The Shakta pithas, also called Shakti pithas or Sati pithas (, , seats of Devi Sati), are significant shrines and pilgrimage destinations in Shaktism, the mother goddess denomination in Hinduism. The shrines are dedicated to various forms of Adi Shakti. Various Puranas such as Srimad Devi Bhagavatam state the existence of a varying number of 51, 52, 64 and 108 Shakta pithas of which 18 are named as Astadasha Maha (major) and 4 are named as Chatasrah Aadi (first) in medieval Hindu texts. (Devanagari: चतस्रः आदि)
thumb|[[Vaishno Devi Temple|Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is one of the 64 and 108 Maha (Major) Shakta pithas and is also the most visited among all. It attracts more than 15 million people annually.]]
Legends abound about how the Shakta pithas came into existence. The most popular is based on the story of the death of Sati, a deity according to Hinduism. Shiva carried Sati's body, reminiscing about their moments as a couple, and roamed around the universe with it. Vishnu cut her body into 108 body parts, using his Sudarshana Chakra, which fell on earth to become sacred sites where all the people can pay homage to the goddess. To complete this task, Shiva took the form of Bhairava.
thumb|[[Shri Hinglaj Mata temple Shakta pitha is the largest Hindu pilgrimage centre in Pakistan. The annual Hinglaj Yatra is attended by more than 250,000 people.]]
Most of these historic places of goddess worship are in India, but there are some in Nepal, seven in Bangladesh, two in Pakistan, and one each in Tibet, Sri Lanka
Hinduism
Hindu literature
The Brahmanda Purana, one of the major eighteen Puranas mentions 64 Shakta pithas of the goddess Parvati in the Bharat or Greater India including present-day India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, some parts of Southern Tibet in China and parts of southern Pakistan. Another text which gives a listing of these shrines is the Shakta pitha stotram, written by Adi Shankara, the 9th-century Hindu philosopher.
According to the manuscript Mahapithapurana (c. 1690–1720 CE), there are 52 such places. Among them, 23 are located in the Bengal region, 14 of these are located in what is now West Bengal, India, 1 in Baster (Chhattisgarh), while 7 are in what is now Bangladesh.
=== Daksha yajna ===<!---->
right|240px|thumb|[[Lord Shiva|Shiva carrying the corpse of Dakshayani ]]
Prajapati Daksha organized a yajna but did not invite his daughter, Sati, or her husband, Shiva. Only ruins are found in these places. Its ruins are near the Line of Control (LOC) between the Indian and Pakistani-controlled portions of the former princely state of Kashmir and Jammu. Instead, Sringeri Sharada pitham, Sringeri in Karnataka even though not a Shakta pithas, is this aspect of the goddess. It is believed that Goddess Sharada moved from her ruined temple in Kashmir to live in the new temple in Sringeri. Requests have been made by the Hindu community in Pakistan to the Pakistani government to renovate the temple, the issue being raised by former Indian Home minister L. K. Advani to the Pakistan authorities as a confidence-building measure, by increasing the people-to-people cross-border interaction.
- Sri Sankari Pitham (Sri Lanka)
- Sri Simhika Pitham (Simhala)
- Sri Manika Pitham (Draksharamam, Dakshavati)
- Sri Shadkala Pitham (Peethapuram)
- Sri Bhramaramba Pitham (Srisailam)
- Sri Vijaya Pitham (Vijayapura)
- Sri Mahalakshmi Pitham (Kolhapur)
- Sri padmakshi renuka Pitham (Mahurgad)
- Sri Kamakoti Pitham (Kanchipuram)
- Sri Kuchananda Pitham (Salagrama)
- Sri Biraja Pitham (Jajpur)
- Sri Bhadreshwari Pitham (Harmyagiri)
- Sri Mahakali Pitham (Ujjain)
- Sri Vindhyavasini Pitham (Vindhya mountains)
- Sri Mahayogi Pitham (Ahicchatra)
- Sri Kanyaka Pitham (Kanyakumari)
- Sri Vishalakshi Pitham (Varanasi)
- Sri Saraswati Pitham (Kashmir)
- Sri Ugratara Shakta pitha (Saharsa)
- Sri Abhirami Pitham (Padmagiri, Dindigul)
List of all Shakta pithas
In the listings below:
- "Shakti" refers to the Goddess worshipped at each location, all being manifestations of Goddess Sati; later known as Parvati or Durga;
- "Bhairava" refers to the corresponding consort, each a manifestation of Shiva;
- "Body Part or Ornament" refers to the body part or piece of jewellery that fell to earth, at the location on which the respective temple is built.
