INTRODUCTION
Khajuraho is one time largest cultural city of the Chandela dynasty was vanished from memory of people and turned into ruins. Its old name, as mentioned in inscriptions was Sri Khajuravahaka. Writer of Prithiviraja Raso, Chand Bardai called it Khajurapura or Khajjinpura. All this indicated towards presence of Khajur (Date palm) trees in this region which acts as landmark to locate the location. This book was written in 12th century thus during that period, Khajuraho was in knowledge of people. With the fall of Chandela dynasty, they started loosing there importance. Till 15th century, many temples were collapsed due to lack of maintenance and those were existing are attacked by Sikander Lodhi forces who were on retreat from Panna and Baghelkhand in 1495-96.
REDISCOVERY
Due to fear of Islamic powers, local Hindu population left this region and migrated into other places to live peacefully. Presence of temples attracts those powers to demolish them thus local people find it risky to live close to such place. This neglection has caused this region to turned into abandoned forested land. When Britishers came into power in India, then Maharaja Pratap Singh of Panna showed some interest in this region by cleaning the forested land, make it easily accessibly. But the first real effort was made by the team of Sir John Marshall, Director-general of Archeology, in year 1904, with the help of Mr. H. Cousens, Superintendent in the Western Circle. They took decision on measures to be carried out here. Later work was done on those laid measures by Mr. F. Manley, an engineer of the Panna State. This all done in period from 1904 to 1910, involving expenditure of INR. 92000/-.
