All About 51 Shakti Peethas — Holy Abodes Of Shakti
India, a land of spirituality and mysticism, is home to countless temples and sacred sites that draws pilgrims and seekers from all over the world. Among the many revered places of worship in India, Shakti Peethas hold a unique significance. These sacred shrines are dedicated to the divine feminine energy, Shakti, and are scattered across the Indian subcontinent, each with its own fascinating legend and spiritual aura.
The Essence of the legend Shakti
Shakti, often depicted as goddess Durga or Parvati, represents the primal creative and transformative energy of the universe. She is referred to as the mother of the universe, the force that empowers creation and destruction of the universe.
The story begins with Sati, the daughter of King Daksha and the wife of Lord Shiva, but her father disapproved of their union. He then held a grand yagna and invited all the deities except Lord Shiva, which deeply hurt Sati. However, Lord Shiva tried his best to dissuade her from going to the yagna. Sati couldn’t bear her father’s insult towards her husband, and decided to attend the yagna. At the Yagna, Daksha decided to insult Shiva further which emerged Sati. In anguish, Sati immolated herself into the sacrificial fire.
Lord Shiva, upon seeing Sati’s tragic end, began his Tandava or cosmic dance for destruction in order to overcome his grief while reminiscing the old memories with her. Moreover, to stop his rampage, Lord Vishnu intervened and used Sudarshan Chakra to disintegrate Sati’s body. As the Sati’s body parts fell on the earth, they became sites of immense power and are considered to be the holiest places.
Significance of Shakti Peethas
Shakti Peethas carry a lot of significance which invokes the spiritual feeling in the mind of devotees.They hold a great importance with the Goddess Shakti and Lord Shiva, symbolising the divine feminine power and the cosmic unity of male and female energies.
- Spiritual Importance- Shakti Peethas are believed to be where the body parts of the goddess Sati fell when Lord Shiva carried her charred remains after her self-immolation. Devotees visit these sites to seek blessings and connect with the divine.
- Energy Centres- Shakti Peethas are considered potent energy centres where people come to connect with the goddess Sati. Also, it gives devotees a heightened experience of spirituality.
- Culture and Pilgrimage- Shakti Peethas are renowned for their cultural importance. Devotees visit these sites to seek knowledge and celebrate popular festivals. Also, it helps one to express one’s devotion and seek blessings.
- Symbol of feminine Power- Shakti Peethas celebrate the power of feminine power to create a balance between male and women energies in the universe.
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51 Shakti Peethas
| S.No. | Shakti Peeth | Description |
| 1 | Kamakhya / Kamrup-Kamakhya temple / Kamakhya Devalaya | Goddess Sati’s yoni, is worshipped at this shrine, which is located in Guwahati, Assam. |
| 2 | Avanti / Mahakali Devi | Mother’s upper lips fell on the Bhairav mountain near the banks of river Shipra in Ujjain city of Madhya Pradesh. |
| 3 | Lalita / Alopi Mata / Prayag Shakti Peeth | Mother’s finger fell on Sangam beach of Allahabad city in Uttar Pradesh. This Shaktipeeth is also known as Lalitha and Prayad Temple. |
| 4 | Vishalakshi / Manikarnika | Mother’s earrings fell on the Manikarnika Ghat in Kashi, Uttar Pradesh. Also known as Vishalakshi Gauri Temple |
| 5 | Bhabanipur Shaktipeeth /Aparna | Aparna Shakti Peeth is a place where the left anklet (Ornament) of Goddess Mata Sati fell. Located in Bangladesh Goddess is worshiped as arpana or Arpan. |
| 6 | Bahula / Bahula Devi Mandir | Bahula Shakti Peeth is situated on the banks of the invincible river, 8 km from Bardhaman district from Bengal where the left hand of Mata Sati fell. |
| 7 | Bhawani – Chandranath Temple | It is said that the right hand of Mata Sati fell here. It is located at Sitakunda Railway Station in Chittagong district, Bangladesh. |
| 8 | Trisrota Maa Bhramari Shakti Peeth / Bhramari | Mother’s left leg was dropped at Trisrota Maa Bhramari Shakti Peeth in Salbari village of Bengal. We cannot reach Panch Garh by air or rail. The road distance between Dhaka and Panchagarh is 344 km. Hino-chair coach services (private sector) are available from Ghatpoli, Shemoli and Mirpur road bus terminals in Dhaka to Panchagarh city. |
| 9 | Jansthan / Bhramari | Mother’s chin fell on Nashik Nagar in Maharashtra. The nearest railway station and airport is located at Nashik. |
| 10 | Prabhas – Chandrabhaga | Mother’s abdomen fell in the Prabhas area of Somnath temple located in Junagadh district of Gujarat. In terms of airways, both international and national airports are located near Junagadh. Trains from every part of the country come to this city. |
| 11 | Maa Chintpurni Temple / Chhinmastika | Located in Una district of Himachal Pradesh, the Feet of Goddess has fallen here. |
