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Original fileErotic Relief at Lakshmana Temple, Khajuraho
At the Lakshmana temple in Khajuraho (954 CE), a man receives fellatio from a seated male as part of an orgiastic scene
About This Work
The black and white image shows a stone relief carving of two figures. The figure on the left reclines on his back, his head resting against an architectural frame, while his body is oriented horizontally across the frame. He is nude, save for an ornate waist girdle. The second figure is seated, leaning forward to engage in oral sex with the first. Both figures are muscular with stylized, rounded features typical of Chandela-era sculpture.
The erotic carvings at the Lakshmana Temple at Khajuraho are part of an extensive program of temple art that includes depictions of various human activities, including sexual acts, reflecting a tradition where such imagery was integrated into the sacred space of the temple, often interpreted as expressions of cosmic union or the play of worldly life (lila).
Connected Texts
Kama Sutra
The temple carvings illustrate the sociocultural atmosphere of the period regarding the depiction of kama (desire) as a fundamental human pursuit.