Chausath Yogini Temple | Khajuraho

Chausath Yogini Temple (Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh)

Perched on a slightly elevated area in the western group of Khajuraho temples, the Chausath Yogini Temple is one of India’s earliest surviving circular temples, dedicated to 64 yoginis-female attendants or manifestations of the goddess Durga. Believed to have been constructed around the 9th century during the Chandela dynasty, it is a striking example of tantric architectural design, reflecting both ritual practice and spiritual symbolism.

Architectural Layout and Design

Unlike the rectangular or square plans of most Khajuraho temples, Chausath Yogini is circular, approximately 65 feet in diameter, with 64 evenly spaced niches along its outer wall. Each niche once housed a yogini sculpture, giving the temple its name (“Chausath” means 64). The central shrine, now empty, is thought to have contained a significant deity, possibly a form of Shiva or Durga.

The temple is built from coarse sandstone, with a low plinth supporting its simple, open structure. Its circular design allows devotees to circumambulate the temple easily-a symbolic and ritualistic gesture in tantric practice. The roof is largely absent today, giving the temple an open-air, austere character.

Sculptural Highlights

The surviving yogini sculptures are carved in distinct, stylized forms, each with unique postures, weapons, and attributes. Many hold symbolic implements such as swords, shields, tridents, and lotus flowers. The statues reflect the tantric idea of feminine energy, divine power, and cosmic protection, rather than the ornate figural storytelling seen in larger Khajuraho temples.

Subtle traces of ornamentation-headdresses, jewelry, and drapery folds-demonstrate the artisans’ attention to detail despite the temple’s austere style. The overall effect is rhythmic and geometric, with the 64 niches forming a precise circular pattern that emphasizes both symmetry and ritual significance.

Ritual and Spiritual Significance

Chausath Yogini temples were intended for tantric worship and possibly secretive rituals, involving the veneration of feminine energies in cosmic form. The circular plan allowed participants to engage in circumambulatory worship and focus on the central divine power, connecting earthly space with spiritual geometry. The temple’s open design may also have facilitated celestial observation, linking ritual practice with cosmic cycles.

Visitor Experience

Visiting the Chausath Yogini Temple offers a very different experience compared to the larger, highly ornate Khajuraho temples. The open-air design, minimal ornamentation, and circular layout create a contemplative atmosphere. Visitors often walk slowly along the circular pathway, pausing at each niche to observe the yogini sculptures, imagining the temple in its original ritual context. The view from the slightly elevated site provides a quiet glimpse of the surrounding western Khajuraho complex, with the Kandariya Mahadev Temple visible nearby.

The temple feels secluded and meditative, with the soft wind, scattered sunlight, and distant calls of birds contributing to a subtle sense of timelessness.

Historical and Cultural Significance

The Chausath Yogini Temple is one of the earliest surviving examples of circular yogini temples in India. It represents tantric spiritual traditions, the power of feminine divinity, and the architectural innovation of the Chandela period. Its minimalistic style, symbolic sculptural program, and ritual function make it an important counterpart to Khajuraho’s more decorative temples.

Chausath Yogini Temple provides visitors with a profound encounter with early tantric architecture, emphasizing geometry, symbolism, and the spiritual role of the divine feminine in medieval India.