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 The 64 Yogini Shrines in Orissa provide a glimpse into the religious sand occult practices from the medieval times that are still alive in Orissa's tribal traditions and folklore. Built during the 9th century to harness the supernatural powers, only four of the architecturally distinct 64 Yogini Shrines survive in India today. Two of the temples are in Orissa - at Hirapur near Bhubaneswar (15 km), and the twin villages of Ranipur and Jharial. The other two 64 Yogini Shrines are present in Khajuraho and Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh.
Tourism of Orissa will take you on a journey to Orissa's mysterious past with the tours to Orissa Temples that are planned keeping in mind your convenience and interests in mind.
The 64 Yogini Shrine at Hirapur was built under the aegis of Bhauma and Somavamsi rulers of Orissa and is the smallest in the group. Constructed as a hypaethral structure, it is distinct in architecture from Orissa temple architecture as well as temple styles in the rest of India. The temple is a circular structure, 30 feet in diameter, which is built of coarse sandstone and has barely 8 feet high walls containing 64 niches to house the sculptures of Yoginis or Dakinis (2 feet in height).
These 64 deities carved from fine-grained gray chlorite are goddess with voluptuous figures or animal faces and shrunken skulls give the 64 Yogini Shrines its name. These goddesses in turn serve Goddess Kali (Bhairavi). The Yogini cult, an offshoot of tantric practices in India during the 9th -13th century, believed that by worshipping the 64 goddesses and the Goddess Bhairavi, they would be able to channel the destructive energies of these deities to acquire positive supernatural powers for themselves including the ability to shape shift and become invisible.
The 64 niches included the four in the recently reconstructed central pavilion acted as mini shrines for the cult. The deities are derived from the village deity such as Ramchandi, Shyamkali, Harachandi, Tarini, Viraja, Bhagavati, Durgamata, Sarala, Bhadrakali, Kamakhya, Bhabani, and Mangala who are revered by the local villagers. Together in numerical groupings of 8 especially 64, they unleash there significant powers that can create and destroy mankind.
Feel the energy of the 64 Yoginis running through your veins at the Chausath Yogini Shrine on your tour to Orissa Temples with Tourism of Orissa packages.
Though the Yogini cult failed in its attempts to popularize their occult practices through India, they are deeply enshrined in the minds and the folklore of Orissa. For instance, the womenfolk of Santhal tribes of the Mayurbhanj district in Orissa indulge in midnight dances with the spirits of the deities. No dress codes applicable at this grand celebration.
You too can see the goddesses in their different forms - with bows and arrows, on a pair of wheels, playing a drum, with two or four arms and a smiling face or with a head of a horse or lion - on your tour to the 64 Yogini Shrine, Orissa.
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