YOGINI SHRINE
Significance : One of the four hypaethral temples in India
On the outskirts of
Bhubaneswar
, 15-km southeast of the city is a small, circular temple, the Yogini
Temple, dating to the early ninth century. It is hypaethral (open to the
sky), and belongs to a genre of architecture completely apart from the
major Orissan School. Although it seems that temples of this type existed
throughout India at one time, today only four remain. Two of them are in
Orissa; the shrine at Hirapur,
and one in the far western reaches of the state, at
Ranipur-Jharial.
A Unique Architecture
The temple's circular wall, which is barely 2m high, contains 64 niches
within its inner circumference. All except one of these contain an image
of a Yogini Goddess. Some of the Goddesses are portrayed with sensual
bodies and jewelled bodices, others with horrific shrunken features, still
others with animal heads.
Even today, standing in the deserted temple with bright sunshine pouring
in, one senses a strange emanation from the temple, and this feeling is in
keeping with its original purpose. Active between the 9th and 13th
centuries, the cults responsible for these temples worshipped Yogini
Goddesses in expectation of the direct acquisition of supernatural powers.
The 'Yoginis' were thought to be able to confer on their devotees the
power to become microscopic or gigantic in size, to control the body and
mind of oneself and of others, to fly, become invisible, and myriad other
useful abilities. Worship seems to have centered on the repetition of the
names of the Goddesses, and in later centuries, when active use of the
shrines ceased, worshippers transferred their devotions to mystical paper
diagrams.
Know more about this Package !!!
279/A, Masjid Moth, South Extention - II
New Delhi - 110 049 (INDIA)
Tel : +91-11-4164 3999 / 2626 2004
Fax : +91-11-2625 9695
Email : info@indiainfoweb.com
Home | Attractions | Destinations | Hotels | Tour Packages | Travel Agents | Help DeskDisclaimer | Privacy Policy | Old Site | Feedback / Contact Us
Copyright © 2007 India Infoweb. All Rights Reserved.