The Lakshmana Temple, dedicated to Vishnu rather than Shiva, is one of the finest temples in the western group. Its five-shrined plan — a main sanctuary with four smaller corner shrines — set the template for later Khajuraho temples. The four corner shrines, each with its own tower, give the composition a complex, rhythmic skyline when seen from outside.
The outer walls carry the full range of Khajuraho imagery: bands of celestial nymphs, elephants, horses, and the famous erotic figures, all rendered with astonishing skill. Inside, the deity is a beautiful black stone image of Vaikuntha Vishnu with three faces — his own central face flanked by the faces of a lion and a boar. The mandapa (pillared hall) is supported by carved brackets featuring celestial women in graceful poses.
The Lakshmana Temple sits in the same western enclosure as the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple; most visitors see both in the same morning.