More details on this are available in the text 'Tantrachūḍamanī' where Parvati tells these details to her son Skanda.
Important notes:
- The Guhyeshwari temple should not be confused with the Shakta pitha mentioned in the Peethanirnaya from Tantra Chudamani, where Sati's both knees are said to have fallen in Nepal and the presiding deity is Mahamaya. According to the Nepal Mahatmya 11.107 and 1.38, Sati's both knees fell near the confluence of the Vishnumati and Bagmati rivers, where the presiding deity is Mahamaya, while the Anus fell near the Bagmati river close to the Mrigasthali of the Pashupati temple, and the deity is Guhyeshwari or Guhyakali.
- The main idol of the Dhakeshwari Shakta pitha in Bangladesh is currently located to the Kumartuli Dhakeshwari Temple in Kolkata, West Bengal. The temple priest fled to India with the main idol during the partition via a specially chartered train. While in the original shrine, a replica is placed. The original holy gem of Goddess Sati was lost long before (the factual date is unknown). So for the actual idol, visit the Kumartoli shrine.
{| class="wikitable sortable" border="1"
!Sr. No.
!Place
!State in India/Country
!Body part or ornament
!Shakti
!Bhairava
!Image
|-
!1
|A. Amarnath Temple, from Srinagar through Pahalgam<br />B. Shri Parvat in Ladakh
|Jammu and Kashmir
|A. Throat<br />B. Anklet
|Mahamaya Devi
|Trisandhyeshwar (Amarnath)
|100px
|-
!2
|Attahas Temple, Birbhum
|West Bengal
|Lips
|Phullara Devi
|Vishweshwar
|100px 100px
|-
!3
| Bahula Temple, Purba Bardhaman
|West Bengal
|Left arm
|Goddess Bahuladevi
|Bhirukeshwar
|100px
|-
!4
|Bakreshwar Temple Birbhum
|West Bengal
|Portion between the eyebrows
|Mahishamardini devi
|Vakranatheshwar
| 100px
|-
!5
|Vimala Temple, (Inside Jagannath Temple), Puri, (Only place where both Shakta pitha and a dham exists together)
|Odisha
|Foot
|Vimala Devi
|Jagannatheshwar
|
|-
!6
|Bhabanipur Temple, Rajshahi
|Bangladesh
|Left anklet (ornament)
|Aparna Devi
|Vamaneshwar
| 100px
|-
!7
|Biraja Temple, Jajpur
|Odisha
|Navel
|Biraja Devi
|Varaheshwar (Varaha)
| 100px
|-
!8
|Mithila, near Janakpur (This place is worshipped as the birthplace of Goddess Sita)
|Nepal
|Left shoulder
|Uma Devi
|Mahodareshwar
|
|-
!9
|Mahamaya Temple, Kathmandu.
|Nepal
|Both knees
|Mahamaya Devi
|Kapali
|
|-
!10
|Guhyeshwari Temple, near the bank of the Bagmati river, east of the Pashupatinath temple.
|Nepal
|Anus
|Guhyakali Devi
|Pashupati
|100px
|-
!11
|Muktinath Temple. (This temple is also worshipped by Vaishnavites).
