Chausath Yogini temple

Chausath Yogini Temple is a Hindu temple located at Hirapur, Bhubaneswar. Of the 4 Chausath Yogini temples surviving in India, the Hirapur temple is the most effective active one. Situated at the bans of Bhargavi River, it's miles one of the famous locations to visit close to Bhubaneswar. Also referred to as Mahamaya Temple, the temple is believed to be built via the Queen Hiradevi of Bhauma dynasty in the course of the 9th century. The Hirapur Temple is the smallest of the Yogini temples in India. It measures best thirty feet in diameter, and is infrequently 8 feet high. It is built in a round style with blocks of sand stone.

The Yogini traditions are tantric in nature and consequently have robust connections to rural and tribal traditions. Adorned in crimson fabric and vermilion, Mahamaya is the presiding deity of the temple. The interior partitions of the temple include 60 niches, one each for the Yogini statues, two toes tall, sculpted from high-quality gray chlorite stone. Three yoginis decorate the imperative pillar or Chandi Mandap along with four Bhairavas. While three of the Bhairavas are sculpted in sitting posture, one in every of them is status and is called as Ekapada Bhairav. The Chandi Mandap by design contained a statue of Lord Shiva as dancing Nataraja, but is presently lacking.