Chausath Yogini Temple

Chausath Yogini Temple is the oldest surviving temple at Khajuraho in Chhatarpur District, Madhya Pradesh, located on a low hillock southwest of the Khajuraho Group of Monuments. Built around 875-900 CE, it is a hypaethral (open-air) rectangular temple dedicated to the 64 Yoginis. The complex consists of 65 small shrines and is notable for its simple granite construction and historical importance in the early Chandela period.

Visitors can expect an open-air rectangular courtyard on a hilltop reached by a flight of stone steps. The enclosure contains 65 small shrine cells along the perimeter wall, most now empty and in ruined condition, with a central shrine. The setting is isolated and quiet compared to the Western Group, surrounded by scrub and offering views over Khajuraho. There is no roof over the courtyard and limited shade.

Built around 875-900 CE during the early Chandela period, the Chausath Yogini Temple is considered the oldest temple at Khajuraho. It represents an early phase of temple architecture in the region, constructed of coarse granite with a simple hypaethral design predating the more ornate sandstone temples of the Western Group. It is dedicated to the 64 Yoginis and reflects the prevalence of Yogini worship before the later Shaiva and Vaishnava temples.

The temple is significant for its association with the Yogini cult and Shakti worship, representing Tantric traditions in central India. It is one of the few surviving Chausath Yogini temples in India, illustrating the religious practice centered on the 64 Yoginis as attendants of the Goddess. It forms part of the Khajuraho Group of Monuments, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.