|Nepal
|Head
|Gandaki Chandi Devi (avatar of Goddess Lakshmi)
|Chakrapani (also worshipped as Lord Vishnu)
| 100px
|-
!12
|Saptashrungi Temple, Nashik
|Maharashtra
|Chin (2 parts)
|Bhadrakali Saptashrungi Devi
|Vikritaksheshwar
| 100px
|-
!13
|Hinglaj Mata Temple, Balochistan
|Pakistan
|Brahmarandhra (soft back part of the head)
|Hinglaj Devi
|Bhimalochaneshwar
|100px
|-
!14
|Kalipeeth Temple, Kalighat, Kolkata
|West Bengal
|Right toes
|Kali Devi
|Nakuleshwar
|100px
|-
!15
|Kamakhya Temple, Guwahati
|Assam
|Yoni (genitals)
|Kamakhya Devi
|Umanandeshwar or Bhayanandeshwar
|100px
|-
!16
|Kankalitala Temple, Birbhum
|West Bengal
|Waist
|Devgarbha Devi
|Rurunatheshwar
|100px
|-
!17
|Kanya Kumari Temple, Kanyakumari
|Tamil Nadu
|Back
|Kanyakumari Devi
|Nimisheshwar
|100px
|-
!18
|Bajreshwari Mata Temple, Kangra
|Himachal Pradesh
|Left Breast
|Jayadurga Devi
|Abhirunatheshwar
|
|-
!19
|Kiriteswari Temple, Murshidabad
|West Bengal
|Crown
|Kiriteshwari Devi
|Sanvarteshwar
|100px
|-
!20
|Ratnavali Temple, Hooghly (locally known as Anandamayee Tala)
|West Bengal
|Right Shoulder
|Kumari Devi
|Ghanteshwar
|100px
|-
!21
|Bhramari Devi Temple, Jalpaiguri
|West Bengal
|Left leg
|Bhramari Devi
|Ambareshwar
|100px
|-
!22
|Holy stone shrine near Mansarovar Lake, Mount Kailash, Tibet
|China
|Right hand
|Dakshayani Devi
|Kailashnath
|frameless|150x150px
|-
!23
|Ugratara Asthan Temple
|Bihar
|Left Eye
|Goddess Tara
|Saharsa
|
|-
!24
|Manibandh Temple, Pushkar
|Rajasthan
|Wrists
|Gayatri Devi
|Sarvanandeshwar
|
|-
!25
|Indrakshi Temple, Nainativu
|Sri Lanka
|Silambu (Anklets)
|Indrakshi Devi (Nagapooshani / Bhuvaneshvari)
|Rakshaseshwar (Nayanair)
|
|-
!26
|Jayanti Durga Temple, Nartiang Jaintia Hills district.
|Meghalaya
|Left thigh
|Jayanti Devi
|Kramadishwar
|100px
|-
!27
|Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple
|Bangladesh
|Palms of hands and soles of the feet
|Jeshoreshwari Devi
|Chandeshwar
|100px
|-
!28
|Jwalamukhi Temple, Kangra
|Himachal Pradesh
|Tongue
|Jwalamukhi Devi (Ambika)
|Unmatta Bhairaveshwar
|100px
|-
!29
|Panchsagar Temple, Champawat
|Uttarakhand
|Lower teeth/ Navel
|Varahi Devi
|Maharudra
|
|-
!30
||Near Somnath temple, Veraval, Gir Somnath district. It is nearby Triveni Sangam.
|Gujarat
|Stomach
|Chandrabhaga Devi
|Vakratundeshwar
|
|-
!31
|Alopi Devi Mandir near Sangam at Prayagraj
|Uttar Pradesh
|Finger
|Alopi Devi
|Bhaveshwar
|
|-
!32
|Bhadrakali Temple, either in Kurukshetra or Thanesar
|Haryana
|Ankle bone
|Bhadrakali Devi
|Sthanu
|
|-
!33
|Maa Sharda Mandir, Maihar
|Madhya Pradesh
|Necklace
|Sharada Devi
|Chandeshwar
|
|-
!34
|Nandikeshwari Temple, Sainthia city
|West Bengal
|Necklace
|Nandini Devi
|Nandikeshwar
|100px
|-
!35
|Manikyamba Temple, Draksharamam, Kakinada
|Andhra Pradesh
|Navel
|Manikyamba
|Bheemeshwar
|
|-
!36
|Naina Devi Temple
|Himachal Pradesh
|Right eye
|Mahishamardini Devi
|Krodhishwar
|
|-
!37
|Narmada temple, at the source point of Narmada River in Amarkantak
