The largest Jain temple at Khajuraho, with the finest carving on its northern outer wall.
Parsvanatha is the largest Jain temple of the Eastern group at Khajuraho. It has intricate stone carvings throughout, and the sculptures on the northern outer wall in particular are certainly praiseworthy, usually singled out as the best work on any Jain temple here.
Inside, the temple enshrines a throne facing the bull emblem that represents Adinatha, the first tirthankara. The dedication and the emblem are a reminder that the Eastern group belongs to a different religious tradition from the Shiva and Vishnu temples of the Western group, even though the building style is shared.
This is the wall to spend time on. The sculpture here is denser and more finely finished than elsewhere on the building, and the figures are set at a height where the detail can actually be read from the ground.
The sanctum holds a throne that faces the bull emblem of Adinatha, the first tirthankara. The emblem is the key to identifying the dedication, and it is small enough to be missed if you do not know to look for it.
The temple shares the plinth, tower and sculpture bands of its Hindu neighbours but serves a Jain congregation. Visiting it after the Western group makes the shared vocabulary and the different content very clear.
The Eastern group lies on the other side of Khajuraho village from the Western group, and the temples there are spread out rather than enclosed together.
October to March is the best season for moving between the scattered Eastern group temples on foot or by rickshaw. Mornings are cool and the northern wall carvings are well lit later in the day. Summer midday heat makes the walking unpleasant.
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