Sex is such a word that as soon as it is mentioned, people shy away from talking about it. Even in this era of education, sex is not discussed openly. The environment of Western countries is quite open in this matter. But do you know that even in ancient times, sex was an open topic, which is reflected in some temples of India? You will be surprised to know, but there are indeed some temples in the country that depict sexual activities. Sensual and explicit figures are carved on the walls of these temples. Today in this episode, we are going to tell you about those temples of the country where sex symbols have been the center of attraction for the people. Let us know about these temples...
Khajuraho Temple, Madhya Pradesh
Built between 950 and 1050 by the Chandela dynasty, the temple is one of the most important examples of Indian art. These sets of Jain and Hindu temples took about 100 years to take shape. Originally a collection of about 85 temples, the number has been reduced to 25. It is located in Chhatarpur district, Madhya Pradesh, India, and about 175 kilometers south-east of Jhansi. They are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and are famous for their erotic sculptures. The temples have a rich display of intricately carved sculptures. While they are famous for their erotic sculptures, sexual themes comprise less than 10% of the temple's composition.
Sun Temple Konark, Orissa
Located about 35 kilometers from Puri on the coast of Odisha, the Sun Temple is a huge temple dedicated to the god Surya, which is one of the famous sex temples of India. The Sun Temple of Konark is a sacred place, that has depictions of sexual acts, including polygamy, homosexual relationships, and polyandry. Most of the sculptures in the temple have faced natural calamities over the period, while some exquisite sculptures are still preserved which can be seen on a visit to the temple.
Sun Temple Modhera, Gujarat
The Sun Temple located in Modhera, Gujarat was built in the 11th century. Nowadays rituals or prayers are not performed in the temple but it is a major tourist place. The temple is now under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India. The Sun Temple is known for its unique architecture with sculptures depicting Samudramanthan. Erotic sculptures can also be seen as sexual activity was not considered impure at the time. For them, sex was a way of giving birth and was pure.
Virupaksha Temple, Hampi
Virupaksha Temple, located on the banks of the Tungabhadra River in Hampi, Karnataka state, is one of the major sex temples of India. This temple is dedicated to Lord Virupaksha who is another form of Lord Shiva. Built during the seventh century, this temple has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its history and beautiful architecture. Presently located in Hampi, this temple was a small temple situated amid the ancient and majestic Vijayanagara Empire. If you want to know about its architecture and history, then definitely visit Hampi Temple of Karnataka. The temple has beautiful sculptures of many gods and goddesses and the artifacts here depict mythological stories of many gods and goddesses.
Lingaraja Temple, Odisha
Lingaraja means king of Lingam. It is the primary devotional image in Hindu temples dedicated to Shiva. A Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is one of the oldest temples in Bhubaneswar, the capital of the Indian state of Odisha, the city's most prominent landmark, and one of the state's major tourist attractions. The temple is dedicated to Harihara, a form of Vishnu and Shiva. The temple is built using laterite and sandstone and has many sculptures. Many of the images are from the Kama Sutra, the ancient Hindu book on sexual behavior. Lingaraja Temple is the largest temple in Bhubaneswar. The central tower of the temple is 180 feet high. Maintained by the Temple Trust Board and ASI, the temple receives an average of 6000 devotees daily and lakhs of devotees during festivals. Shivratri is the main festival celebrated in the temple. Entry of non-Hindus is prohibited in the temple premises.
Ranakpur Jain Temple, Rajasthan
The main Ranakpur Jain temple, dedicated to the Jain god Rishabhdev, is the most famous sex temple in India and one of the most important pilgrimage sites for followers of Jainism. The walls of the main temple and other temples of Ranakpur Jain temple are carved with erotic sculptures of dancing Apsaras which reflect ancient erotic styles. Apart from this, the main attraction of the temple is the 1444 marble pillars which have unique carvings and attractive designs, It is one of the most attractive places in India to visit for tourists and art lovers.
Nanda Devi Temple, Uttarakhand
Nanda Devi Temple, dedicated to Nanda Devi, is located in Uttarakhand. Every year, the Nanda Devi Fair is organized in honor of the goddess. There are also some erotic paintings on the wall of this temple. These carvings mean that one has to enjoy life by renouncing worldly pleasures.
Satyamoorthy Perumal Temple, Tamil Nadu
Dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi, Satyamoorthy Perumal Temple is one of the oldest sex temples in India. This temple presents chapters from the Kama Sutra on the outer walls. It is believed that these erotic sculptures were placed on the outer walls of temples to symbolize that humans had to leave their desires outside the temple before entering the sacred space. If you also want to introduce yourself to the erotic sculptures carved in ancient style, then you must visit Satyamurthy Perumal Temple.
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