Significance about 51 Shakti peeth of Maa Durga
When Goddess Sati came to know, she also started going to her father’s house. Lord Shiva explained to them that it is not proper to go without an invitation, but Sati insisted and went to attend the Yagya. At the place of sacrifice, Daksha started talking derogatory things about Lord Shiva in front of Sati. Hurt by this humiliation, Sati sacrificed her life by jumping into the Yagya-kund there.
When Lord Shiva came to know about this incident, his third eye opened in anger. On his orders, his gan Virabhadra beheaded Daksha and the other ganas destroyed the Yagya. Then Lord Shiva, saddened by the separation of Sati, took out the body of Sati from the Yagyakund and lifted it on his shoulder, and started doing tandava dance frantically while traveling all over the earth, which created a situation of catastrophe on the earth.
Then on the persuasion of the deities, Lord Vishnu dismembered the body of Sati with the Sudarshan Chakra and dropped it on the earth to end the charge of Lord Shiva. Thus, wherever the parts, clothes, or ornaments of Sati fell, the 51 Shakti peeth of Maa Durga came into existence.
List of names of 51 Shakti peeth of Maa Durga
In this way, these sacred and awakened Shaktipeeths are established at various places in the entire Indian subcontinent, whose number is described as 108 in Devi Bhagwat and 52 in Tantra Chudamani, while 51 Shakti peeth of Maa Durga are described in Devi Purana. But traditionally only 51 Shaktipeeths are valid, which are still present at different places.
In the following article, we have tried to get all the relevant information related to Shakti Peethas in and around India. We have tried to organize all available information about Shaktipeeths, their location, and how to reach there.
- Maa Tripura Sundari Shaktipeeth Temple (माँ त्रिपुरा सुंदरी शक्तिपीठ मंदिर): Maa Sati right foot had fallen on the Matabari mountain peak of Radhakishorepur village near Udaipur in the northeastern Indian state of Tripura. Dakshina-Tripura Three kilometers from Udaipur city, Radha Kishore village houses the grand temple of Raj-Rajeshwari Tripura Sundari, which lies to the southwest of Udaipur city. Tripura Sundari Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Mother Goddess, locally known as Devi Tripureswari. Here the south ‘foot’ of Sati had fallen. The power here is “Tripur Sundari” and “Shiv Bhairav” and they are called Tripuresh. This seat is also known as ‘Kurbhapeeth’.
- Maa Kamakhya Shaktipeeth Temple (माँ कामाख्या शक्तिपीठ मंदिर): Maa Sati’s vagina on Nilanchal mountain (Kamangiri) located in the Guwahati district of Assam. (Genital) had fallen, where Maa Kamakhya Shaktipeeth temple is situated. Nearby there is a temple of Lord Shiva on Umanand Island in the middle of the Brahmaputra river.
- Shakti Peeth Maa Kamakhya Devi TempleThis temple is built on a hill and has a great Tantric significance. The Siddha Shaktipeeth of Maa Bhagwati Kamakhya, situated on the Nilanchal or Nilsail ranges, holds the highest position among the 51 Shakti peeth of Maa Durga Sati. This is where the Mahamudra (yoni-kund) of Bhagwati is situated. There are many proven places across the country where the mother resides in a subtle form, this temple of Maa Kamakhya is adorned in the major Mahashaktipeeths.
- Jayanti Shaktipeeth (जयंती शक्तिपीठ): This Shaktipeeth is situated on the Jaintia hill of Meghalaya, where the left thigh of the mother fell. Meghalaya is the eastern state of India with the main hills namely Gari, Khasi, and Jayantiya. Here is the ‘Jayanti Shaktipeeth’ on the Jayantiya hill itself, where the “left thigh” of Sati had fallen. This Shaktipeeth is located in Baur Bhag village of Jayantiya mountain, about 53 km from Shillong. Here Sati is ‘Jayanti’ and Shiva is ‘Kramdishwar’.
