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The hidden heritage of ancient Yogini temple in Odisha
FirstpostYogini worship was done between the 9th and 12th centuries CE; most Yogini shrines, including that in Hirapur, Odisha, have been found in rural areas, often remote and scantily populated On the sidelines of the recently concluded Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, several of the visiting Pravasis took part in heritage walks conducted in Bhubaneswar. In this context, it comes as no surprise that in Odisha too, the Yogini shrine is not within Bhubaneswar’s Ekamra Kshetra, but 14 kilometres outside the city, in a small village called Hirapur. Conforming to the pattern of Yogini temples across the central Indian belt, the Hirapur one too is a circular roofless structure that looks rather plain on the outside but has space for ornate icons within. The Mahamaya icon – presiding deity of the Hirapur temple The fact that these carved Yogini icons still exist in the temple is the second and perhaps most unique aspect of Hirapur.
History of this topic
In search of a ‘yogini’ in Odisha
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