|Madhya Pradesh
|Right buttock
|Narmada Devi
|Bhadraseneshwar
|
|-
!38
|Bhramaramba Temple, Srisailam
|Andhra Pradesh, India
|Neck
|Bhramarambika Devi
|Mallikarjuna
|
|-
!39
|Narayani Temple, Suchindram
|Tamil Nadu
|Upper teeth
|Narayani Devi
|Sihareshwar
|
|-
!40
|Sugandha Temple, situated in Shikarpur, Gournadi, about 20 km from Barisal town
|Bangladesh
|Nose
|Sugandha Devi
|Trayambakeshwar
|100px
|-
!41
|Tripura Sundari temple, Udaipur
|Tripura
|Right leg
|Tripura Sundari
(Third mahavidya) (main form of Parvati)
|Kameshwar
|
|-
!42
|Ujaani, Purba Bardhaman district
|West Bengal
|Right wrist
|Mangal Chandika
|Kapilambareshwar
|100px
|-
!43
|Vishalakshi Temple, Varanasi
|Uttar Pradesh
|Earring
|Vishalakshi Devi
|Kala Bhairaveshwar
|
|-
!44
|Vibhash Shakta pitha, Purba Medinipur
|West Bengal
|Left ankle
|Kapalini Devi (Bhimarupa) also known as Bargabhima Devi
|Sarvanandeshwar
|100px
|-
!45
|Ambika Shakta pitha, Bharatpur, India
|Rajasthan
|Fingers of Left Leg
|Ambika Devi
|Amritaksheshwar
|
|-
!46
|Katyayini Shakta pitha, Vrindavan
|Uttar Pradesh
|Ringlets of hair
|Katyayini Devi
|Bhuteshwar
|
|-
!47
|Devi Talab Mandir, Jalandhar
|Punjab
|Left Breast
|Tripuramalini Devi
|Bhishaneshwar
|
|-
!48
|Baidyanath Dham, Deoghar
|Jharkhand
|Heart
|Jayadurga Devi
|Vaidyanath
|100px
|-
!49
|Adi Kamakshi Amman Temple (behind Kamakshi Amman Temple), Kanchipuram
|Tamil Nadu
|Odyanam (Navel)
|Kamakshi Devi (Saumya Kali)
|Ekambareshwar
|100px
|-
!50
|Jogadya, Burdwan district
|West Bengal
|Big Toe
|Jogadya Devi
|Ksheerkantakeshwar
|100px
|-
!51
|Puruhutika Temple, Kakinada, Pithapuram
| Andhra Pradesh
|Hip part
|Puruhutika
|Durvaseshwar
|
|-
!52
|Arasuri Ambaji Shakta pitha at Gabbar Hill (Golden Temple of Gujarat)
|Gujarat
|Heart
|Amba
|Batuka Bhairava
|
|-
!53
|Danteshwari Temple, Dantewada
|Chhattisgarh
|Tooth
|Danteshwari Devi
|Kapala Bhairava
|
|-
!54
|Tara Tarini, Brhamapur, Ganjam
|Odisha
|Breast
|Tara Tarini Devi
|Tumbeshwar
|
|-
!55
|Nalhateswari, Nalhati
|West Bengal
|Stomach/Nauli
|Kalika Devi
|Jogeshwar
|100px
|-
!56
|Avanti Temple, Ujjain
|Madhya Pradesh
|Elbow
|Avanti Devi
|Lambkarneshwar
|-
!57
|Shankari Temple, originally located in an unknown place. This shrine is now identified with Koneswaram Temple in Trincomalee.
|Sri Lanka
|Groin
|Shankari Devi
|Trikoneshwar
|frameless|148x148px
|-
!58
|Mahalakshmi Temple, Shri Shail, Sylhet
|Bangladesh
|Neck
|Mahalakshmi
|Sambaranandeshwar
|
|-
!59
|Dhakeshwari Temple (now relocated at Dhakeswari Mata Temple), Kumartoli
|Dhaka, Bangladesh
Currently in West Bengal, India
|Gem of Sati's Crown
|Dhakeshwari Devi (a form of Durga)
|Shiva
|100px
|-
!60
|Tarapith Rampurhat
|West Bengal
|Third eye
|Tara Devi (second mahavidya)
|Chandrachuda Bhairava
|100px
|-
!61
|Chinnamastika Temple, Chintpurni
|Himachal Pradesh
|Foot
|Chhinnamastika Devi
|Rudra Mahadeva
| 100px
|-
!62
|Kaali Mandir,Pavagadh Archaeological Park.
