Why Did They Build a Temple for 64 Powerful Women. Then Bury It in Silence?

Certain temples are intended for worship. Others—to reawaken a deep-seated part of yourself. One such enigma is the Chausath Yogini Temple, which is tucked away in the sleepy village of Hirapur, Odisha. In contrast to conventional temples, this one is open to the sky, shaped like a ceremonial circle, and adorned with sixty-four graceful yet fierce Yoginis, goddesses of destruction, healing, and power. This hidden haven of feminine power raises the question, "What were we meant to remember, but chose to forget?" as old chants reverberate softly in stone.


There are no imposing gates or tall walls as you enter this historic area; instead, there is only a circle of sacred stone that is open to the infinite sky. This was a portal to the holy, not an architectural fault. The Chausath Yogini Temple, constructed in the ninth century by the Bhaumakara dynasty, was designed for silent submission rather than show. As searchers gathered beneath the sky to awaken cosmic energy and connect with the ferocious but caring power of the feminine, its circular design mirrored the beat of tantric rituals. Here, the sky becomes a testimony to devotion and stillness triumphs over prayers.


Each Yogini carved into the 64 sacred niches of this forgotten temple is a story in herself—a fierce protector, a gentle mother, a wild spirit. Some hold weapons, some ride beasts, and some gaze at you with knowing eyes. These are not just goddesses; they are raw, untamed energies rooted in ancient tantra. They could fly, heal, transform—but above all, they embodied the divine feminine power the world feared and buried. In forgetting them, we forgot a part of ourselves. This temple is not just stone—it’s a mirror to the power within every woman, waiting to rise again.


Unlike ordinary temples, this one stands open to the sky—with no roof to separate earth from the cosmos. Why? Because true power was never meant to be caged. The Yoginis, fierce feminine forces of tantra, needed direct connection to the stars, the moon, the universe itself. This wasn’t just architecture—it was intention. Standing within this sacred circle, under the same sky they once danced beneath, something awakens in you. An ancient pull. A silent echo. A remembering of forgotten feminine energy. It’s not just a place—it’s a feeling. And once you feel it, you never forget it.


Centuries ago, the Yoginis were not feared—they were followed, worshipped, and deeply revered. Women, especially priestesses, walked boldly in their sacred circle, initiated into ancient tantric mysteries. But as time passed, patriarchy tightened its grip, silencing their power, crumbling their temples, and erasing their legacy. Today, the Chausath Yogini Temple in Odisha isn’t just a forgotten structure—it’s a cry from the past. A silent witness to a time when the divine feminine wasn’t hidden, but honoured. This temple still breathes the spirit of resistance, reminding us of a sacred legacy we were never meant to forget.


Pilgrims and wanderers still come—not for grand rituals, but for something deeper: remembrance. To step into this ancient, sky-kissed circle is to feel the quiet strength of the Yoginis, goddesses who never screamed for power, but embodied it in silence. In a world where women still struggle to be seen and heard, this forgotten temple doesn’t just echo history—it offers healing. It whispers truths we’ve long ignored. The Chausath Yogini Temple isn’t just stone and dust; it’s a sacred mirror, reflecting the fierce, divine energy buried within every woman. And today, that whisper is rising into a roar.

Amid rising skylines and digital noise, the Chausath Yogini Temple stands still, quiet, circular, and open to the sky. It doesn’t scream for attention. It waits. And in that waiting lies its power. This temple is not just an ancient structure carved in stone. It is a circle of feminine energy, a sacred echo of a time when women were worshipped not for how they looked, but for the power they carried. Each of the 64 Yoginis enshrined here tells a story—of strength, rage, love, protection, and wild, untamed divinity. And yet, we let them slip into silence. But maybe they were never forgotten. Maybe we just stopped listening. Walking away from this temple isn’t easy. It doesn’t let go of you. There’s a pull in the air, a whisper in the wind, a strange familiarity in the eyes of the Yoginis. As if they’re watching. As if they remember us, even if we’ve forgotten them. In that haunting beauty, something awakens. A sense of power once denied. A silence that demands to be broken. A message that we need now more than ever—to reclaim what’s sacred, what’s real, what connects us to the earth and to each other. This isn’t just history. It’s healing. And perhaps, just perhaps, these Yoginis were never meant to be worshipped from afar. Maybe they were waiting for us to step into their circle, not as devotees, but as daughters of their strength. The Yoginis are calling. Can you hear them now?


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