About the Temple:Varaha is the third Avatar of the Lord Vishnu. Varaha temple is nestled in a small village of Khajuraho in Chattarpur District of Madhya Pradesh. The temple houses a colossal monolithic image of Lord Varaha, which is the boar incarnation of Lord Vishnu. This temple depicts Lord Varaha as a purely animal form. The temple is a World Heritage Site since 1986.
Temple View
Temple History:
The Varaha temple history dates back to 900–925 AD. Varaha temple stands next to Lakshmi temple and opposite to Lakshman Temple. The temple architecture is simple, modest yet elegant. The structure stands on 14 pillars which support a tall pyramidal roof decorated with a Kalash. The Varaha Shrine is built on a lofty base. The temple houses a magnificent image of Lord Varaha. The temple has columned halls, several balconies, an entrance porch and the inner sanctum. It has an oblong pavilion with a pyramidal roof, resting on fourteen pillars. The entire shrine is constructed out of sandstone.
The statue of Varaha is 9 ft tall which is made out of a single piece of solid yellow sandstone and is shielded by a beautiful lotus ceiling. The surface of the sculpture has 674 deities in 12 carved rows on its entire body. The sculpture also depicts goddess Saraswati carrying Veena in her arms.
Varaha temple has an open mandap with a sharp roof, enshrining the idol of Lord Varaha, the third incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The Varaha idol was installed by the Chandella king Yashovarman as a celebration of victory over his Pratihara ruler during AD 950.
The sculpture
Temple Legend:
According to the narration in Varaha Puran, Lord Vishnu took the form of a Boar or Varaha in order to defeat Hiranyaksha, a demon who had captivated the Earth and carried it to the bottom of the cosmic ocean. It is said that the battle between Varaha and Hiranyaksha was lasted for a thousand years. After defeating the demon, Lord Varaha rescued the Earth out of the ocean and carried it between his tusks. He restored the Earth back to its place in the universe.
Later, Lord Vishnu married Prithvi or Bhudevi in this avatar.How to reach:
By Road: The temple is well connected by roads. Buses, taxis and auto-rickshaws are available to reach the temple.
By Train: The nearest railway stations are Mahoba (64 km), Harpalpur (94 km) and Satna (117 km).
By Air: The nearest airport is Khajuraho which is 3 km away from the temple.
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