Maithuna Relief, Lakshmana Temple

This sandstone relief depicts a frieze of figures in various states of sexual activity. On the left, a standing woman is embraced by a male figure, while a second male figure stands in the center performing an act with a woman kneeling before him. To the right, another couple is depicted in a bent-over position. The figures are carved with rounded features typical of Chandela-era sculpture, displaying traditional Indian jewelry such as armbands and girdles, though much of the surface detail has been softened by time.

Located on the Lakshmana Temple at Khajuraho (c. 954 CE), these maithuna (sexual) sculptures are often interpreted as representations of tantric rituals, symbols of cosmic union (purusha and prakriti), or apotropaic figures intended to protect the temple's sanctity. They reflect the Chandela dynasty's patronage of complex Hindu theological and ritual expressions.