Chausath Yogini Temple
Mahamaya Temple, Hirapur
A rare open-air, circular tantric shrine of 64 goddesses — the trail's final, shadow-planet stop.
⭐ Why it is famous
One of only a handful of surviving hypaethral (roofless) Yogini temples in India, this small circular 9th–10th century shrine near Bhubaneswar enshrines 64 fierce goddess-forms around a central Kali image. There is no recorded Ketu tradition here; it closes the trail as Odisha's most striking tantric-Shakta site, echoing Ketu's own association with the esoteric and the hidden.
📜 Pilgrimage history
Yogini worship flourished in eastern India between roughly the 8th and 13th centuries as an initiatory, tantric cult before fading from mainstream practice; Hirapur's temple, rediscovered and restored in the 20th century, is one of the best-preserved circular Yogini shrines anywhere in the country.
🕰️ Temple timings
- 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM
🙏 Darśan details
- Free entry, no separate ticket; caretakers on site can explain the 64 goddess niches.
- Photography of the open courtyard is generally allowed.
🚉 Location & getting there
📍 Chausath Yogini Temple, Hirapur, KhordhaBhubaneswar (BBS) — 15 km
Hirapur bus stand — state transport buses stop here.
Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar (BBI) — 18 km
Hirapur village is about 20 km from central Bhubaneswar via the Bhubaneswar–Tangi road.
🪔 Poojas, sevās & tickets
This temple does not publish a rate list. Darśan is free; ārcanā, abhiṣeka and other sevās are booked at the counter inside the temple on the day.
🧭 Around the temple
Places to see besides the temple — tap any one to open it in Google Maps.
🛏️ Where to stay
- Hotels across Bhubaneswar city, all price ranges
₹ Indicative trip cost (per head, 2 days)
| Budget | Standard | Comfort |
|---|---|---|
| ₹1,800 | ₹3,800 | ₹8,000 |
🛕 Nearby temples
📌 Other attractions nearby
- Hirapur rural countryside
- Dhauli hill and Ashokan edicts, en route
🧵 Part of these circuits
📅 Best time to visit
October to March, calm daylight hours to see the sculpture detail clearly.