- Kirit Shaktipeeth (श्री किरीतेस्वरी मंदिर शक्तिपीठ): This shakti peeth on the banks of the Hooghly river in West Bengal, whose name is Lal Bagh Kot, near where the crown of Maa Sati fell. Here Sati is “Vimala or Bhuvaneshwari” and Shiva is “Samvart”. Some scholars consider the fall of the crown in the Mukteshwari temple of Kanpur.
- Bahula Shaktipeeth (बहुला शक्तिपीठ): Bahula Shaktipeeth is located in Ketugram near West Bengal, where the Maa Sati’s left hand fell.
- Yugadya Shaktipeeth (युगाद्या शक्तिपीठ): Ugadya Shaktipeeth is located in Kshirgram under Mahakumar-Mangalkot police station of Vardhaman district of West Bengal, where the thumb of the right foot of Maa Sati had fallen.
- Nalhati Shaktipeeth (नलहाटी शक्तिपीठ): Nalhati Shaktipeeth is situated in the Birbhum district of West Bengal where Mata Sati had fallen abdominally.
- Vakreshwar Shaktipeeth (वक्रेश्वर शक्तिपीठ): This Shaktipeeth is located in the Birbhum district of West Bengal. Here the “mind” of Maa Sati had fallen.
- Nandipur Shaktipeeth (नंदीपूर शक्तिपीठ): Nandipur Shaktipeeth is a goddess temple situated under a banyan tree near the Sainthya railway junction of Bolpur in Birbhum district of Bengal. Here the necklace of Maa Sati had fallen.
- Vibhash Shaktipeeth (विभाष शक्तिपीठ): Vibhash Shaktipeeth is located in the East-Midnapur district of West Bengal, where the left ankle of Maa Sati had fallen.
- Attohas Shaktipeeth (अट्टहास शक्तिपीठ): It is located in Labpura, West Bengal, where the lower lip of Maa Sati fell. It is called Athas Shaktipeeth.
- Kali Shaktipeeth ( काली शक्तिपीठ): In Kalighat, Kolkata in West Bengal, 4 other fingers had fallen leaving the thumb of the right foot of Maa Sati. This Shakti Peeth is situated on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River.
- Ratlavali Shaktipeeth (रतलावली शक्तिपीठ): Maa Sati’s right shoulder had fallen at this place. It is believed that Ravalli Shaktipeeth is situated on Khanakul-Krishnanagar road of Hooglo district of Bengal.
- Tristota Shaktipeeth (त्रिस्तोता शक्तिपीठ): The Tistota (Trishrota) Shaktipeeth is located on the Teesta river in the village of Shalwadi in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, where Maa Satika Vampada (left foot) fell.
- Viraja Kshetra Utkal Shakti Peeth (विरजा क्षेत्र उत्कल शक्तिपीठ): It is believed to be in Puri and Yajpur of Odisha. Here the navel of Maa Sati had fallen. The temple has an idol of Viraja Devi and her vehicle, a lion, the goddess is Dbibhuja.
- Mithila Shaktipeeth (मिथिला शक्तिपीठ): The left shoulder of Maa Sati had fallen in Mithila on the Indo-Nepal border. But there is a difference of opinion in three places regarding its exact location. It is known to be located in Janakpur in Nepal, Samastipur in Bihar, and Saharsa.
- Magadha Shaktipeeth: The Patneshwari Devi temple located in Patna, the capital of Bihar, is also considered as the Shaktipeeth, where the right thigh of Maa Sati fell. In the local language, it is called ‘Patan Devi’.
- Vaidyanath Hard Shaktipeeth: There is Vaidyanath Hard Shaktipeeth in Deoghar located in Giridih district of Jharkhand, where the heart of Maa Sati had fallen. Vaidyanath Jyotirling of Shiva is also here. According to the belief, Sati was cremated here.
- Shriparvat Shaktipeeth: At this place the ‘Dakshina Talpa’ of Maa Sati i.e. the right temple had fallen. But there is a difference of opinion among scholars regarding its status. Some scholars believe that this Peeth is located in Lahmakh, while some belief it to be in Sylhet, Assam.
- Mahamaya Shaktipeeth: The ‘Him’ Shaktipeeth is within the Amarnath cave in the Pahalgaon district of Kashmir. Here the ‘throat’ of Maa Sati had fallen.
