“Chausath Yogini Temple - The Inspiration of Indian Parliament”
Reviewed 16 June 2015
Chausath Yogini Temple, Mitavli, is one of the rarest of Hindu temples in India. Its plan is circular and it is dedicated to the Tantric sect of Chausath Yogini. Most of the Hindu temples are based on square or rectangular plan. Circular temples are very rare. It is said that the design of Indian Parliament is inspired by this temple in Morena. It is also a very rare temple as there are only about a half a dozen Chausath Yogini temples in India. A Yogini in Tantra means a practitioner of Yoga, who has controlled her desires and reached a higher stage. They are related to the Matrikas and are basically various manifestations of the Divine Durga. This association with various forms of Durga gave rise to the cult of Chausath (64) Yoginis over time. The Chausath Yogini temple of Morena has an outer circle of 64 subsidiary shrines of Shiva with a central shrine of the Yogini. According to an inscription, it was built by King Devapala of the Pala dynasty of Bengal in 9th century.
The Yogini temple of Mitauli/Mitawali stands in splendid isolation on top of a hill some thirty miles from Gwalior. Yogini temples,in general, are often situated on the tops of hills and are usually in isolated locations on the outskirts of towns.
The extant Yogini temples, situated in the modern Indian states of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Orissa, seem by and large to lie on the fringe of a region known in ancient times as Madhyadeśa.
It appears that royalty was closely connected with the Yogini cult. The Kulārnava Tantra indicates importance of royal worship of the 64 Yoginis in a verse which states that if a king worships the 64 Yoginis with devotion, his fame will reach to the shores of the four oceans.
The earliest known text that contains lists of the 64 Yoginis is Agni Purana. Its 52nd chapter which names the 64 Yoginis and briefly describes them, is entitled Devipratimālaksana or "Attributes of Images of the Goddesses."
Both archaeology and textual evidence point to the emergence of the Yogini cult around the ninth century. The cult of the Mothers (Matrkās) and tantric modes of worship with which the Yoginis are closely associated, were known from much earlier times. Reference to early temples of the Mothers (Matrkas) are contained in Rajatarangini. Kalhaņa records that Isänadevi, wife of king Jalauka, built mātchakras, circles of Mothers, in his empire. It indicates that circular temples of Matrkās were in existence from 300 BC.
Later texts refers to astastakakrama (mode of worship of 64) in connection with the circle of Yogini (yoginivrnda) and clearly indicates that there was as specialised manner of worship as also a select group of priests who conducted the ceremonies of the Yogini cult.
Both archaeology and textual evidence point to the emergence of the Yogini cult around the ninth century. The cult of the Mothers (Matrkās) and tantric modes of worship with which the Yoginis are closely associated, were known from much earlier times. Reference to early temples of the Mothers (Matrkas) are contained in Rajatarangini. Kalhaņa records that Isänadevi, wife of king Jalauka, built mātchakras, circles of Mothers, in his empire. It indicates that circular temples of Matrkās were in existence from 300 BC.
Later texts refers to astastakakrama (mode of worship of 64) in connection with the circle of Yogini (yoginivrnda) and clearly indicates that there was as specialised manner of worship as also a select group of priests who conducted the ceremonies of the Yogini cult.
The Kālikā Purāņa ends its list of the 64 Yoginis with the injunction that the Yoginis are to be worshipped within a Mandala. The Mato tara Tantra, in describing its various Chakras of goddesses emphasizes that such Chakras are to be drawn (likhet) on a scroll (pata).
It seems likely that when the Yogini cult first emerged, worship was entirely through the use of such Mandalas, and that temples to house images of the Yoginis were a later concept and possibly one that arose with royal patronage of the cult.
Yogini temple generally takes form of the circle, that purest and simplest of symbols, yet one of most powerful and widely used.
The circle represents the Sun, the seeing eye, the zodiac, time and eternity. Texts referring to Yoginis invariably speak of them forming a chakra.
Temples of Yoginis, architecturally dissimilar to all other shrines India, represent a tradition that stands well apart from the main stream of temple architecture. Yogini temples are hypaethral or open to the sky, with neither tower roof nor hidden sacred area.
The Mitauli temple has at its centre a large pillared circular pavilion which must once have housed an image of Siva, but this shrine is now unfortunately empty. In view of textual evidence central shrine (Bhairava at centre of group of Yoginis) existed in all Yogini temples.
When images of multiple Yoginis are placed within a circular enclosure, we get a Yogini Chakra or a Yogini temple. In meditative technique, deities and Yoginis of a Chakra are sometimes visualised as existing internally within body and are to be offered symbolic worship.
Mitauli Yogini temple is located on the top of hillock hypetheral on plan comprising a circular cloister around an open courtyard over a high plinth. Circular cloister consists of a series of small cells, each having an open mandapa supported on pilasters and pillars on front.
There is a circular shrine facing east in the center of the courtyard.
Each cell originally had sikhara but during the course of conservation, smaller shrines were made flat-roofed.
One of the outstanding features of this temple is a huge underground water storage facility that collects rainwater running off from the main shrine and reaching this facility through drain pipes. This temple is proof of engineering and architectural expertise.
The exterior walls of the temple, with several bands of moulding, display small niches that contain figures of couples flanked by maidens.
However, most of these niches are empty while other contain badly damaged carvings.
The interior of circular temple enclosure contains a pillared colonnade that shelters 65 cells. One wonders why a 65th cell was part of plan.
Since Siva has his own central pavilion, possible suggestion is that image of Devi herself was added to 64 Yoginis surrounding Siva.
Each of Mitauli's 65 cells contains a linga without the usual accompanying yoni pitha. None of these linga stones are original. Not one of the Yogini images once in occupation of the cells can be traced. Yogini images were probably around 3 feet high, visible through doorways.
Misconception spread by every historian so blindly that it is built some kachphagatas and not pala empire paramount ruler of north india,
"Chausath Yogini Temple and Ekattarso Mahadeva Temple" both are diffrent temple
There are inscriptions of varying dates at Mitauli, engraved on pillars, on the rock of temple and along entranceway. Most important inscription is damaged. It mentions Maharaja Devapäla and his queen, refers to construction of temple, and records the date of AD 1323.
Other epigraphs at Mitauli include an amorous verse inscribed on the outer wall of the main temple, and a verse to the Sun god Surya, as well as a salutation to Mahäräja Rai Singh, on a pillar of the central Siva pavilion.
The latest dated inscription was added in AD 1503, indicating that despite increasing Muslim attacks, Mitauli Yogini temple was still in active worship. This was period of Rajā Man Singh, a Tomar Rajput, (1497-1517) whose success in war and peace made Gwalior justly famous.
KK MUHAMMED claimed that design of Parliament was inspired from Chausath Yogini temple. But still Historians are of various opinions. Some believe it to be Roman inspired architecture while others believe it to be a mix of Indian and Western styles.
Sources:
[1] Yogini Cult and Temples: A Tantric Tradition, published by NATIONAL MUSEUM, JANPATH, NEW DELHI.
[2] ASI Bhopal Circle:
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