The site of Khajuraho belonged to the Chandela Kings who ruled over Central India from the 9th to 13th centuries. Khajuraho was the cultural capital of the Chandela rulers as a result of which it continued to flourish despite the frequent shifting of its political capital. Initially, this group of monuments were a total of eighty-four temples out of which only twenty-five remain intact today. The monuments at Khajuraho are a group of Hindu and Jaina temples. Widely known for its magnificent structures and the much-debated erotic sculptures, Khajuraho was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the year 1986. 

Khajuraho temples are considered as some of the best examples of Nagara style of temple architecture with a sanctum cella (garbhagriha), small vestibule (antarala), a large hall (mahamandapa), an assembly hall (mandapa) and an entrance portico (ardhamandapa). 
Other than the erotic sculptures, the temple walls also have sculptures depicting scenes from day to day life. It can be said that the sculptures at Khajuraho are highly dominated by the depiction of women; a woman applying kohl in her eyes, playing with a child, plucking a thorn from her foot, brushing her hair and other similar representations. 

The temples are grouped into three categories; the Western Group, the Eastern Group and the Southern Group. 

Western Group: 

It is the western group that is known worldwide with the Kandariya Mahadev Temple, Lakshmana Temple, Visvanatha Temple, Chausath Yogini and Chitragupta Temple being a part of it. They are considered to be some of the best representations of a typical Khajuraho temple. Out of these, the Kandariya Mahadev (102 feet in length and 66 feet in breadth) temple has a lingam enshrined in its sanctum sanctorum. Known for its intricately carved interiors depicting Gods and Goddesses, the exteriors of this temple have erotic sculptures carved on them. 

Eastern Group:

This group is dominated by the Jaina Temples out of which the Parsvanath Temple is the largest. Initially, the temple was dedicated to Adinath which was later replaced with the idol of Parsvanath. Close to the Parsvanath temple is the Ghantai Temple and the Adinath temple. The Adinath temple is one of the later temples as a result of which the sculptures of this temple are more detailed and delicately carved. 
This group also has the Vamana, Brahma and Javeri temples of the Hindu pantheon. The Brahma temple is the only temple at Khajuraho completely built of granite and has a four-faced lingam in its sanctum sanctorum. 

Southern Group: 

The Southern Group of temples is situated slightly away from other groups and consists of the Duladeo Temple, Chaturbhuj Temple and the Beejamandal Temple. The Duladeo temple dedicated to Lord Shiva has some of the best sculptures depicting apsaras and is the most famous temple among the Southern Group of temples. 

Khajuraho is visited by tourists throughout the year. The Madhya Pradesh State Government organises the famous Khajuraho Dance Festival every year with the aim of promoting India’s intangible cultural heritage.