Erotic Sculptural Relief, Khajuraho

This is a photograph of a sandstone architectural relief featuring several human figures carved in high relief. On the left, a standing female figure is sheltered by the hood of a multi-headed cobra (naga). In the center, a male figure is partially visible, while another female figure is depicted in a bent-over, inverted posture with her head toward the ground. The figures are adorned with traditional Indian jewelry, including necklaces, armbands, and waist ornaments, and exhibit the rounded, stylized musculature characteristic of Chandela-era temple carving.

This relief is part of the temple architecture of Khajuraho, built by the Chandela dynasty, which incorporates Mithuna (amorous) figures as part of the outer temple iconography, symbolizing both the creative union of the cosmos and the stages of liberation (moksha) within Hindu tradition.