Ranipur-Jharial Yogini Temple

The 9th-century Chausath Yogini circular stone temple at Ranipur-Jharial in Balangir district, Odisha, 300 kilometres from Bhubaneswar — one of the four surviving major Chausath Yogini temples in India (with Hirapur, Mitaoli and Bhedaghat). The 15-metre-diameter open circular shrine holds 64 yogini images arranged around the inner wall facing a central Shiva Nataraja figure. The site is the westernmost of the four surviving Yogini circular temples, documenting the Somavamshi-period western Odisha Tantric tradition. The adjacent 10-century Indralath brick temple (a 20-metre tall Nagara-style brick shikhara, one of the tallest surviving brick temples in India) and the 11th-century Somesvara Shiva temple complete the Ranipur-Jharial sacred complex. ASI protection since 1952; the Chausath Yogini serial UNESCO nomination is in preparation.