Chausath Yogini Temple, Mitaoli (Ekattarso Mahadeva Temple)
Shiva (as Ekattarso Mahadeva); originally the sixty-four Yoginis temple · Mitaoli (Mitawali), Morena, Madhya Pradesh, India
The Chausath Yogini Temple at Mitaoli (also spelled Mitawali or Mitavali), in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh, is a circular temple on top of an isolated hill about 100 feet high, overlooking cultivated fields. It is also known as the Ekattarso Mahadeva Temple, a name the Morena district administration explains by the many Shiva lingas now kept in its cells.
Built for the worship of the sixty-four Yoginis, it is one of the few surviving temples of its kind in India and among the better preserved. It is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and in 2025 it was one of thirteen Chausath Yogini temples added to India's tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage status, as Outlook Traveller and MP Tourism report.
Faith & Tradition
Religious Significance of Chausath Yogini Temple, Mitaoli (Ekattarso Mahadeva Temple)
Yogini temples were built for a tantric cult of sixty-four Yoginis, goddesses whom Incredible India describes as manifestations of the Shakti of Durga. Such temples are typically circular and open to the sky. Wikipedia notes that this is often explained by the belief that the Yoginis could fly, and that the temples were built for communion with them.
At Mitaoli, the circular cloister has 65 small chambers. Citing the scholar Vidya Dehejia, a guest article published by MP Tourism says that 64 held images of the Yoginis and one held a more important deity; Outlook Traveller and Wikipedia describe this as the 64 Yoginis and the Devi. The open-air central shrine is dedicated to Shiva. The Yogini images have long since disappeared, and Incredible India records that the cells now mostly contain Shiva lingas, which is why the temple is worshipped today as Ekattarso Mahadeva.
The district administration says the temple is also said to have been a place where astrology and mathematics based on the transit of the Sun were taught; this is a tradition rather than a documented fact.
Heritage
History of Chausath Yogini Temple, Mitaoli (Ekattarso Mahadeva Temple)
According to an inscription dated 1323 CE (Vikram Samvat 1383), cited by the Morena district administration and Wikipedia, the temple was built by the Kachchhapaghata king Devapala, who reigned around 1055–1075 CE. MP Tourism's guest article notes that this inscription is more than two centuries later than the stated building period and questions how far it can be relied on, and adds that the latest inscription found at the site, of 1503 CE, suggests worship continued into the early 16th century. Incredible India describes the Kachchhapaghatas as feudatories of the Chandelas.
The ASI declared the temple a protected monument under Act No. LXXI of 1951, on 28 November 1951, according to the district administration, and it appears in the ASI's list of monuments in Madhya Pradesh as the 'Ekattatso Mahadeva temple, Mitaoli'. MP Tourism reports that the ASI, with support from the state government and MP Tourism, rebuilt an eroded part of the hill and restored the damaged part of the shrine.
The temple's circular colonnade is popularly said to have inspired the design of the old Parliament House in New Delhi. Incredible India and Outlook Traveller both note that there is no documentary evidence that the architects drew on Mitaoli; it remains a popular comparison rather than established history.
Architecture and sacred features
The temple is circular in plan. Sources differ on its size: the district administration and Wikipedia give the outer wall a radius of about 170 feet, while Incredible India gives a diameter of about 52 m. A roofed, pillared cloister of small chambers runs around the inner face of the wall, enclosing an open courtyard. In the centre stands a circular, roofed pavilion surrounded by two further rings of pillars, which serves as the Shiva shrine, as described in MP Tourism's guest article.
The district administration notes that slabs on the roof of the central shrine are perforated to drain rainwater through pipes into a large underground store. The outer wall was once decorated with carved figures, most of which are now lost or damaged, according to Outlook Traveller. The temple is reached by a climb of about 100 steps.
Plan Your Visit
Darshan and Visitor Information
The temple stands on an exposed hilltop reached by about 100 steps, so carry water and wear sturdy footwear; Incredible India recommends visiting between October and March, preferably in the morning. It is a protected monument, so do not climb on or touch the carvings. Confirm current visiting arrangements with the ASI or the Morena district administration before travelling.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with Archaeological Survey of India before travelling. Last reviewed 1 November 2026.
Location
How to Reach Chausath Yogini Temple, Mitaoli (Ekattarso Mahadeva Temple)
Mitaoli is a village near Padavali in Morena district. Incredible India gives the temple as about 15 km from Morena town and railway station and about 55 km from Gwalior, whose airport is the nearest; the district administration puts it about 40 km from Gwalior. A private vehicle is the most practical way to reach it.
Incredible India lists the nearby Padavali and Bateshwar temple sites as part of the same Morena heritage circuit.
Location: Mitaoli (Mitawali), Morena, Madhya Pradesh, India
Nearest airport: Gwalior (about 55 km, per Incredible India)
Nearest railway station: Morena (about 15 km, per Incredible India)
More in Hindu temples in Madhya Pradesh · Shiva (as Ekattarso Mahadeva); originally the sixty-four Yoginis temples
Questions
Chausath Yogini Temple, Mitaoli (Ekattarso Mahadeva Temple): Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Mitaoli temple called Ekattarso Mahadeva?
The Morena district administration explains the name by the many Shiva lingas now kept in the temple's cells, which once held images of the Yoginis.
Who built the Chausath Yogini Temple at Mitaoli?
An inscription dated 1323 CE attributes it to the Kachchhapaghata king Devapala, who reigned in the 11th century. Some writers question how reliable this later inscription is.
How many chambers does the Mitaoli temple have?
The circular cloister has 65 small chambers, apparently for the 64 Yoginis and one principal deity, around an open courtyard with a central Shiva shrine.
Did the Mitaoli temple inspire the Indian Parliament building?
The resemblance is a popular belief, but Incredible India and Outlook Traveller note that there is no documentary evidence that the architects based their design on this temple.
Is the Chausath Yogini Temple at Mitaoli a UNESCO site?
Not yet. In 2025 it was included, with twelve other Chausath Yogini temples, in India's tentative list for possible World Heritage nomination.
How do I reach the Chausath Yogini Temple at Mitaoli?
It is about 15 km from Morena and roughly 40–55 km from Gwalior, depending on the source. The nearest airport is Gwalior and the nearest railway station Morena; the temple is reached by about 100 steps.
Sources and attribution
- District Morena, Government of Madhya Pradesh — Chausath Yogini Temple, Morena
- Archaeological Survey of India (Wayback Machine copy, May 2018) — Alphabetical List of Monuments – Madhya Pradesh
- Incredible India, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India — Mitawali
- Madhya Pradesh Tourism (guest article by Arjun Kumar, 18 March 2025) — Mitaoli's Yogini Temple: From obscurity to global fame
- Outlook Traveller — Chausath Yogini Temples Are On UNESCO's Tentative List Of World Heritage Sites (23 March 2025)
- Wikipedia — Chausath Yogini Temple, Mitaoli
Further reading: Chausath Yogini Temple, Mitaoli (Ekattarso Mahadeva Temple) on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Spotted an error? Write to info@hindutone.com — see our editorial policy.
Pilgrim Circuit