|Gujarat
|Right leg toe
|Mahakali Devi
|Batuka Bhairava
|
|-
!63
|Aranya Devi Temple, Arrah
|Bihar
|Right thigh
|Aranyani
|Bhuma Bhairava
|100px
|-
!64
|Tuljabhavani Temple, Tuljapur
|Maharashtra
|
|Tuljabhavani Devi
|Bhairava
|frameless|259x259px
|-
!65
| Vaishno Devi Temple, Katra
|Jammu and Kashmir
|Skull/Right arm
|Vaishno Devi
|Bhairava
|100px
|-
!66
|Tripura Sundari Temple, Banswara
|Rajasthan
|Unknown
|Goddess Tripura Sundari
|Aanand Bhairava
|100x100px
|-
!67
|Chattal Bhavani Temple, Chittagong
|Bangladesh
|Upper teeth
|Chattal Bhawani Devi
|Chandrashekhar
|100px
|-
!68
|Jnanakshi Rajarajeshwari Temple, Bengaluru
|Karnataka
|Ear
|Goddess Tripura Sundari as Rajarajeshwari
|Abiru Bhairava
|133x133px
|}
Other Shakipeeths:-
The following shrines are not recognised as the Shakta pithas, but are still claimed by the devotees and priests, for various reasons.
1. Jwala Devi Temple in Jobner, Rajasthan, India
2. Jayanti Kali Temple (location disputed)
3. Asamai Devi Temple in Kabul, Afghanistan
4. Juranpur Kali Temple in West Bengal, India
5. Ambika Bhawani, Saran, Bihar (Yagyashala of Daksh)
5. Sarbamangala Temple in Burdwan, West Bengal (the temple priests claim that Goddess Sati's body part fell here)
6. Jogamaya Shakta pitha in Kalahandi, Odisha, India
There are disputes about the location of the Jayanti Shakta pitha. Based on most presented manuscripts and facts it is situated in the namesake Jaintiapur Upazila town, Bangladesh, which was previously the capital of the Jaintia Hills tribe kingdom, in the Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya, India, excluding Jaintiapur. However, some believe that the Nartiang Durga Temple is the true Jayanti Shakta pitha, although historical evidence supporting this claim is limited. However there is a temple in near baligaon, kanaighat sylhet which claim to be the true jayanti devi temple, named bam jhangha Kali mandir.
argue the actual shrine is at Amta in West Bengal, where the goddess is worshiped as Maa Melai Chandi in Melai Chandi Mandir. But this fact can not be corroborated with any evidence. Moreover, refuting most texts, in Melai Chandi Mandir, the Bhairava is Durgeshwar rather than Kramadishwar. Some also identify the Jayanti shrine with the Mahakal cave temple situated in the village Jayanti of Alipurduar in India, where many statues were created by Stalagmites and Stalactites (natural rock formations), but there is no evidence.
Vindhyavasini Shakta pitha
The Vindhyavasini Shakta pitha is considered a Shakta pitha even though any body parts of Sati did not fall there. Vindhyavasini is the ultimate and the highest form of the goddess, she is called Adi Parashakti. Goddess Vindhyavasini is considered the embodiment of all of the Mahavidyas, Navadurgas, Matrikas, Yoginis and all the other goddesses present in this universe, she is Tripura Sundari herself. Many legends are associated with Vindhyavasini, she is also called Mahadurga. She is the combined form of all 108 Shakta pithas as mentioned in the Devi Bhagavata Purana text. This is because it is the place where the goddess chose to reside after her birth in Dvapara Yuga.
At the time of the birth of Krishna to Devaki and Vasudeva, Vindhyavasini took birth in Gokula to Nanda and Yashoda as per the instruction of Lord Vishnu. Vasudeva replaced his son Krishna with this girl child of Yashoda so that Krishna could escape his demon uncle Kamsa, whom he would kill later according to a prophecy. When Kamsa tried to kill the girl, she slipped from his hands, assumed her true form and warned Kamsa that his killer (Krishna) still lived on. She left Mathura and the goddess chose the Vindhya Mountains as her abode to live on the earth. It is also believed that Vindhyavasini is the sister of Krishna.