CHAURASI VARAHI TEMPLE

Destination Summary

Famous for Varahi Temple Nearest Attractions Konark, Kakatpur, Kurum Located at Village: Chaurashi, Post : Amareswar, Tehsil: Chaurashi, District: Puri, PIN: 752120 State/Country Odisha/India Famous Events Dushera, Raja etc. Distance From Puri 65 KM Mode of Transport Road (Bus and Taxi) Nearest Airport Bhubaneswar Best Time to Visit Round the Year Local Language Odia Other languages Hindi, Bengali and English

Chaurasi, alternatively spelled as Chaurashi, is a small village near Puri district on the right bank of river Prachi. The place is famous for the Varahi Temple, alternatively spelled as Varahi Temple. This temple was built in the first quarter of 10th century A.D. during Somavamsi rule. The temple is east facing and built with Sand stone. The area dimension (L x B x H) of the temple is 15.84 mtrs x 8.23 mtrs x 8.40 mtrs. It is under the maintenance of Archaeological survey of India. Chaurasi is situated between Nimapada-Kakatpur road and is at a distance of 30 kilometers from Konark and 14 kilometers from Kakatapur village. The geographical location of the temple is LONGITUDE 86⁰07’07”E and LATITUDE 20⁰03’31”N.

Spreading over about 2 acres of land, this shrine is Sakta and the presiding deity of the temple is Goddess Varahi. She sits in lalitasana on a cushion placed on a plain platform with her right foot resting on the buffalo mount carved on the pedestal. She is presented as the pot-bellied goddess with the face of a boar. She has two arms and holds a fish in her right hand and a bowl in her left hand. A third eye is tightly engraved into her forehead. Here Varahi is worshipped in accordance with the tantric rituals. Goddess Varahi is offered fish everyday. Chaurasi is also famous for Amareswar temple and Laxminarayan temple.

The Sakta temples are generally of Khakhara type. The Varahi temple at Chaurasi in the Prachi Valley with its semi-cylindrical roofs is an example of Khakhara type of temple. The temple is lavishly decorated with sculptural motifs and scroll work. The super structure of the temple has a rectangular porch with no supporting pillars and clere-stories. Eight stages of copulation are depicted in this temple.

Chaurasi Varahi Temple Photo Gallary

Photo Courtesy: Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) http://www.ignca.gov.in/

Click here to open Chaurasi photo gallery