Khajuraho was a prominent city during the period of Upanishads and later, after the demise of Babylonia, it was ruled by the Mauryas and the Chalukyas. The first three kings of Khajuraho were Vatsyayana, Yashtimadhuk (also known as Shiva Shikara), and Kapilavaram. After the downfall of the Mauryas dynasty, Kerman rule was brief but it came to an end with the rise of Alexander the Great’s army. The city was devastated by his troops and most of the historical structures were ruined. However, they were discovered by the Chinese during the tenth century.
The present-day structure of Khajuraho is in fact a combination of two historical structures that happened before and after the disintegration of the erstwhile kingdom of Khajuraho. First, there is the Buddhist tradition that describes the inner and outer structures of the Dharani MahaSutras. It is interesting to note that the inner Sutras are referred to as Dharani MahaSutras, while those outer ones are called Dharani Maanas. In addition, there is also the Hindu tradition which refers to both the inner and outer structure of the Khajuraho. The text of this tradition is called the Brahma Nivedvita.
In comparison to the Buddhist and Hindu traditions, the Turkish version of Khajuraho has more contemporary lines. However, its structure resembles the traditional structures from both the Indian and the Chinese tradition. These include the diagram (inherited from Sanskrit), lingam-konata (of Chinese origin), moli (of Indian origin), pakhawaj (of Greek origin), ranga (of Indian origin), and naskh (of Turkish origin). In addition to these traditional structures, the present-day structures are characterized by several modern elements. The most important elements include:
The palaces: The typical Palace of Khajuraho consists of three parts. The first part is the residence of the khajuraho; the second part is the edifice that houses the Akbarnagar temple; the third part is the grandeur structure known as the zaipah. The entire structure constitutes a three-storey-tall building. Its location makes it vulnerable to attacks from attackers on two different sides. These include attackers on the top floor and below.
Akbarnagar Temple: The Akbarnagar temple is considered to be the heart of the Khajuraho ritualistic complex. Inside, you can find the Akbarnagar fountain and the Akbarnagar lake. You can also view the staircase to the highest room in the palace. The second level of the temple complex has the main gate of the palace. The area is also used for funeral processions.
The Mughal Gardens: The gardens were created to celebrate Mughal victories over the previous rulers of India. The gardens are located beneath the minaret. It is surrounded by a ring of trees. During the Renaissance, these trees were used as the background for the famous play, The Ramayana. In fact, this was the first drama to be staged in India.
The Bacharfels: These palaces are also known as Bahna Murabdi, or “little churches”. Their structure is very similar to other typical Turkish palaces. There are two sections: the upper and the lower chambers. The upper chamber has the head and thimble of St. Barnabas. The lower part of the structure has twenty-four intricately carved statues of the saints.