In how many groups are Khajuraho temples divided ?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 1:
The Khajuraho Group of Monuments, a prestigious UNESCO World Heritage Site, is officially divided into three primary sections based on their geographic location within the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. This systematic classification was first introduced by the British archaeologist Alexander Cunningham in the mid-19th century to facilitate the study and documentation of the scattered temples. These three groups are the **Western Group**, which is the largest, most famous, and contains the grandest temples like the Kandariya Mahadev; the **Eastern Group**, located near the old Khajuraho village and notable for including both Hindu and Jain temples such as Parsvanath; and the **Southern Group**, which lies at the greatest distance and includes the isolated Duladeo and Chaturbhuj temples. This three-part geographical grouping remains the universally adopted standard for all archaeological and historical studies.

The incorrect option is 2:
The assertion that the temples are divided into four groups is factually incorrect according to historical and archaeological consensus. The confusion that leads to the number four may stem from the composition of the Eastern Group, which contains a collection of Hindu temples and a separate enclosure of Jain temples. While these are distinct religious sub-groups, they fall under the singular umbrella of the Eastern geographical section. There is no formal, recognized fourth geographical cluster equivalent to the Western, Eastern, or Southern Groups.

The incorrect option is 3:
A division into two temple groups is incomplete and inaccurate as it fails to acknowledge one of the established geographical clusters. The Western Group is undoubtedly the core of the complex, but the Eastern and Southern Groups are significant elements of the overall Chandela architecture and historical site. Both the Eastern and Southern Groups contain unique and important temples, such as the Brahma Temple and the Chaturbhuj Temple, and ignoring one of these sections misrepresents the full scope of the Khajuraho monuments.

The incorrect option is 4:
The suggestion of six temple groups is highly misleading and has no basis in the standard geographical classification. While historical records indicate that the Khajuraho site originally boasted 85 temples, with about 25 surviving today, these are consolidated into only three geographical divisions (Western, Eastern, and Southern). The number six may be confused with the total square kilometers over which the surviving temples are spread, or perhaps a count of the major temples in one cluster, but it is not a correct grouping structure.