1. KAMAKSHI AMMAN TEMPLE, KANCHIPURAM
The Goddess Kamakshi prevails in the form of Shakti. The Goddess is called as “Sri Kamakshi. Kanchi is also called as Satyavrita Kshetra . The Goddess worshipped Lord Siva by creating a mud idol in Kanchi. Though there are many Shiva temples in the city, the only temple to have the sanctorum of the goddess is ‘SRI KAMAKSHI AMMAN TEMPLE’. There are also eight other Shakti goddesses surrounding the temple.
2. TRIPURA SUNDARI TEMPLE, TRIPURA
Tripura Sundari Temple is situated in the ancient Udaipur, about 55 km from Agartala, it is believed to be one of the ancient Hindu shrines. This temple is considered as one of the 51 Shakti Peethas. It is believed that Sati’s right foot fell here during Lord Shiva’s Nataraj Dance.
King Dhanyamanikya of Tripura had installed Goddess Tripurasundari in the temple that stood on a hilltop near the town of Udaipur. Tripura Sundari temple was built during the year 1501, and is now about 500 years old.
3. PURNAGIRI DEVI TEMPLE, UTTARAKHAND
Purnagiri Devi Temple is one of the 52 Shakti Peethas. It is situated near Tanakpur, on the banks of the river Kali in the district of Champawat.
The part where the Nabhi or Naval fell, has the Purnagiri temple. People come here to worship the devi.
4. SURKANDA TEMPLE, UTTARAKHAND
Surkanda Devi is a Devi temple situated near Dhanaulti in Tehri District. The temple is surrounded by dense forests and the atmosphere was very good. The Dussera festival is celebrated every year and attracts a lot of devotees throughout India. Due to fall of head part of sati its name became sirkhanda which in the passage of time called surkanda.
5. PATAN DEVI TEMPLE, BIHAR
Patan Devi also called Maa Patneshwari, is the oldest and one of the most sacred temples of Patna. It is regarded as one of the 51 Siddha Shakti Pithas in India. The ancient temple, originally called Maa Sarvanand Kari Patneshwari, is believed to be the abode of the goddess Durga.
There is a tradition fondly believed that some portion of the right thigh of Devi Sati fell in Magadh and it is said that the part of the body of Sati fell in both Maharajganj and Chowk areas in Old Patna city.
6. MANGLA GAURI TEMPLE, BIHAR
The Mangla Gauri Temple in Gaya, Bihar, India has been mentioned in Padma Purana, Vayu Purana and Agni Purana and in other scriptures and tantric works. This temple is among the eighteen maha shakti Peeth. The present temple dates back to 15th century. The shrine is dedicated to Shakti or the mother Goddess in the predominantly Vaishnavite pilgrimage center of Gaya. Mangalagauri is worshiped as the Goddess of benevolence. This temple constitutes an Upa-Shakti Pitha — where it is believed that a part of the body of Shakti fell according to mythology. Here Shakti is worshiped in the form of a breast, a symbol of nourishment. It is believed that whoever comes to maa Durga with his wishes and prayers, returns successfully with all of prayers and wishes come true.
7. CHANDRABADANI TEMPLE, UTTARAKHAND
Chandrabadani is a mountain (2,277m above sea-level) on the border of tahsil Devaprayag and Pratapnagar. It is well known for the temple of Chandrabadni Devi, lying at the top of the mountain about 10 km. north of Kandi Khal, a place on the Devaprayag-Kirti Nagar. The place commands a beautiful view of the Surkanda, Kedarnath and Badrinath peaks. The temple is very small and contains a Shri-yantra carved out on a flat stone instead of any idol. The Chandrabadani Temple is dedicated to the Goddess of power. Apart from the temple, this place offers breathtaking views of snow-capped Himalayan peaks like Kedarnath, Badrinath and so on.
8. MAYA DEVI TEMPLE, UTTARAKHAND
Maya Devi Temple is an ancient religious establishment of Haridwar which is counted as one of the shakti peeths present in India. The temple of Maya Devi falls is enshrined with the deity of Adhisthatri. The history of religion in Haridwar speaks of a rather interesting part of the Maya Devi Temple. Maya Devi Temple, Haridwar is a Hindu Temple dedicated to goddess Maya in the holy city of Haridwar of Uttarakhand State in India. It is believed that the heart and navel of goddess Sati fell in the region where the temple stands today and thus it is sometimes referred to as a Shakti Peetha. Goddess Maya is the Adhisthatri deity of Haridwar. She is a three-headed and four-armed deity who is believed to be an incarnation of Shakti. Haridwar was previously known as Mayapuri in reverence to this deity. The temple is a Siddh Peetha which is the places of worship where desires get fulfilled. It is one of three such Peethas located in Haridwar, the other two being Chandi Devi Temple and Mansa Devi Temple.
9. KANKALI DEVI TEMPLE, MADHYA PRADESH
The Kankali Devi Temple is often referred to as the Tigawa temple. It is one of the oldest temples of Devi Kali Maa known as one of the Shaktipeeth among Hindu pilgrims. Being so old it is one of the centers of devotion for Hindus. In Shardey Navratri and Chaitra Navratri peoples from all over the country came for Pooja & Darshan. There is one special thing about the statue of Maa Kali, during Navratri the neck of Maa Kali’s statue is slightly tilted from its original position. It is approximately 20Km from Bhopal.
10. CHANDIKA STHAN, BIHAR
Chandika Sthan is a Hindu temple situated in Munger, in the Indian state of Bihar. It is one of the sixty-four Shakti Peethas, places of worship consecrated to the goddess Shakti. On the Northeast corner of Munger, Chandika Sthan is just two kilometers away from the Munger town. Being a Siddhi-Peetha, Chandika Sthan is considered to be one of the most sacred and sanctified temples, as important as the Kamakshya temple near Guwahati.