- Jwalamukhi Shaktipeeth: The life of Maa Sati had fallen near Dharamsala in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. This Shaktipeeth is called Jwalaji, (where the flame keeps burning all the time in the form of fire.)
- Jalandhar Shaktipeeth: In the center of the city near Jalandhar Cantonment, Punjab, there is Devi Talab, where the left chest (breast) of Maa Sati fell. This temple is known as Maa Tripuramalini Devi Temple.
- Bhadrakali Shaktipeeth: The right foot of Maa Sati had fallen near ‘Dwaipayan Sarovar’ in the Kurukshetra district of Haryana. This Shaktipeeth is known as ‘Sridevikrupa Bhadrakali Peeth’.
- Katyayani Shaktipeeth: In Vrindavan tehsil of Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, bunches of hair of Maa Sati had fallen. This Shaktipeeth is situated in the courtyard of “Bhuteshwar Temple” of Mathura-Vrindavan.
- Vishalakshi Shaktipeeth: The “Karmani” (right earring) of Maa Sati had fallen at Manikarnika Ghat in Kashi, Uttar Pradesh. The temple of Vishalakshi at Meerghat near Vishweshwar in Varanasi is the only Shakti Peeth.
- Prayag Shaktipeeth: The finger of Maa Sati’s hand had fallen on the Sangam bank of Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad) in Uttar Pradesh. But there is some difference of opinion regarding the location, it is believed to have fallen at Akshayvat, Meerapur, and Alopi places.
- Ramgiri Shaktipeeth: The right breast of Maa Sati had fallen on the Ramgiri mountain near Chitrakoot in Uttar Pradesh. There is a difference of opinion about the position of this Shaktipeeth, some people consider its position in Chitrakoot-Dham, while some people consider ‘Sharda Temple’ of Mahar, Madhya Pradesh, as Shaktipeeth.
- Panchsagar Shaktipeeth: The adhodanta (lower teeth) of Maa Sati had fallen in the Panchsagar Shaktipeeth. The exact location of this Shaktipeeth is not known. But some scholars are of the opinion that this Shaktipeeth is located near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.
- Manivedika Shaktipeeth: In Pushkar Tirtha in Ajmer, Rajasthan, on one side of the lake there is a “Savitri Mandir” on the top of the mountain, and on the other side, Manivedika Shaktipeeth is located is known as “Gayatri Mandir”, where the “wrists” of Maa Sati are located She had fallen.
- Virat Shaktipeeth: Located in Jaipur, Rajasthan, near the ruins of the Mahabharata period, there is ‘Bhima’s Cave’. This Shavitpeeth is located in the village of Beshat, where the toes of the right foot of Maa Sati fell.
- Kalmadhav Shaktipeeth: The left buttock of Maa Sati had fallen near the Shona river in Kalmadhav of Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh. The exact location of this Shaktipeeth is not known.
- Shondesh Shaktipeeth: Shonadesh Shaktipeeth is situated in the Amarkantak district of Madhya Pradesh in the Narmada temple. Here the right buttock of Maa Sati had fallen. According to another belief, the Tagchandi temple of Sasaram in Bihar is the Shona Neutra Shaktipeeth.
- Bheravparvat Shaktipeeth: The upper lips of Maa Sati had fallen on Bharat Parvat near the banks of Shipra river in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. It is also believed that near Girinar mountain in Junagadh district of Gujarat, the breast of Sati was born. Therefore, Shaktipeeth is recognized at both places.
- Ujjayini Shaktipeeth: The Harsiddhi temple at Ujjain is the only Ujjayini Shaktipeeth, which is situated on both the banks of the holy Kshipra river/near Rudrasagar. Maa Sati’s elbow fell at this place.
- Ambaji Shaktipeeth: The abdomen of Maa Sati had fallen in the Prabhas-kshetra of Somnath temple located in Junagadh, Gujarat. Here the temple of Ambaji on the summit of Girar mountain is the only Shavitpeeth.
- Karveer Shaktipeeth: The “Mahalaxmi” or “Ambabai’s temple” is that Shaktipeeth located in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. Where the Trinity of Maa Sati had fallen. It is mentioned in Devi Gita that the present Kolhapur is the famous Karveer area of Purana.
