• This photo feature, being part five in the series on Khajuraho, tells you about the Varaha Temple.

Text and Images by Ankur Gupta 

This is the fifth in a series of photo features on Khajuraho Temples. First was Introduction to Khajuraho. Second was Kandariya Mahadev and Lakshmana Temples. Third was Chaturbhuj Temple. Fourth was Dulhadeo Temple.

Padavali Temple Morena, near Gwalior) is widely considered the stylistic inspiration for the grandeur seen here.

The Cosmic Protector: Exploring the Varaha Temple

While the towering shikharas of the Western Group, such as the Lakshmana Temple, dominate the Khajuraho skyline, one of the most intellectually and spiritually dense monuments is a modest, open-air pavilion located just steps away from the main entrance.

The Varaha Temple, dating back to roughly 900–925 AD, serves as a grand theological introduction for visitors entering the UNESCO World Heritage site. It is not a temple in the traditional sense of a sprawling sanctuary; rather, it is a dedicated architectural "jewel box" designed to protect and display one of the most extraordinary monolithic sculptures in India.

Architectural Simplicity and Sacred Geometry 

As seen in the wide view of the temple, the structure is a simple, oblong pavilion built on a high stone platform (jagati). Unlike its larger neighbours that feature dark, enclosed sanctums, the Varaha shrine is entirely open to the elements, consisting of a pyramidal roof supported by fourteen plain, sturdy pillars. This intentional design ensures that the masterpiece within is bathed in natural light throughout the day, allowing the intricate details of the sandstone to be visible from every angle.

Wide view of the open-air pavilion and the fourteen pillars.

The Monolithic Masterpiece: The Boar of Khajuraho

The heart of this shrine is a massive, highly polished sandstone sculpture of Varaha, the boar incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Measuring over 2.5 meters in length and standing nearly 2 meters tall, the sculpture is carved from a single block of yellow sandstone. As captured in the first pic, the sculpture's scale is immediately imposing, commanding the space within the pavilion.

Side profile highlighting the high-polish finish and the scale of the monolith.

The boar is not merely a representation of an animal; it is a cosmic map. As seen in the macro-detail, every square inch of its body is intricately carved with hundreds of miniature figures representing the entire Hindu pantheon. These include gods, goddesses, celestial beings, and the Saptarishis (seven sages). The sheer density of the carving suggests that the entire universe and all its divine inhabitants reside within the skin of the protector.

Close-up detail of the hundreds of miniature deities carved across the boar's body.

The Tradition of the Cosmic Ocean

The sculpture depicts a pivotal moment in Hindu tradition: the rescue of the Earth. According to the Puranas, a powerful demon named Hiranyaksha had stolen the Earth (represented as the goddess Bhudevi) and carried her to the bottom of the cosmic ocean. Vishnu assumed the form of a gargantuan boar to dive into the depths and rescue her.

The monolithic Varaha sculpture showing the intricate snout and the figure of Bhudevi.

After a battle that lasted a thousand years, Varaha slew the demon and lifted the Earth out of the water between his tusks. While the original figure of Bhudevi between the tusks has weathered over time, the sculpture still conveys the raw power of this restorative act. This profound connection between the devotee and the divine remains alive today; pic below captures a lady devotee in a moment of deep prayer, touching the feet of the deity, bridging a thousand years of history with a single gesture of faith.

Artistic Refinement and Symbolism 

The polish on the sandstone, visible in the side profile pic above, is so refined that it gives the stone a metallic, almost jade-like sheen—a testament to the advanced lapidary skills of the Chandela craftsmen. Beneath the boar lies the coiled serpent Sesha, representing eternity. The figures are arranged in rhythmic rows, including the Dikpalas (guardians of directions), ensuring that every angle of the monolith tells a different story of the heavens.

Traveller’s Tips

1. Location: Located just opposite the Lakshmi Temple and south of the Lakshmana Temple.

2. Photography: Walk around the sculpture 360 degrees. The most intricate carvings are often on the side facing away from the main walkway.

3. Symbolic Sequence: Most guides recommend visiting this shrine first. It provides the context for Vishnu's role before you explore his more human-like forms in the larger temples nearby.

The Varaha Temple may be small in stature, but its monolithic resident serves as a powerful reminder of the artistic and spiritual heights reached by the Chandela dynasty over a millennium ago.

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Also read/see

1. Meaning behind Erotic Sculptures in Khajuraho

2. Pics of Vishwanatha temple

3. Pics of Western Group temples

4. Pics of Kandariya Mahadeva Temple

5. Pics of Vamana Temple and Dulhadeo/Chaturbhuj Temples.

6. Pics of Jain temples

7. All about Khajuraho Temples

8. Khajuraho Temples a Journey from Real to Surreal

9. MP Tourism site on Khajuraho

10. Pics of Lakshmana Temple  and Matangeshwara Temple

11. Khajuraho Dance Festival

12. Padavali Temple Morena, near Gwalior) is supposed to be the inspiration for Khajuraho

13. Travelogue Khajuraho, Chitrakoot and Prayagraj

14. UNESCO site

15. For a 30 page PDF on the Temples of Khajuraho