11. PURUHUTIKA DEVI TEMPLE, EAST GODAVARI
Located 20 Km from Kakinada and 75 Km from Rajahmundry, It is considered to be one of the 18 Shakthipithas in India. It is famous for the temples of Kukkuteshwara Swamy, Kunthimadhava Swamy and Sri Pada Vallabha Anaagha Datha Kshethram, Agraharam, Sri Venu Gopala Swamy Temple. Once you enter into the temple, complete the pradishana and come in front of Dwaja Stamba you will be attracted by the “Yaka Sila Nandi (Single Stone Nandi). The Yaka Sila is second biggest after Lepakshi Basaveswara Nandai.Pithapuram is one of the oldest and famous pilgrim places of India. There is an oldest temple call “Padagya Keshatram in Pithapuram. The Lord “Sri Kukuteswara Swamy is the Swayambhu with Spatika Lingam”. Pithapuram is one of the Twelve Pilgrims, one of the five Madava Keshatra and one of the Asta Dasa (Eighteen) Sakthi Petas. Previously Pithapuram is known as Pitikapuram.Once you enter into the temple, complete the pradishana and come in front of Dwaja Stamba you will be attracted by the “Yaka Sila Nandi (Single Stone Nandi). The Yaka Sila is second biggest after Lepakshi Basaveswara Nandai.
12. MAA BIRAJA TEMPLE, JAJPUR, ODISHA
Maa Biraja Temple is an historic Hindu temples located in Jajpur (about 125 kilometres (78 mi) north of Bhubaneswar), Odisha, India. Biraja or Viraja Temple is one of the important Maha Shakthi Peetas. Here the main idol Durga Devi is worshipped as Girija (Viraja) and Lord Shiva as Jagannath. Sati’s navel fell here. Adi Sankara describes the goddess as Girija in his Ashtadasha shakti peetha stuti. Here Maa Biraja Devi is worshiped as Trishakti Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati.
13. BAIDYANATH JAYADURGA SHAKTI PEETH, DEOGARH
Jayadurga Temple at Baidyanath is the place where Sati’s Heart had fallen. Here Sati is worshiped as Jai Durga and Lord Bhairav as Vaidyanath or Baidyanath. The Shakthi Peeth is popularly known as Baidyanath Dham or Baba Dham. Since the heart of Sati fell here, the place is also called as Hardapeetha. Lord Bhairav as Vaidyanath is worshipped as one of the important twelve Jyotirlingas.
14. TRIPURMALINI SHAKTI PEETH, JALANDHAR
One of the 52 major Shakti Peethas, the Tripurmalini Shakti Peeth is situated in Jalandhar, Punjab. The Tripurmalini Shakti Peeth is dedicated to Devi Sati or Shakti, who is worshiped by a large number of Hindu devotees. It is believed that Devi Sati’s Left Breast fell here. This Peetha is situated in Jalandhar (1 km from Jalandhar Railway Station) in the state of Punjab in India.
15. MAA AMBIKA SHAKTIPEETH,BHARATPUR,RAJASTHAN
Maa Ambika Shaktipeeth or Virat Shakti Peeth is among the 51 Shakti Peeth of Maa Sati. It is said that, the left leg Maa Sati fell here, when lord Vishnu in order to relieve lord Shiva from grief of losing his wife Sati, used his ‘Sudarshan Chakra’ to incise maa Sati Body. Then, at the place of fall of left leg, this temple was constructed. Maa Ambika Shaktipeeth is situated in Bharatpur in Rajasthan, India. Bharatpur is also known as “Lohagarh” and the “Eastern gateway of Rajastan”. The temple is located in Virat village which is 90 km from Jaipur.
16. VISHALAKSHI TEMPLE, VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH
The Vishalakshi Temple or Vishalakshi Gauri Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess Vishalakshi Maa (means wide eyed Devi) at Mir Ghat on the banks of the Ganges at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is generally regarded as a Shakti Pitha, the most sacred temples dedicated to the Hindu Divine Mother. The karna kundala (earring) of the goddess Sati are said to have fallen on this holy spot of Varanasi. Goddess worshiped here as Maa Vishalakshi & Lord Shiva as Kala or Kaal Bhairva.
17. SUGANDHA SHAKTI PEETH, SHIKARPUR
Sugandha Shakti peeth is a temple dedicated to Goddess Sunanda. It is located in the village of Shikarpur, 10 miles north of Barisal, in Bangladesh. Sugandha Shakti Peeth is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas.
It is said that the nose of Maa Sati fell here. The idol of Maa Sati is called as ‘Sunanda’ and lord Shiva is worshipped as ‘Traimbak’. The Bhairav temple is in Ponabalia, located 5 miles south of Jhalkati rail station. Ponabalia is under the village Shamrail situated on the bank of the river Sunanda.
18. SUCHINDRAM SHAKTI PEETH – MAA NARAYANI
Suchindram is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas and is placed in the southernmost district of Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, India. This place is where it is believed that the Upper Teeth of Maa Sati fell.
The idols are Devi Maa as “Maa Narayani” (wife of Narayan) and Lord Shiva as “Sangharor Samhara” (the destroyer). Sometimes the goddess is popularly known as Kanya Kumari or Bhagavathy Amman. Samhara Bhairava is present in a nearby village. At Suchindram, he is locally called Sthanu Shiva.
Let us worship Mata Parvati Devi and be blessed.
“OM SAKTHI”
SENT BY
R.HARISHANKAR
