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The Khajuraho sculptures and friezes afford a peep into the
prevailing social conditions and throw interesting sidelight on some
aspects of contemporary social life.
Soldiers
Soldiers are frequently represented together with 'mahauts' (aroha or
adhorana), horse-riders, attendants of horses and elephants such as
'lesikas' (grass-cutters), standard-bearers, umbrella-bearers, and royal
servants and attendants. The 'mahauts' include the tamers and trainers of
elephants.
Traders, Callings And Vocations
The 'sutradharas' (architects) and 'silpins' (sculptors) are frequently
depicted at Khajuraho.
Some of the senior architects (vijnanins) are represented wearing beards
and are shown standing or seated, surrounded by an admiring crowd of
disciples. In one case the master architect is depicted drawing a design
on a board with a group of disciples carrying hammer and chisels standing
around.
Stone Masons
An allied vocation is that of stonecutters or stonemasons. There is a
graphic scene of an architectural piece being carved with hammer and
chisels and, on completion, being transported on a sturdy pole by six
carriers, three on either side. The stonecutters use the same type of
hammer and chisels as the 'silpins' (sculptors).
Hunters
Hunters are frequently represented together with men carrying on poles
hunted animals like boar and deer and sometimes large birds. The
professional hunters (lubdhaka or sakunika) probably belonged to the
aboriginal class of 'Sabaras' or lower castes such as the 'Meda', 'Mahara'
or 'Chandala' mentioned in the contemporary Chandela inscriptions.
Acrobats
Wrestlers, acrobats and gladiators (manthas) fighting elephants and lions
are also depicted at Khajuraho.
There is no doubt that the acrobats belonged to the professional class
known as 'natas' in contemporary literature.
Musicians And Dancers
Scenes of music and dance are among the commonest representations. With a
few exceptions, the drummers and musicians are males, while the singers
and dancers are females. While some of the dancers and musicians were
possibly amateurs, most of those depicted on the friezes at Khajuraho were
professionals, pertaining to the class of courtesans.
Some also belonged to the aboriginal
tribes, as is
indicated by the features of two devotees or street-singers playing on a
pair of castanets and a tambourine depicted on the south-east façade
of the Lakshmana
Temple.
Courtesans And Prostitutes
The dancing girls largely came from the professional class of courtesans
(ganikas) who formed an important element of the contemporary society.
They are depicted vaunting their charms and offering wine to their dupes.
Prostitutes formed an allied class and it is largely they who are so often
represented in erotic panels on the exterior and interior walls of the
temples.
Barbers, as attendants of female figures, are often found carrying a bag
slung from their shoulder. Sometimes, they are shown holding a mirror or
some handy surgical or toilet equipment. Mentioned in the contemporary
Chandela records as 'napita', they were frequently employed to extract
thorns, cut the nails, paint the feet or do minor surgical operations. It
is interesting to note that they continue to play similar roles in rural
India even now.
Army
The army consisted of three principal arms, viz. Infantry, cavalry and
elephants. The camels, though seen together with elephants, horses and
footmen, on the Visvanatha Temple, are of rare occurrence and do not seem
to constitute a regular arm. Chariots are conspicuous by absence. The main
weapons wielded are sword and shield, dagger and lances. Sword and shield,
being very popular, exhibit many varieties. Bows and arrows appear to have
been used mainly for hunting.
There are numerous scenes of army on the march. Scenes of actual combat
are, however, comparatively rare. The horses and elephants are represented
with or without riders and preceded or followed by footmen carrying arms
or haversacks containing provisions. The horsemen carry swords and
occasionally lances; the mahauts carry goads and the attendants of
elephants' lances.
Pageantry And Processions
More frequent than combats or army on the march are the scenes of
court-pageantry, ceremonial gaiety and processions of sorts. In most
cases, the representations of military parades and rallies are of a
ceremonial nature. The secular processions are marked by gaiety and
revelry, and dance and music. The religious processions represent devotees
going out on a pilgrimage or to pay homage to a religious teacher or a
deity to the accompaniment of dance and music and gaily-accoutred horses
and elephants and footmen carrying weapons, standards, flags and banners.
Amusements
Dance, music, drinking, gambling, hunting, wrestling, acrobatics and
animal combats are among popular pastimes and amusements.
Musical
and dance performances were common recreations followed by parties
(pana-goshthis). Knowledge of and interest in dance and music were
considered personal accomplishments for princes and princesses and young
men (nagarakas) of aristocratic families. Playing with ball
(kanduka-krida) was a favourite sport with the fair sex. Indoor games also
included gambling and playing dice.
Elephant Fights
Fight between elephants (gaja-vahyali-vinoda) appears to be a popular
sport and frequently figures at Khajuraho. This is illustrated at the
entrance of the Lakshmana
Temple where two elephants are being goaded to fight with a long
pole held by one of the attendants.
'Mithuna' and 'Maithuna'
It has been found that the depiction of the 'mithuna' (loving couple) and
the 'maithuna' (coitus) was originally inspired by the primitive fertility
cult and were largely magico-propitiatory or magico-defensive in nature.
We have also seen that the erotic depictions have evolved historically
from the charming 'mithunas', which are ubiquitous in early Indian art and
tradition.