Question 23 from UPSC CSE 2021 - Art & Culture

Question

With reference to Chausath Yogini Temple situated near Morena, consider the following statements:
1. It is a circular temple built during the reign of Kachchhapaghata Dynasty.
2. It is the only circular temple built in India.
3. It was meant to promote the Vaishnava cult in the cent region.
4. Its design has given rise to a popular belief that it was the inspiration behind the Indian Parliament building.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: C. 1 and 4

Strategy: - Identify the key architectural and historical features of Chausath Yogini temples.
- Confirm the accuracy of the Morena temple's circular construction during the Kachchhapaghata reign.
- Acknowledge the popular, though undocumented, association with the Parliament building's design.
- Dismiss claims of uniqueness by referencing other circular Yogini temples, such as the one in Jabalpur.
- Eliminate options based on incorrect cult affiliation, noting the Yogini cult is Shakta/Tantric, not Vaishnava.
- Synthesize factual knowledge with logical elimination to determine the correct statements.

Key Info: **Chausath Yogini Temple, Mitawali**

The Chausath Yogini temple, located in Mitawali near Morena, Madhya Pradesh, is a significant 11th-century structure. It was commissioned under the Kachchhapaghata dynasty, specifically by King Devapala around 1055–1075 CE.

**Religious and Cultural Context**
The term "Chausath Yogini" denotes the 64 yoginis, who are female tantric deities central to Shakta/Tantric cults. The temple is not associated with the Vaishnava tradition. Its cultural importance stems from its Tantric associations, its architecture designed for esoteric rituals, and its role as a well-preserved example of early medieval central Indian temple architecture.

**Architectural Design**
The temple is renowned for its unique circular layout, approximately 30 meters in diameter.
- It features 64 small chambers, each intended for an image of a yogini, arranged in a circle around a central shrine.
- The central shrine houses a Shivalinga.
- The structure is hypaethral, meaning it is open to the sky, a common characteristic of Yogini temples facilitating Tantric rituals.
- This circular design is believed to symbolize the Sri Yantra and represent a cosmic energy circuit in Shakti worship.

**Comparisons and Influences**
While its geometry is distinctive, the temple is not unique in its circular form; other notable circular Yogini temples exist in Jabalpur and Hirapur. A popular belief suggests the Mitawali temple inspired the design of the Indian Parliament House (Sansad Bhavan) due to their shared circular shape, although there is no direct documentary evidence to support this claim.

Answer

Option A: 1 and 2

Answer

Option B: 2 and 3 only

Answer

Option D: 2, 3, and 4