Made of finely grained stone and ranging from a variety of colours from pale buff, pink and yellow and brown, The Khajuraho sculptures yet have an element of smoothness and softness. The depiction of the human body in various sensuous postures is very widely found in Khajuraho- india. The figures, though not well built and muscular like the Greek sculptures, but an attempt to reveal the beauty of the human body is very much prominent through the transparent clothing carved along with the sculptures of Khajuraho.

The mid tenth century sculptures from the ancient temples of Khajuraho, such as the Parashvanatha and Lakshmana temple, represent the subtle warmth of classical Indian modelling. The Vishvanatha temple has perfectly proportioned and poised figures. Some temples, which follow the Devi Jagadamba and the Chitragupta, retain the rounded modelling and the graceful forms. In the Kandariya Mahadeva, the figures become slender and tall, and some of them revolve round their own axis. However, too many Khajuraho sculptures in this architecturally magnificent monument seem to have affected the quality of the sculptures. In the Duladeva temple, we find human forms with sharp angles, pointed features and lavish ornamentation. In spite of many of the statues losing their vitality, yet some of the flying figures on the wall and the bracket statues still have signs of the past vigour.

The harmonious integration of architecture to the sculptures, add to the rhythm of the monuments. Each temple has a unique pattern in the placement of its sculptural motifs; in the Lakshmana temple, surasundaris on the projections alternate with vyalas in recesses of the walls. The hundreds of divinities carved on the walls and niches of the inner halls are conceptually integrated with the central deity enshrined in the sanctum. The sculptures in the Khajuraho temples can be classified into eight categories:

1. The Cult Icons: Installed in the sanctum, these are generally sculpted, in strict accordance with prescribed conventions of the Shilpashastra. They have a halo and a host of attending figures, hierarchically arranged in frames of steles. The best specimen is undoubtedly the 2.75 m. (9 ft.) high image in the Chaturbhuja temple. This exceptional icon is shown in tribhanga (three bends of the body), while the icons in other temples stand erect in sarnabhanga. The colossal statue of Parvati performing penance, now in the Museum, and those of the Jain Tirthankaras in meditative postures are also interesting cult icons.

2. The Surrounding Figures: Built either in the ground or on a high relief, these figures are generally seen in the prominent corners of the temples and are generally important figures. The images of the Dikpalas, in the eight directions of the temple and those of Shiva and Vishnu on the exterior walls stand with ease in tribhanga. They carry weapons in their hands in accordance with the scriptures. They look like humans, but are distinguished by the shrivatsa (diamond-like mark) on their chests, crowned head-dresses, long strands of hair reaching below the knees, and their vahanas at their feet.

3. The Dynamic Figures: The figures of the demi-gods such as the vidyadharas, gandharvas, ganas are generally carved on the top row of the wall, perhaps symbolizing the celestial world. The flying vidyadharas surround the divine figures with garlands. The playful ganas are found on doorjambs and pedestals of Shaivite images. Four armed dwarfs are seen on the pillar brackets of all the temples, and a few even have comical facial expressions.

4. Generally Themed Sculptures: These are depicting the royal hunt, the king at court, marching armies, domestic scenes, teacher and pupils, dance processions, a dancer conversing with an Acharya sculptors at work, traders with camels, and others are shown in relief panels placed on the platform of the Lakshmana temple and on the narathara row on the plinth of the temples.

5. Animal Figures: These include the mythical vyala, a creature with a lion`s body and the head of different creatures such as a parrot, an elephant, a boar and others. The vyala is a typical motif of medieval temple art. Elephants are depicted in a row on the basement of the Lakshmana temple and as large figures in the round, placed near the entrance of the Vishvanatha temple. Nandi, Shiva`s bull, is one of the most magnificent animal representations. This Nandi is carved from a single huge stone, and sheltered in a specially built mandapa (pavilion), facing the Vishvanatha temple.

6. Apsaras / Surasundaris: Khajuraho temples have various themes related to women and they are represented on walls, pillar-brackets and other architectural parts of the temple. Various everyday activities of women are portrayed such as applying make-up, removing a thorn from the foot, tying or untying the waist girdle, rinsing water from wet hair, writing a letter, playing a game of ball, carrying a baby, and dancing. The medieval Vastu texts further describes 16 types of female figures in various activities such as nupurapadika, one with ankle bells, darpana, one with a mirror, and so on. By the 15th century, detailed descriptions of more than thirty types of female figures in the western Indian text Kshiramava are mentioned. The apsaras and surasundaris of Khajuraho and other medieval temples are auspicious motifs whose origin can be traced to vegetation spirits (Yakshis) and fertility figures of early Indian art. These celestial women are shown in front, back and side views, engaged in various activities. The surasundari undressing to remove a scorpion from her body is the favourite sculpture in Khajuraho. Female nudity was regarded as a potent fertility charm, and hence this could have been the artist`s way of expressing fertility.

7. Mithunas / Romantic: Couples and erotic groups have provided additional importance to Khajuraho.

8. Geometric :and floral designs are carved on the ceilings, on the borders of panels and walls, on pillars and elsewhere. The lotus is an important motif in ceiling decorations and on pedestals of divinities.

Khajuraho Erotic Figures:
Erotic sculptures are not only a characteristic of the Khajuraho temples, but since such sculptures are placed on the main wall portion (jangha) of the temples, having a height of about a meter, these draw immediate attention. Several hypothesis attempts to explain the presence of sensual figures in religious art.