Famous Temples in India

Architecture

The Chausath Yogini Temple also known as Ekattarso Mahadeva Temple, standing atop an isolated hill of about hundred feet high, the temple has 100 steps, this circular temple commands a splendid view of the cultivated fields below. This temple is so named because of the presence of multitude of shivalingas inside its cells. This circular temple is one among the very few such temples in India. This is a yogini temple dedicated to sixty-four yoginis. It is externally circular in shape with a radius of 170 feet and within its interior part it has 64 small chambers. Within the main central shrine there are slab coverings which have perforations in them to drain rainwater to a large underground storage. The pipe lines from the roof lead the rain water to the storage are also visible. Each of the 64 chambers in the outer circle has an image of Shiva deified in it. However, recent investigations have confirmed that originally these had a Yogini image deified in them and hence the temple is known as Chausath Yogini Temple ('Chausath' here means "Sixty four").

The design of the temple has withstood earthquake shocks, without any damage to its circular structural features, in the past several centuries. The temple is in the Seismic Zone III. The temple consists of a circular peripheral wall which shows different courses of constructions in different times. The topmost course of the wall, composed of bricks and limestone, on this outer wall are placed various small niches, at regular intervals, many of which are empty now and few are equipped with couples in different poses. It is externally circular in shape with a radius of 170 feet (52 m) and within its interior part it has 64 small chambers, each with a mandapa which is open and a facia of pilasters and pillars. The roof of the entire structure is flat including that of another east facing circular temple within the outer circular wall. A large passage or courtyard lies between the outer enclosure and the central temple which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. There is an open porch entrance to this temple. The exterior surface of the outer wall has carvings of Hindu deities. The most important inscription is engraved at the outer compound wall and mentions about the construction of the temple. This inscription is damaged and partly obliterated however its main contents can be read satisfactorily.