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North East India ( Calcutta , Orissa , Bandhavgarh, Kanha , Khajuraho, Varanasi)
Maps	India	N E  India	N W  India	Bombay (Mumbai)	Calcutta (Kolkata)	Delhi	South India	Anywhere

		Khajuraho Madhya Pradesh Khajuraho is a now small village some 620 kilometres from Delhi. It is famous for its temples depicting all manner of sexual acts and erotic art. The temples were built from 950 to 1050AD when Khajuraho enjoyed the status as the capital city of the Chandela Rajputs. Originally there were said to be 80 of these Hindu temples of which 22 now remain. The temples are set in three main groups. The main ones, located in the heart of the village are the Western group. These comprise of 9 temples set in a manicured park, which is carefully maintained and is probably the most pleasing group to the eye. Each temple is dedicated to a different deity, and some of the exterior sculptures are very graphic, so if you are easily offended, be prepared to close your eyes. Some of the scenes on the sculptures depict sex, oral sex, anal sex and even all three together. Other scenes depict bestiality, but all are wonderfully carved. Despite its reputation of being entirely erotic art, only some 10% of the carvings are erotic so there is plenty else to see and marvel at. The idea behind the carvings is to narrate stories, presumably as not all of the population was able to read. Less erotic scenes, but equally graphic include stories of wars, as well as simply portraits of men and women going about their daily business. Inside the temples there are no erotic scenes at all. Do not be put off, this is a must see part of India and even the more prudish will be enthralled by the craftsmanship of a millenium ago. The Eastern group comprises 7 temples and is  about 30 minutes walk away, and more spread out, so to enjoy this group a car is a good idea, and certainly the small group of Jain temples is worth a visit. We did not make it to the Southern group, as both temple fatigue had set in and perhaps more importantly the battery on my camera had run out. Make an important note. Ensure you have spare batteries, a spare camera, plenty of charge in the camera, plenty of rolls of film or space on your memory card. You will need it. We ended up buying an A4 guide to Khajuraho, simply for the pictures we were unable to take In the evening a sound & light show is carried out within the Western group grounds, giving the history of Khajuraho and the temples, and whilst good intentioned is best described as Disneyfied. Opposite the entrance are numerous stalls selling the usual bric-a-brac and cafes where you can sit and enjoy the views (at reasonable prices as well). Getting to Khajuraho is relatively easy with daily flights from Delhi, via Varanasi We stayed at Clarks hotel which was beatifully kept, in large grounds and seemed reasonably priced as well as being close to the village.