Iconography of Vishnu from Khajuraho

Khajuraho is a small but modernised village situated in the Chhatarpur District of Madhya Pradesh in the Central India, played an important role as one of the capitals of the Chandellas, with its famous group of magnificent temple with sculptures, built between 9th and 12th century A.D., became the religious city of Chandellas. The Chandellas were devoted worshipers of both Vishnu and Siva. Vishnu is variously worshipped as Vaikunthanatha, Vamana, Trivikrama, Lakshmana, Adimurti, Hayagriva, Lakshmi-Narayana, Surya-Narayana, Krishna, Visvarupa and so on. The Lakshmana, Vamana and Javari temples of Khajuraho are dedicated to Vishnu. The Chapters I and II deal with location and general history of Chandellas and the Chapter III is written on the Characteristics of temples in general and Vishnu temples at Khajuraho. The Chapter IV delt in details with worship of Vishnu, the Twenty- Four Forms of Vishnu and other forms of Vishnu namely Adimurti Dattareya, Gajendra moksha, Hayagriva, Lakshmi-Narayana, Surya-Narayana, Vaikunthanatha and Vish-varupa. The Chapter V deals with Minor Divinities namely Gaja-Lakshmi, Garuda, Hanuman and Ayudhapurushas. This work aims at presenting a detailed and systematic study of sculptures and iconography of Vishnu in particular based on Puranas and other ancient texts. This is a comprehensive study on the iconography of Vishnu With all the relevant details including major and minor forms of Vishnu. Although some books on sculptures have been published but there prevailed a lacuna as far as comprehensive work on vaishnavite sculpture the iconographic point of view.