- Janasthan Shaktipeeth: Janasthan Shaktipeeth is located in Nashik, Maharashtra, where the “Chibuk” (टुड्डी) of Maa Sati had fallen.
- Sarveshel or Godavaritir: This Shaktipeeth is situated on the banks of the Godavari river in Kabbur, Gajamundry region of Andhra Pradesh, where the left cheek (cheek) of Maa Sati fell.
- Shree Shail Shaktipeeth: Near Kurnool in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh is Sri Shail Shaktipeeth, where the ‘cervix’ of Maa Sati had fallen.
- Kanchi Shaktipeeth: Kanchi Shaktipeeth is located in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. Where the “skeleton” of Maa Sati had fallen. Kanchi Mokshadayrini is also considered one of the Saptpuris.
- Kanyakashram Kanyakumari: (Urdhvat from Matantar) Maa Sati’s back had fallen in Kanyakashram in Tamil Nadu. Kanyakumari This Shaktipeeth is situated at the confluence of three oceans Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, and the Bay of Bengal.
- Suchindram Shaktipeeth: At the confluence of the three oceans at Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu is the Shuchidham (Suchitertham) Shaktipeeth, where the upper teeth of the Maa Sati fell.
- Guhoshwari Shaktipeeth: In this Shaktipeeth located in Pashupatinath, Nepal, both the knees of Maa sati fell. A little away from the ‘Pashupatinath Temple’ is the ‘Gahmeshwari Shaktipeeth’ on the other side of the Bagmati river. She is the presiding deity of Nepal.
- Gandaki Shaktipeeth: Muktinath Shaktipeeth is situated at the origin of the Gandaki river in Nepal at a place called Pokhara, where Maa Sati’s South Kapole fell.
- Manas (Manasa) Shaktipeeth: It is situated on the banks of Mansarovar in Tibet, where the right palm of Maa sati fell.
- Lanka Shaktipeeth: Lanka Shaktipeeth is located in Sri Lanka, where the Maa Sati’s Nupur fell. It is also called Indrakshi Shaktipeeth. Nenativi (Manipalam) is in Nallur. Its exact location is not known.
- Hinglaj Shaktipeeth: ‘Hinglaj Shaktipeeth’ is situated on the banks of the Hinges river in Balochistan province of Pakistan, where the ‘Brahmarandhra’ (head) of the mother was laid. Ongoing inside a cave, the light form of Maa sati Adishakti is seen.
- Sugandha Shaktipeeth: Located on the banks of the river ‘Sugandha’ (Sundh) in Khulna (Shikarpur), Bangladesh, the Shaktipeeth of ‘Ugrataga Devi’, where the Maa Sati’s nostrils fell.
- Kartoya Beach/Ghat: This Shaktipeeth is situated on the bank of Kartoya River in Begada of Bhawanipur village in Bangladesh. Here the left anklet of Goddess Maa sati had fallen.
- Yashor Shaktipeeth: Maa Sati’s left palm had fallen in Yashor (Jasore) of Ishwaripur in the Khulna district of Bangladesh.
- Chatal Shaktipeeth: Near the Sitakund station of district Chittagong in Bangladesh is the Bhavani temple on the Chandrashekhar mountain, where the right hand of the Maa sati was given. It is called Chatral Shakti Peeth.
As has been clarified at many places in the above article, there is a difference of opinion among the scholars regarding the number of Shaktipeeths and the position of some Shaktipeeths. In the above article, the description of the 51 Shakti peeth of Maa Durga of numbers 1 to 42 in the states of India and numbers 43 to 51 in the neighboring countries of India is found.
Therefore, it is possible that due to a lack of accurate information, some such places have been left out, which are recognized as Shaktipeeth. For this, we sincerely apologize to the devotees and devotees of such peeths.
Siddha Shakti peeth Surkanda Devi Temple is the place of the head of Mata Sati: This temple is located in Surkut of Tehri district. The idol of Mata Kali is installed in this temple. It has also got the status of Siddhapeeth. Its doors are open throughout the year.