Localities in Khajuraho

The history of Khajuraho dates back to the early 10th century when the area came to be dotted with numerous temples built under the Chandela rule. The city with glorious past was once the cultural hub of the Chandela rulers. Post independence, Khajuraho has seen an increase in interest in the famed temples which has converted the city into a popular holiday destination. Considering the temples and their historic importance, the city has been designated as a Special area for development since 1973. The special area for Khajuraho has been planned over 10425 hectares which includes about 8 villages.

Land Use in Khajuraho

A look at the pattern of land use in Khajuraho will point to the fact that about 24% is residential area while over 20% is for commercial use. This comprises the service industry, mainly the hotels and recreational area. Considering the tourism is the main economic base of the town, this trend points to a healthy picture where the government is taking all measures to create holistic spaces for ease of navigation in the city and also create aesthetic spaces.Some of the major localities in Khajuraho are mentioned below.

The Temple Complexes

The temple complex form the major part of the city and is also the region which concentrates economic activity around it. Since these temples are the major crowd puller every form of business right from hotels to restaurants and shopping areas are located around the premises of the complex. The major markets like the Gole market, the city bus stand complex etc are also fairly close to the temple complexes. Tourism is the main activity here and is the second largest employer which has led to increase in residential settlement in these area. From flower sellers to essence sellers and the stores lined for selling religious articles all have spring up to cater the requirements of the visiting guests in the city.

Bamitha

Bamitha is located along the road which leads to the Airport. It is situated on the Highway 75 which is the main route leading into Khajuraho . Bamitha has good connectivity to the nearby major cities like Jhansi, Satna, Gwalior etc and travellers can take buses from here to any of these cities all day long. Since connectivity and availability of buses is high from here, tourists flock here for easy transit.This place is seeing a spurt of activity in hospitality business. Due to the proximity to the airport, this place has a lot of luxury and resort style properties located along it. It strikes the right balance between distance to the airport and distance to the temple complexes and is one of the localities seeing a lot of development in Khajuraho.

Commercial Centers in Khajuraho

In a first of its kind Khajuraho has a dedicated commercial center which has been developed to cater to the needs of the city. Commercial areas in Khajuraho consist of official and administrative buildings, shopping complexes, main utility providers, service providers etc. Delineating a commercial area separately helps a city to plan development in an organized manner. And the most important aspect is that it helps keep crowding and congestion away from the main areas of interest which are the temple complexes. Since the temples in Khajuraho are a silent zone, it helps that commercial and residential areas have been planned apart from the main city. The most important commercial area in Khajuraho are mentioned below.

Rajnagar in Khajuraho

This area was mainly developed as a commercial centre to cater to the city of Khajuraho. This locality is about 5km from Khajuraho and has most of the markets and commercial regions in the city. Rajnagar also has some of the district offices and administrative offices located here. Shopping and ancillary services is the main attarction of this area. International tourists flock this area in search of a good bargain on various ethnic artifacts and traditional wares. The place is known for the weekly bazaar on Tuesday, which is very popular. Locals and tourists alike come here to buy some of the best artifacts in brass and copper. While handicrafts and artifacts are the main products, there are also several stores here which cater to every need and demand.

Residential Areas in Khajuraho

The modern city of Khajuraho is built around the temple complexes . Residential area lies around the outer circumference of the temple complex. The government has helped people resettle in planned settlements which are close enough to the city for ease of movement for the residents. Some of the main residential areas in the city are mentioned below.

Sewagram in Khajuraho

This important infrastructural activity started in the 1978, to create an alternative residential complex. This has helped resettlement of people who were displaced by the large scale developmental work around the temple clusters. Sewagram was constructed mainly for residential purpose in Vidhyadhar and Puri area. This area abounds with residential complexes and is fairly close to the temple clusters, thus making it an ideal settlement plan. This area is abound with eateries and restaurants and due to the proximity to the temples they make ideal locations to unwind in the late evenings. There are avenues for shopping also with the state owned Mrignayanee emporium located in the area.

Kharroi, Achnar, Shantinagar in Khajuraho

These are villages situated around the main city within a 5km radius and have been incorporated into the Khajuraho Nagar Parishad. There is a high degree of residential activity in these areas but mainly consists of low end housing mainly at the lower end of the social spectrum. The residents mainly indulge in agricultural activities and add on to their income via tourism during the peak season.This part of the town is also home to many of the tribals who are native to this region. Most of the tribals have resettled here in these areas in scope for better livelihood and also for finding avenues for their ethnic art and crafts.