Top Things to See
The temples built by the Chandela dynasty is undeniably the main sightseeing attractions. The temples are split into three groups: the western group, the eastern group and the southern group. Of these, the western group is perhaps the most notable.
 Archaeological Museum
Situated in a building adjacent to the Matangeshwar Temple, the Archaeological Museum was established by government officer WA Jardine in 1910 as a place to house the loose statues and sculptures found lying on the grounds of the ruined ancient temples. The facility was initially known as the Jardine Museum until 1952 when the Archaeological Survey of India took it over and changed its name to the Archaeological Museum.
 Chaunsath Yogini Temple
Also featuring a fairly extensive collection of erotic stone carvings is the Chaunsath Yogini Temple, a structure dedicated to the goddess Kali and notable for being the only temple in the entire range to have been made from granite. The oldest shrine of any of the temples in the western group can be found at Chaunsath Yogini.
Hindu Temples
Brahman, Vamana and Javari comprise the three Hindu temples within the eastern group. All three temples feature the same style of erotic carvings as the others; while Braham is known for its four-faced lingam statue, Vamana for its sculptures of nymphs, and Javari for its magnificent gateway.
Jain Temples
Parsvanath which is dedicated to Jain Tirthankara Parshvanatha, is the largest of the Jain Temples and, like the somewhat smaller Adinath (dedicated to the Jain Tirthankara Adinath), features a selection of erotic carvings as well as other stone works telling less sexually explicit stories. Ghantai Temple, meanwhile, features stone carvings that tell the stories of the 16 dreams of Mahavira's mother. The Jain temples are all a part of the eastern group of temples.
 Kandariya Mahadev Temple
This is the tallest of the temples, not only in the western group but in the entire collection, and is believed to have been built around 1025 in honour of Lord Shiva. This 30-metre-high structure features erotic carvings along its northern and southern faces but also a variety of others depicting women engaged in non-sexual activity. Notable also, is the large lingam inside of the temple which is commonly held to be a representation of Shiva.
 Lakshmana Temple
Lakshmana is a part of the western group of temples and among the most famous in this category on account of its erotic sculpture collection. While all of the temples in the town feature stone works of this nature, Lakshmana’s collection is especially extensive and the carving particularly sexually graphic, depicting a large number of coital scenarios.
Top Things to Do
The main highlights of Khajuraho are the temples here, and thus the top thing to do is to visit these temples. Apart from that, there are a few other attractions but you should bear in mind this is a very small town and there’s not much else in the way of activities. If you tire of the temples, you can always take in the nearby national park to see some of the local wildlife.
Check out the light and sound show at the temples. The town’s tourism department presents a light and sound show in the garden of the western group of temples every evening at 19:30. Chairs are provided and a recorded narrative gives visitors some informative background on the history and ongoing significance of the temples.
 See the animals at Panna National Park. You’ll need to arrange transportation to get you to Panna National Park, which is located about 57kms from Khajuraho; but the effort will certainly be worth it to see the delights of this magnificent nature reserve. The park is most famous perhaps for its big cat collection and patient visitors may well be rewarded with sights of Indian tigers if they bide their time. Other indigenous creatures that call the park home include antelope, deer, sloth bears, chinkaras, sambars and chitals. There are numerous walking trails in the park and visitors can make their own way around or employ the services of a guide.
 Visit the Ajaygarh Fort. At 80kms away, Ajaygarh Fort is some distance from Khajuraho but well worth a visit all the same. The fort is believed to have been built around 900 BC by kings of the Chandela Rajpur dynasty; and, like most structures of its nature, it was designed to protect the local population during offensive and sieges. Despite the age of the fort, it is in remarkably good condition. Forts can also be found at Orchha in the Tikamgarh district and Kalinjar in the Bundelkhand region; the latter being the oldest of the three, having been built in the Gupta period.
Visit the Shilpgram cultural centre. This complex is home to craftsmen of various talents making a large selection of ethnic handicrafts, which are available for purchase at the centre’s onsite shop. An open-air auditorium presents live cultural performances in the evenings among which are displays of classical and folk dances.
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