Chaunsath Yogini Temple is a 10th century temple situated on the top of a hill at
Bedaghat in
Jabalpur District of
Madhya Pradesh. Bedaghat, about 20 km from
Jabalpur, is situated on the banks of
Narmada.
The temple is only 130 feet in diameter and is of a cloister shape with dozens of separate shrines. It was the personal temple of Rani Durgavati of Kalchuri dynasty. Right in front of the shrine is a heavy stone slab, under which lie the tunnel that led from Rani Durgavati’s chambers in the Madan Mahal fort palace to the temple.
The main sanctum has an idol of Lord Shiva and Parvati riding the Nandi. But people believe that the temple is dedicated to is dedicated to Goddess Durga and her 64 attendants. Exquisitely carved 64 sculptures of the attendants is the highlight of the temple. These are placed in tiny cells and each entered by a small and plain doorway and roofed by a curvilinear shikhara of an elementary form.
