The Varahi Temple, on the outskirts of
Chaurasi, was probably built in the 9th century. The temple worships Varahi, the Mother Goddess, according to tantric practices. She is presented as the pot-bellied goddess with the face of a boar, holding a fish in one hand and a cup in another.
The architecture resembles that of the temple of Vaital at
Bhubaneswar. The scroll designs on the frontal facade and on the Naga images are reminiscent of the carvings of the Rajarani Temple at Bhubaneswar. The super structure of the temple has a rectangular porch with no supporting pillars and a clerestory.
Chaurasi, a small village in
Puri district, is situated at a distance of 35 km from
Konark and 14 km from Kakatpur.
