4. Khajuraho Laksmana mithunas- apsarases

The image features a horizontal band of high-relief sandstone carvings from the Chandela period. On the left, a couple is shown in a sexual embrace (maithuna) with a standing attendant; next to them, an apsara stands applying makeup while looking into a hand mirror. In the center stands a crowned deity holding a staff, flanked by a female figure, while to the right, another couple is depicted in an intimate embrace. The carvings are characterized by the fluid, rounded contours of the human bodies, intricate jewelry, and elaborate temple ornamentation, all rendered in a warm, monochromatic stone texture.

These sculptures represent the integration of erotic expression (kama) within the sacred architecture of Hindu temples, reflecting the tantric or aesthetic philosophies of the Chandela dynasty that view the unity of male and female principles as a pathway to spiritual liberation.