The Yogini worship is strongly linked to the tantric traditions and rituals, especially in Sri Vidya Upasana. Yogini tantra, Bhavanopanishad, Kaulajnananirnaya Tantra etc mention about the 64 yoginis. These Yoginis are considered powerful manifestations of the divine feminine energy, Shakti, and are believed to possess supernatural powers. They are often associated with the Ashta Matrikas, the eight mother goddesses, who themselves are considered to be consorts of the Ashta Bhairavas. Similarly the 64 Yoginis also have 64Bhairavas as consorts. see Kalabhairav temples
India’s major extant 64 Yogini shrines, though partly damaged, are in Odisha and Madhya Pradesh. Rest are in ruins. Most of them are circular in shape. The old Indian parliament architecture was an inspired by this Yogini temple shape.
Some of these temples have more than 64 Yogini images. It is because along with the 64 Yogini idols, there are also other idols like Ganesha, Siva etc. carved alongside so some think there are 81 yoginis! In scriptures only 64 are mentioned.
The existing Yogini temples are:
Hirapur, Odisha:
10 miles south of Bhubaneshwar. This is one of the best-known examples, with a circular enclosure and 64 niches. Yogini worship is done here. Picture as on top.
Ranipur Jharial, Odisha:
Another well-preserved Yogini temple, also circular and featuring 64 niches. Inside the surviving central shrine an image of dancing Lord Shiva; all the Yogini images are, uniquely, similarly shown dancing. Inside the temple Siva Pooja is done. It is rare Sivalinga which is carved in to the stone floor. Behind the Sivalinga Ardha Nariswar idol is there.
Mitaoli, Morena, Madhya Pradesh:
This well-preserved 11th-century yogini temple, also known as the Ekattarso Mahadeva Temple, is known for its circular plan and numerous Shivalingas and Kali idols inside its cells. It was a great seat of Tantravidyas and great Tantrics used to teach Tantra. Hence it was called the “university of black magic”. Even today on Amavasya night Tantriks perform rituals inside closing all doors.
Bhedaghat, Jabalpur, The 10th-century same circular type Yogini temple. Yogini worship is done here. It has 81 idols and The 81 images include 8 Matrikas, Ganesha, Siva etc. Gauri Shankar temple inside is a major attraction of this destination. It is also the only temple in India where Shiva and Parvati are sitting on their bull, Nandi. The priests who performed my Pooja here told me that according to the history told by his ancestors who have been worshipping here from the very beginning this temple is more tha 3000 years old.
Yogmaya Temple, Mehrauli, New Delhi. Though its original (300-200 BCE) architecture could not be restored after its destruction by Islamic rulers, but its representative modern reconstruction had been carried out quite well.
Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh:
The 9th or 10th century Yogini temple here is unique for its square plan, unlike the circular ones generally found. It is in ruins.
Dudahi
The temple at Dudahi, locally named Akhada, near Lalitpur in Uttar Pradesh is now in ruins.
Badoh Vidisha Madhya Pradesh Gadarmal Temple
It is known as the Gadarmal temple of the Mothers and is one of the few that are rectangular. 18 broken images of the goddesses that once fitted into grooves in the temple platform are preserved from the waist down. It is composed of a rectangular shrine and a tall and massive Shikhara.
Rikhiyan
Some 150 miles north of Khajuraho on the south bank of the River Yamuna, in the Banda District, Uttar Pradesh, are the fragmentary remains of what seems to have been a rectangular 64-Yogini temple in the Rikhiyan valley.
Several other Yoginī shrines which were in Lokhari, Nareshwar & Shahdol (MP) and Kaveripakkam near Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu) are now lost.
The Sixty-four Yogini as depicted in the complete Hirapur/Bhubaneswar, Orissa shrine are:
- Bahurupa
- Tara
- Narmada
- Yamuna
- Shanti
- Varuni
- Kshemankari
- Aindri
- Varahi
- Ranveera
- Vanara-Mukhi
- Vaishnavi
- Kalaratri
- Vaidyaroopa
- Charchika
- Betali
- Chinnamastika
- Vrishabahana
- Jwala Kamini
- Ghatavara
- Karakali
- Saraswati
- Birupa
- Kauveri
- Bhaluka
- Narasimhi
- Biraja
- Vikatanna
- Mahalakshmi
- Kaumari
- Maha Maya
- Rati
- Karkari
- Sarmatia
- Yakshini
- Vinayaki
- Vindya Balini
- Veera Kumari
- Maheshwari
- Ambika
- Kamiyani
- Ghatabari
- Stutee
- Kali
- Uma
- Narayani
- Samudraa
- Brahmani
- Jwala Mukhi
- Agneyei
- Aditi
- Chandrakanti
- Vayubega
- Chamunda
- Murati
- Ganga
- Dhumavati
- Gandhari
- Sarva Mangala
- Ajita
- Surya Putri
- Vayu Veena
- Aghora
- Bhadrakali
