Chausath Yogini Temple

Chausath Yogini Temple is a 9 th century temple now in the ruined form, located in the Western Group of Temples Khajuraho. It is the earliest extant temple at the Chandela capital Khajuraho. The Chausath Yogini Temple is connected to the Kapalika and Kaula sects as people believe. The temple is built on a rectangular raised platform nearly 5.4 meters high and occupying an area nearly 640 square meters. Most of the Yogini temples in India have circular or oval plan but this temple has rectangular plan but like all other Yogini temples this is also hypaethral, open to air. The temple is made of large, coarse granite stone, with an open courtyard at the center. The courtyard was originally surrounded by 65 shrine cells, 10 on the front wall, 11 on the back wall, 22 on each side walls. Only 35 of these 65 cells now survive, each has a small doorway made of two squared granite pillars and a lintel stone, and a curvilinear tower roof. No sculptures remain among the temple ruins. Three large statues of mother goddesses, Brahmini, Maheshwari and Hinglaj found among the ruins are now in the Khajuraho museum.