Chausath Yogini or Ekattarso Mahadeva Temple, Mitavli Village,
Morena District, Madhya Pradesh, India
-RohitKumar Parmar
Pic Mi-1 View of outer circle of the temple while climbing, Mitavli
The Chausath (Chausath in hindi is "sixty four") Yogini temple, also known as Ekattarso (Ekattarso in hindi is “seventy one hundred”) Mahadeva Temple, is in Mitavli, near Gadi Padavli/ Padhawali in Morena district, about 40 kilometres from Gwalior. The temple, a centre for education in astrology and mathematics based on transit of Sun, was built by the Kachchhapaghata (कच्छपघात tortoise killer) dynasty king Devapala (r. c. 1055 – 1075) (according to an inscription dated to 1323 CE, Vikram Samvat 1383). The Kachchhapaghatas having built several temples in Morena and Gwalior are noted for their art and architecture.
The temple located on an isolated hillock about 30 metres in height, has more than 100 steps to reach the main entrance.
Pic Mi-2 View of ramp/steps with fields in background while climbing, Mitavli
Location on a hillock would certainly have facilitated astrology and viewing of the sky/ transit of the Sun. However, there a few references/ instruments/ markings in the temple, to suggest that it was used for the same and needs to be explored.
There are two concentric structures, the outer one with a radius of 52 metres, with 64 small chambers, each with a mandapa.
This area (Morena and neighbouring districts) is replete with temples dedicated to Siva. The central shrine dedicated to Siva has an open porch as its entrance. The roof of the shrines is flat and the circular courtyard is open to the sky (hypaethral) to facilitate prayers.
The central shrine's roofing slabs allow rainwater to drain through pipes to a large underground tank. There are slanting stone slabs at the edge of the roof, offering protection from rain and sunshine, which is also seen in several buildings in the area.
Pic Mi-3 The inner temple and part of the outer temple, Mitavli
Some of the chambers inside the perimeter wall now do not have a siva linga (see Pic Mi-8 and Pic Mi-9). Originally these also contained 64 Yogini images and probably one image of the great goddess Devi, one of the trinity, most likely Parvati.
Pic Mi-4 Chambers in the outer temple, Mitavli
It is said that the roofs over the 64 chambers and the central shrine had towers or shikharas, as those at the Chausath Yogini Temple in Khajuraho still do.
There are other Chausath Yogini temples in India, in Khajuraho (this has a rectangular plan) and Bhedaghat (near Jabalpur) in Madhya Pradesh and Hirapur (20 kms from Bhubaneshwar) in Odisha. The 64 yoginis represent the 64 kalas or the arts.
While from the outer view, the chambers appear to be symmetrical, the inner of the 64 chambers are not uniform. There are differences in the location, shape and features of the Siva ling in the chambers, as can be seen from pictures Pic Mi 5 and Pic Mi 6.
Pic Mi-5 Inside view of one chamber in the outer temple, Mitavli
Pic Mi-6 Inside view of another chamber in the outer temple, Mitavli
The chambers also appear to have had an opening/window, which would have offered a grand view (as it does today) and appears to have been subsequently blocked by stone blocks.
Pic Mi-7 View of fields from the temple, Mitavli
The subsequent blocking of opening/windows is also not uniform and appears to have been done separately for each chamber. These observations based on this authors visit can be seen from the next two pictures, taken during the visit. (see Pic Mi-8 and Pic Mi-9). The first chamber has brick type laying of the stone, while the second chamber has one big stone block.
Pic Mi-8 Inside view of first chamber in the outer temple, Mitavli
Pic Mi-9 Inside view of second chamber in the outer temple, Mitavli
The exterior surface of the outer wall, unlike other Yogini temples which are quite plain outside, was decorated with statues of couples flanked by maidens, which are now mostly lost or badly damaged.
The outerwall of some of the chambers (which is also the outermost wall of the outer structure) is not uniform as can be seen from Pic Mi-10. While some have sculpted pillars, others are plain.
Pic Mi-10 View of outerwall of some chambers (which is also the outermost wall of the outer structure) of the temple, Mitavli
Despite restoration work (2017-18) carried out with three institutions (Government of India funding it; MP State Tourism executing it; and Archaeological Survey of India maintaining it), there are several parts of the temple that are damaged and need immediate restoration, as can be seen from Pic Mi-11 and Pic Mi-12, which follow.
Pic Mi-11 View of a damaged pillar outside a chamber, Mitavli
Pic Mi-12 View of damaged base of the outer temple, Mitavli
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