| 12 | Manasa / Dakshayani | This Shakti Peeth of Mata is established near Mansarovar located in Tibet. At this place, the right hand of Mata Mata Sati fell. A limited number of Indian pilgrims are allowed to visit Kailash Mansarovar every year. |
| 13 | Gandaki chandi – Muktinath Temple | Muktinath Shaktipeeth is located in Nepal at the place called Pokhara on the banks of Gandaki river where the forehead or shrine of Mother was dropped. |
| 14 | Manibandh – Gayatri | Manibandh, also known as Manivedika Shakti Peeth and Gayatri Temple, is located 11 km north-west of Ajmer near Gayatri Pahar near Pushkar, Rajasthan where Mata’s wrist fell. The nearest airport from Pushkar is in Jaipur. |
| 15 | Indrakshi / Nagapooshani / Bhuvaneswari | Mata’s anklet fell in Trincomalee in Sri Lanka. |
| 16 | Yashore / Yashoreswari / Jeshoreshwari | Mother’s palm fell at Yashore in Ishwaripur in Khulna district of Bangladesh. The nearest airport is located in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, and the airport has provision for both national and international flights. There is no rail route between the two countries, so there are some buses that go from major cities of India to this holy site. |
| 17 | Baidyanath / Vaidyanath / Jayadurga | Mother’s heart fell on Baidyanath Dham located in Jharkhand. Here the form of mother is known as Jai Mata and Bhairava as Vaidyanath or Baidaynath. |
| 18 | Brajeshwari Devi Temple / Karnat / Jayadurga | Brajeshwari Devi Temple is located in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, where both the ears of Mata Sati fell. Here the goddess is worshipped as Jayadurga or Jayadurga and Lord Shiva as Abhiru. |
| 19 | Jayanti – Nartiang Durga Temple | Nartiang Shakti Peeth is located on the Jaintia hill of Meghalaya where the left thigh of Goddess Mata Sati fell. Here Goddess Mata Sati is worshiped as Jayanti and Lord Shiva as Kramashishwara. |
| 20 | Yugandya Temple / Kshirgram | The thumb of the right leg of the mother was dropped on the Bardhaman district of West Bengal. It is also known as Kshirgram Shakti Peeth. |
| 21 | Kalmadhav / Devi Kali | Mother’s left buttock fell near the river Shon in Kalamadhav Temple in Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh. |
| 22 | Kalighat Kali Temple / Kalika | Mother’s right toe fell in Kalighat, located in Kolkata city of West Bengal. The nearest bus stand is Nalhati bus stand and The nearest railway station is Nalhati Junction. The nearest airport is at Dumdum, Kolkata. |
| 23 | Kankaleshwari / Devgrabha / Kankalitala | Kankalitala, 10 km northeast of Bolpur station in Birbhum district, West Bengal, on the banks of the Koppai river, the goddess is locally known as Kankaleshwari, where the mother’s pelvis fell. |
| 24 | Vibhash / Kapalini | Mother’s left ankle fell at East Medinipur district in West Bengal. It is about 90 kilometres from Kolkata, and is situated on the banks of the Rupnarayan River close to the Bay of Bengal. |
| 25 | Hinglaj – Kottari | Hingla or Hinglaj Shakti Peeth is located in Balochistan, Pakistan. Mata Sati’s head fell here. |
| 26 | Ratnavali – Kumari | Mother’s right shoulder fell on the Khanakul-Krishnanagar road in Hooghly district of Bengal. Rail road transport is the most common mode of transport in this part of the country. It is also known as Anandamayee Shakti Peeth |
| 27 | Shri Shail – Mahalaxmi / Bhairab Griva Shakti Peeth | Mother’s neck was dropped at a place called Shail near Sylhet district of Bangladesh. The national airport is in Dhaka, which is 20 km from the city. |
| 28 | Amarnath/ Mahamaya | Mother’s neck fell near Pahalgam district in Kashmir. This Shaktipeeth is known as Mahamaya. |
| 29 | Mahashira Shakti Peeth / Kapali / Guhyeshwari Temple | Both knees fell on this Shakti Peeth located in Pashupatinath Nath, Nepal. It is popularly known as Guhyeshwari Temple |
| 30 | Bakreswar Temple, Birbhum / Mahishmardini Shaktipeeth Shri | The temple lies on the banks of the Paaphra River in the district of Birbhum, Bangladesh. It is said that Sati’s portion between the eyebrows fell here. |
| 31 | Shivaharkaray / Mahishamardini Shivaharkaray (Karavipur) | Located at Karachi near Sukkur Station, Pakistan, eyes of the Goddess fell here. |
| 32 | Ujani Shaktipeeth Shri Mangal Chandi Temple | Mother’s right wrist fell at a place called Ujani in Bardhaman district in Bengal. |
| 33 | Nandikeshwari Temple, Sainthia / Nandipur Shakti Peeth / Nandini | Mata’s necklace was lost in Birbhum district of West Bengal. Birbhum has a number of direct buses starting from various places. This Shakti Peeth is only 10 minutes away from the local railway station. |
| 34 | Suchindram Temple /Shuchi / Narayani | On the Kanyakumari-Thiruvananthapuram route in Tamil Nadu, there is the Shuchi Theertham Shiva temple, where the upper dental of the mother fell. From Kanyakumari, local transportation is required to reach the Suchindram Temple. The nearest airport is Trivandrum. |
