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. One argument says that erotic figures represent kama (desire), the third purushartha (aim of life), another argument says that they were designed to test the spiritual strength of the Yogis, Yet another theory is that they were intended for sex education. Neither can be considered as authentic due to the variety in both; the sculptures, as well as their positioning.
Erotic motifs were considered alankara, protective and auspicious (shubha, mangala) in
function. Thus, many temples in India built between AD 900-1300 blatantly display erotic themes and Khajuraho is one of such sites. Erotic figures first appear at Khajuraho in AD 950, on the Lakshmana temple, the earliest temple built in the elite Nagara style of architecture dedicated to
Lord Vishnu. At Khajuraho, the architects assign erotic motifs to the following places: the door-jamb of the sanctum; the narathara or human activities row of the plinth; the row of the jagati or platform along with royal pastimes, battle scenes, and dancers; the recesses of the jangha; and niches of the superstructure. Couples are also placed round the images of Matrikas (Mothers) in the two Shiva temples the Vishvanatha and the Kandariya Mahadeva.
The erotic sculptures have been placed on the wall portion between the two balconies in the three major Hindu sandhara temple. This wall portion is actually the juncture of the big hall (mahamandapa), and the sanctum (garbhagriha). There are two head-down postures on the juncture walls of the two Shiva temples in the Western group. Their composition is remarkably similar to the Kamakala Yantra of the architectural text Shilpa Prakasha. The beauty of young maidens is appreciated in the sensuous carvings of apsaras and surasundaris on temple walls.
