What Are the Chausath Yogini Temples
The Chausath Yogini temples are a rare group of circular, open-to-sky shrines found across India, each dedicated to the sixty-four yoginis, powerful feminine forms of Devi's shakti believed to accompany and assist her. Unlike the towering spires of most Hindu temples, these shrines are low, round enclosures with individual niches along the inner wall, each once holding a yogini murti facing a central shrine to Shiva or Devi.
Only a handful of these temples survive intact today, making the ones at Hirapur, Mitawali and Bhedaghat especially treasured sites of devotion and heritage.
History and Architecture
Scholars and tradition trace the Chausath Yogini temples to the tantric worship traditions that flourished roughly between the ninth and eleventh centuries, though devotees regard the yoginis as far more ancient in origin, connected to the Saptamatrikas and the goddess's own retinue.
Their hypaethral, or roofless, circular design is considered unusual among Hindu temples and is believed to allow the yoginis to be worshipped under the open sky, in communion with the elements, with a small Shiva or Devi shrine typically placed at the centre of the courtyard.
Hirapur, Odisha
The Hirapur Yogini temple, near Bhubaneswar in Odisha, is one of the best preserved examples, a compact circular shrine with sixty-four niches, each once housing a distinct yogini murti carved with her own vahana and attributes. Devotees visiting Hirapur describe a deep sense of stillness within its low stone walls, in a courtyard open to the sky above.
Many of the original yogini figures remain here, giving visitors a rare, near complete glimpse of this ancient form of Devi worship.
Mitawali, Madhya Pradesh
The Mitawali Chausath Yogini temple, near Morena in Madhya Pradesh, sits atop a hill and is known for its striking circular colonnaded structure. It is popularly said in local lore that its design inspired the architecture of India's Parliament building, though this remains a matter of popular belief rather than a documented historical fact.
Most of the yogini idols here have been lost to time, but the temple's distinctive circular form and hilltop setting continue to draw pilgrims and heritage visitors alike.
Bhedaghat and Other Sites
Near Bhedaghat by the marble rocks of the Narmada in Madhya Pradesh stands another Chausath Yogini temple, associated with the sacred river and its parikrama tradition, while other significant sites include the yogini shrine at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh and Ranipur Jharial in Odisha.
Each of these temples, though architecturally similar in their circular form, carries its own local legends and devotional customs tied to the surrounding region and its relationship with the Devi.
Darshan and the Devotional Takeaway
Visiting a Chausath Yogini temple today is less about grand spectacle and more about quiet contemplation, standing in a circle once filled with sixty-four forms of the divine feminine, open to the sky above. Devotees who make the journey to Hirapur, Mitawali or Bhedaghat often describe it as connecting with one of the oldest and most mysterious threads of Shakti worship in India.
Worship at these ancient shrines, like all devotion to Devi, is an act of faith and love, not a transaction.
Quick Answers
Which are the most famous 64 Yogini temples in India?+
The most famous surviving Chausath Yogini temples are at Hirapur in Odisha, Mitawali in Madhya Pradesh, and near Bhedaghat by the Narmada, along with sites at Khajuraho and Ranipur Jharial.
Why are these temples circular and open to the sky?+
Their circular, roofless design is believed to allow worship of the yoginis under the open sky, in keeping with tantric worship traditions, with a small Shiva or Devi shrine at the centre.
Did the Mitawali temple really inspire India's Parliament building?+
It is a popular local belief that Mitawali's circular design inspired the Parliament building's architecture, though this is not a confirmed historical fact.
About the author
Pandit Ravindra Sharma · Vedic Rituals & Bhakti, 22+ years
Pandit Ravindra is the Vandnaa editorial team's resident specialist on aarti, chalisa, and daily devotion. He has performed home and temple pujas across Varanasi and Delhi for over two decades and contributes the bhakti-focused articles on this site.
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