Famous Temples in India

Architecture

The temple is facing in East direction. The circular shrine, measuring 27.4 meters in circumference and 2.4 meters in height, having frontal projection, resembles a Gauri patta in appearance. Made of locally available coarse sandstone, it harbours images of Yoginis standing on different mounts, postures, and each exhibiting a distinct coiffure. Hypaethral Temple is an ancient temple with no roof. The inside of the circular wall has cavities, each housing the statue of a Goddess. There are Sixty Yoginis on the inner wall oblong niches encircling the Devi mandap. The largest statue is that of 'Mahamaya'. The mandap is adorned with 4 chlorite statues-on the Southern side, two statues of ten-armed "Swacchanda Bhairava" (Blissful fearsome Shiva) and on the Eastern side, the four-armed "Ajaikapada Bhairava" (Shiva standing on one leg) and one statue of ten-armed Swacchanda Bhairava all with urdhvalinga (erect phallus or idyphallic). The Western and Northern faces of the mandap contain three more chlorite yoginis. 61st of the original 64 Yogini statues is missing and i found no record on the same as i write this report. The outer walls are adorned with 9 Katyayanis. Katyayani, as per Skanda Puarana, is the the mother of Skanda. So the 9 katyanis are 9 different forms of the Mother Goddess. On the entrance, there are two statues on the inner walls and are identified as Kala and Mahakala. There is a koneru placed infront of the temple named as Yogini Temple Pond.