A Date with History (Part 2): Sanchi's stupas
Contd from Part 1 Why is there erotica in temples? The erotic sculptures in Khajuraho make up only 10% of the total carvings. What is erotica doing in a temple is the first question people ask. Our guide - who dispassionately called them "amorous couples" - pointed to the prevalence of the Tantric tradition at the time as a reason. But there is a deeper philosophical reason for this too. To understand this, we have to go take a look at the Jain temples. Although built in the same time as the Hindu temples, the Jain temples are markedly different. There are no erotic carvings in the Jain temples. The inside of the temples are also dark, unlike the Hindu temples which are flooded with natural light. The architecture is full of clean, geometric lines. Jainism and Buddhism are different from Hinduism in a key aspect - their attitudes towards desire. The Buddha gave up on material life to become an ascetic. The tirthankaras worshipped by the Jains were c