Sculptural extravaganza
The sculpture of Shiva and Parvati is an eternal favourite among visitors.
Life-size sculptures of Gods and Goddesses adorn the external walls of the temple.
A sculpture depicts the Varaha (boar) avatar, the third of Vishnu’s ten avatars, where he slays the demon Hiranyaksha.
Two sculptures merge seamlessly at a corner – one, the Vamana avatar and the other, the Varaha avatar.
Numerous sculptures show life in those times.
A detailed war scene that shows a man fighting an elephant.
An intricate sculpture of a man's fight with a tiger is tucked away in a corner.
Sculptures in the form of miniature temples, showing scenes from the Puranas, rise to the roof.
Above the perforated screens, on the capitals of the supporting pillars, are madanika (Salabhanjika) figures. There were originally 40 madanika, of which 38 have survived in damaged or good form.
Two of these are Durga, three huntresses (with a bow). Others are dancers in Natya Shastra abhinaya mudra (acting posture), musicians, women dressing or doing makeup, a woman with a pet parrot, and men making music.
A majority of these madanika figures are also carved into miniatures in the sixth band of the outer wall around the pradakshina patha.
Here is a Madanika applying make-up, looking at herself in a mirror. The second sculpture here is that of a Madanika with an exquisitely carved canopy of the tree cover over her head.