures. The visitor’s initial prurient interest in them, upon scrutiny, quickly changes into an appreciation of their artistic worth. Together with other types of sculptures, and the magnificent architecture of the medieval Hindu and Jain temples on which they are all planted, they constitute the best examples of the arts of India before the impact of Islam. The temples are the houses of that India’s many Gods and the sculptures tell the temporal story of the community which created them. Their value is not just in their splendor but also in their historical legacy >>> more
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Tabarzin

Nadeem

by Tabarzin on

By all means express your views. What I am saying is don't relate or lump subjects together that are unrelated as a mere point-scoring exercise.

The links you provide are also expressive of the Vaisnavite tradition of Hinduism. The folks who built the temple at Khujaraho were not Vaishnavite. The Tantric tradition comes out of a Shaivite matrix not a Vaishnavite one. In other words, Krishna's avatars among the folks who originally built this temple does not mean very much to this tradition than the other. The link you provide of Krishna as Shakti is expressing a point of view from an era long after the temple was built.


divaneh

از بس که فلفل میخورن

divaneh


از تاثیرات فلفل نباید غافل شد.


Albaloo

I wonder what people do when

by Albaloo on

I wonder what people do when they attend these kind of temples?  Do they have to practice all the rituals?  

Some of my writings from my pervious post on this blog got deleted.   Sorry, if I was too provocative but I could not help it.  On the other hand, what can be more provocative than these pictures?  


MM

MG

by MM on

The problem is that our minds may say "yes" to these Kama Sutra type images, but our bodies will definitely say "no respect".  No need for Rodney to remind us of our limitations.


Mash Ghasem

Note to MM: all this Temple is missing is Rodney Dangerfield!

by Mash Ghasem on

Could you imagine Dangerfield in the middle of that temple, with all these smiling elephants; people doing 69 all over the place; beastiality....He'll make a good M.C., he'll probably keep saying: " No respect, no respect!"


nadeem khan

More on Krishna (Baha'u'llah) here

by nadeem khan on

Dear Tabarzin,

Thank you for enlightening me.

//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_topics_and_Hindu...

Lord Krishna Eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu

//www.incredibleindians.in/category/lord-kris...

The Ninth Avatar of Vishnu is Buddha and Tenth Avatarof Vishnu is Baha'u'llah.

So Baha'u'llah is actually Krishna or Vishnu. Baha'u'llah was also born as Kali in the medival period

//www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Arti...

//www.shivashakti.com/krishna.htm

Some Baha'i study material regarding Baha'u'llah being the last Manifestation of Vishnu

//www.bci.org/prophecy-fulfilled/hindusa.htm

If you need more on this please let me know.

I just posted my thoughts on this topic. Because Baha'u'lla, the so called Iranian prophet is somehow linked to these caves so i put it here.

And I have the right to express my views. Even if you don't agree.

Nothing is Sacred here.


Albaloo

?

by Albaloo on

Is this porn industry with the religious twist?


Tabarzin

Nadeem

by Tabarzin on

The original builders of this Khujoraho Temple were most likely Shaktas of a Shaivite Vamacharin (left-hand) tradition and not a Vaishnavite one. Meaning Vishnu, and so Krishna as Vishnu's Avatar, does not enter into their theological worldview. The Temple is designated by its current Hindu devotees as a Lakhshmana, meaning it is presently considered sacred to the Goddess Lakhshmi - one of the figures of the Durga. Why it has been so designated is a good question because usually sex is associated with Kali and not Lakhshmi. This is obviously a recent development. Probably for the same reasons that a Jain temple has been erected next to this one would probably explain why eventually Lakhshmi and not Kali came to be  associated with it. 

BTW I don't believe the founder of Bahaism ever specifically referred to himself as a manifestation of Krishna. This was later applied to him by his followers. Also take it easy for the time being on relating all religious topics on IC to Bahaism.


nadeem khan

Baha'u'llah was the 9th manifestation of Lord Krishna

by nadeem khan on

These pictures Rocks ! These are the Gods and Goddesses of Hinduism. The followers of Baha'u'llah the so called Iranian prophet claims that he was the manifestation of Lord Krishna and Lord Shiva. And the idols in these pictures, having fun, are believed to be of those of Shiva and Parvathi, the supreme Hindu Gods!!! So there is an indirect Iranian Link to these pictures !!!


Tabarzin

This place rocks!

by Tabarzin on

All of the assorted Tantric sculptures and the sexual positions depicted in them are supposed to represent comsological and alchemical processes as well as narratives in assorted sacred texts (such as the Devi Mahatmyam) which reflect the preceding. This Temple of Kujaraho is sacred to the Goddess (Devi) btw, which in its Tantric permutation usually means Ma Kali

Keyvan I am seriously jealous! I've been wanting to visit this place for years now.

 


Esfand Aashena

Kinky little fellas!

by Esfand Aashena on

Those are some kinky sculptures and I wonder what were they thinking when they put them up in a "temple"!  Did they go through a design process and the best design won or did the "Prophet" just ordered the Masons to make a temple for him with statues of what went on in his parties?!

Sigh that if Islam had not arrived we'd be walking in parks naked and the only thing we'd follow would be our "foot" directing us to choose the best partner available! 

Everything is sacred