| 35 | Attahas / Phullara / Fullara | Mata’s lower labia fell at the Attahas location of West Bengal. |
| 36 | Rakini / Godavari Tir / Sarvashail | Mother’s left Hand (cheek) fell on Kotilingeshwara on the banks of Godavari river in Rajahmundry region of Andhra Pradesh. |
| 37 | Kanyashram – Sarvani | Mother’s back fell in Kanyashram. This Shaktipeeth is known as Sarvani. Kanyashram is also known as Kalikasram or Kanyakumari Shakti Peeth. |
| 38 | Savitri / Bhadrakali Shaktipeeth Shri Devikoop Temple, Kurukshetra | Mother’s ankle fell in Kurukshetra district of Haryana. |
| 39 | Ramgiri – Shivani | Mother’s right breast fell at Ramgiri place near Chitrakoot in Uttar Pradesh. |
| 40 | Shri Parvat – Sri Sundari | Mother’s right foot fell on the mountain in Ladakh region of Kashmir. July to September is considered the best time to go by road. The nearest railway station is Jammu Tawi which is 700 km from Ladakh. The nearest airport is at Leh.Another Belief: It is located in Kurnool Andhra Pradesh. |
| 41 | Jwalaji / Siddhida (Ambika) | Mata Mata Sati’s tongue fell in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. This Shaktipeeth is called Jwalaji Sthan. It is located 30 km south of Kangra Valley in Himachal Pradesh, 60 km from Dharamshala. |
| 42 | Sugandha Shaktipeeth / Sunanda | Sugandha Shaktipeeth is a temple dedicated to Goddess Sunanda. It is located in Shikharpur village of Bulisal, 10 km north of Bangladesh. It is said that Maa Sati’s nose fell here. |
| 43 | Tripura Sundari temple / Tripureswari Temple | Mother’s right foot was dropped at Radhakishorepur village near Udaipur in Tripura. |
| 44 | Tripurmalini / Shri Devi Talab Mandir | Devi Talab is near Jalandhar Cantonment in Punjab where the left breast of the mother was dropped. It is about 1 kilometre from the nearest railway station and is located in the city centre. |
| 45 | Katyayani Shakti Peeth | The ringlets of mother’s hair fell in Vrindavan tehsil of Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh. |
| 46 | Mithila Shakti Peeth | Located near Janakpur Station Darbhanga on the border of Bihar, India- Nepal. Left shoulder of the goddess here. |
| 47 | Panchsagar – Varahi | Panchasagar Shakti Peeth, where the lower teeth (Jaw) of Mother Sati fell. It is located near Haridwar in Uttrakhand. |
| 48 | Vimala / Kiriteswari Temple | Mother’s crown fell near Kireet Kona village in Murshidabad district of West Bengal. |
| 49 | Biraja temple / Birija Kshetra | Biraja temple or Biraja Kshetra is one of the beautiful temples of Jajpur, located in the Indian state of Odisha. It is considered that Mother’s naval fell in this place. |
| 50 | Shri Ambika Shaktipeeth / Virat | Located in Virat, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, It is said to be that leet feel fingers fall here. |
| 51 | Maa Narmada Temple / Shona Shaktipeeth | Mother’s right buttock was dropped at the origin of Narmada located in Amarkantak district of Madhya Pradesh. |
Conclusion
In conclusion, Shakti Peethas hold immense significance in Hindu mythology and are revered as sacred sites of great spiritual power. These revered shrines are associated with the Goddess Shakti, symbolising the divine feminine energy.
Each Shakti Peetha is unique in its historical and mythological context, contributing to the rich tapestry of Hindu religious heritage. Devotees visit these sites to pay homage to the Goddess, seeking her blessings for strength, protection, and fulfilment of their desires.
The worship of Shakti at these Peethas reflects the acknowledgment of the feminine force as the source of creation, preservation, and destruction. It is a spiritual journey that signifies the unity of cosmic energies and the divine presence in every aspect of life.
In essence, Shakti Peethas stand as powerful symbols of devotion, faith, and the eternal cosmic energy that governs the universe. Visiting these sacred sites is not merely a religious tradition but a profound spiritual experience that connects the devotee with the divine importance of the universe.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Shakti Peethas:
1. What are Shakti Peethas?
Shakti Peethas are sacred sites in Hinduism associated with Goddess Shakti, where body parts of Goddess Sati are believed to have fallen during Lord Shiva’s Tandava.
2. How many Shakti Peethas are there?
There are traditionally 51 Shakti Peethas, scattered across the Indian subcontinent and neighbouring countries.
3. Where are the main Shakti Peethas located?
The primary Shakti Peethas are located in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Key locations include Kamakhya in Assam, Kalighat in West Bengal, and Vaishno Devi in Jammu.
4. Can non-Hindus visit Shakti Peethas?
Yes, most Shakti Peethas are open to people of all faiths. Visitors are expected to respect religious sentiments and follow the guidelines of the respective shrines.
