Khajuraho Sightseeing - Chaunsat Yogini

Khajuraho has an ancient mystical charm to it and the essence of this popular tourist destination is embodied in the ancient Chaunsat Yogini temple. Dedicated to Goddess Kali, the temple is the oldest of the surviving temples of Khajuraho. 

This temple has several notable features. While most of the Khajuraho temples are made of a fine variety of buff or pink sandstone, this is the only temple at the site, which is made entirely of granite. You will find its plan simple with a quadrangular design and hardly any carvings, ornaments or other pretensions towards architectural elegance.

The name chaunsat (sixty-four) is derived from the cells of 64 attendants of Goddess Kali, of which one belongs to the goddess herself. Time has taken its toll and you will find that only 35 of the original 65 cells remain and no image of Kali has survived. Not surprisingly, since the shrine dated to 900 AD!  This type of temple is rare as it is dedicated to sixty-four Yoginis representing different manifestations of 'Shakti'.