SSC
The Khajuraho Group of Monuments, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located in which district of Madhya Pradesh?
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Answer: Option A — Chhatarpur
Detailed Solution
The Khajuraho Group of Monuments is located in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh, in the Bundelkhand region, about 620 km south-east of Delhi.
About the Khajuraho temples:
- They were built mainly between 950 and 1050 CE by the Chandela dynasty, whose early capital was Khajuraho.
- Originally there were about 85 temples, spread over about 20 square kilometres; about 25 survive today, spread over about 6 square kilometres.
- They are dedicated to Hinduism (Shiva, Vishnu and the Sun) and Jainism (the Tirthankaras).
They are divided into three groups: the Western group (the largest and best known, with the Vishvanatha and Chitragupta temples), the Eastern group (with the Jain temples, such as the Parshvanath and Adinath temples, and the Brahma and Vamana temples) and the Southern group (Duladeo and Chaturbhuja temples).
They are built of sandstone (except the Chausath Yogini temple, which is of granite), on high platforms, without boundary walls.
They are famous for their elaborate sculptures showing gods and goddesses, apsaras (celestial maidens), musicians, warriors, animals, daily life and erotic scenes.
The name "Khajuraho" comes from "kharjura" (date palm), because the town was surrounded by date palm trees.
The temples were hidden by forests for centuries; they were rediscovered by the British army engineer T. S. Burt in 1838.
They were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.
The "Khajuraho Dance Festival" is held every February, with classical dance performances against the backdrop of the temples.
About Chhatarpur district:
It was named after the Bundela ruler Maharaja Chhatrasal (1649-1731), who founded the Bundela kingdom and fought against the Mughals. Chhatrasal was helped by the Maratha Peshwa Baji Rao I in 1729.
Nearby attractions:
Panna National Park and Tiger Reserve (Panna district): about 25 km from Khajuraho; the Ken river flows through it. The Ken-Betwa River Link Project, India's first river-interlinking project (foundation stone laid in December 2024), passes through this region.
Raneh Falls (on the Ken river): known for its canyon of coloured granite rocks.
Orchha (Niwari district): known for the Bundela palaces and cenotaphs.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Panna district has the Panna Tiger Reserve and diamond mines, next to Khajuraho.
- ✗Tikamgarh district has the Bundela town of Kundeshwar and Jain sites.
- ✗Damoh district is in the eastern part of Bundelkhand.
Quick tip
Remember: Khajuraho = Chhatarpur district, Madhya Pradesh (Chandela temples, 950-1050 CE; about 25 survive; UNESCO 1986; rediscovered by T. S. Burt, 1838; dance festival in February); Panna Tiger Reserve is nearby; Ken-Betwa link = first river-interlinking project.
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Monuments & Religious Places — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Monuments & Religious Places, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers India's important monuments, temples, mosques, churches, gurudwaras and pilgrimage sites, who built them and when, their architectural styles, and India's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Questions ask who built a monument, where it is located, or which dynasty or style it belongs to. For example, the Qutub Minar was begun by Qutbuddin Aibak, and the Sun Temple at Konark was built by the Eastern Ganga king Narasimhadeva I. Revise the UNESCO World Heritage Sites as a list, noting the most recent additions. Practise the monuments and religious places questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.