the temples at khajuraho consist of temples for the faiths of hindu and , at a separate site, digambara jains. they are sited in madhya pradesh. and are grouped in 3 geographical diviosions, western , eastern and southern. only 25 out of theoriginal 85 have survived. they are magnificent and certainly worth going out of your way for a visit
the temples were built between 885 ad and 1000 ad during the chandela dynasty but left to neglect after the kindom was seized by the delhi sultanate. they were rediscovered and brought to a global audience in the 1830s.
they wear no clothes and dont bathe.
they drink water from a gourd and carry peacock feather dusters which they use to clear their path in order to avoid stepping on any insect.
they beg for food and eat only once per day
photographs of the digambara jains taken at the jain temples in khajuraho
the thumb and four fingers of the right hand rest on the monks shoulder, this is called the ahara mudra. if the monk loses this position on the way to the host house holder he is not supposed to eat that day. in this way the monk does not rest assured about the pleasure of obtaining food.
the monks peacock feather brush and gourd water bottle are clearly visible.
people get very excited in the competition to persuade the monks to eat at their house.
digambara jains eat in a standing position from the hollow of their hands
he is on instagram.
the monks will stay at a place for a few months. the head jain monk can ask the monks to move to another jain site which he will nominate.
the monks will spend some of the day sitting with followers at sights spread out amongst the jain temples
village near the palace of rajgarh , madhya pradesh
…… centred around the village water pump
the village is a few kilometres from the palace of rajgarh
on the raod to khajuraho
on the road from panna to khajuraho.
on the road from panna to khajuraho.
