Śaktipīṭhas

The story of the Śakti Pīṭhas is connected to Satī and Śiva. Satī, the daughter of King Dakṣa, married Bhagavān Śiva against her father’s wishes. When Dakṣa organized a grand yajña but chose not to invite Śiva and insulted him, Satī, overcome with grief and anger, attended uninvited. She confronted her father, but when her attempts to defend Śiva failed, she immolated herself in the yajña fire in anguish and despair.

Devastated by Satī’s death, Śiva carried her lifeless body and performed the Tāṇḍava, the cosmic dance of destruction. To save the universe from Śiva's wrath, Bhagavān Viṣṇu used his Sudarśana Cakra to dismember Satī’s body. The pieces fell across the Indian subcontinent, and each location where a part landed became a sacred Śakti Pīṭha.

The number of Śakti Pīṭhas varies across texts and traditions due to differences in cosmic cycles (Kalpabheda). For instance, the Devī Bhāgavatapurāṇa mentions 108 Śakti Pīṭhas during the Sarasvata Kalpa, while the Tantra Cūḍāmaṇi identifies 52. Similarly, the Devī Gītā lists 72, and the Devī Purāṇa refers to 51. These sacred sites are revered as centres of divine feminine energy, attracting devotees who seek the blessings of the Devī.

For this blog, I will use the count provided by the Devī Purāṇa, which identifies 51 Śakti Pīṭhas. Each Pīṭha is associated with a specific body part (aṅga) of Satī, as well as a presiding Devī and a corresponding Bhairava (Śiva in a fierce form) who protects the site.

  1. Kurukṣetra
    Anga - Dakṣiṇa-gulpha(Right ankle), Devī - Sāvitrī, Bhairava - Sthāṇu
    Location - Shri Devikoop Bhadrakali Mandir, Kurukshetra, Haryana

  2. Vaidyanātha
    Anga - Hṛdaya(Heart), Devī - Jayadurgā, Bhairava - Vaidyanātha
    Location - Deoghar, Giridih, Jharkhand (Inside Vaidyanātha Jyotirliṅga complex)

  3. Kanyāśrama
    Anga - Pṛṣṭha(Back), Devī - Sarvāṇī, Bhairava - Nimiṣa
    Location - Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu (Near Kanniyakumari Amman Mandir)  

  4. Vṛndāvana
    Anga - Keśapāśa(Lock of hair), Devī - Umā, Bhairava - Bhūteśa
    Location - Mathura, U.P. (Inside Bhuteshwar Mahadev Mandir complex)

  5. Janasthāna
    Anga - Civuka(Chin), Devī - Bhrāmarī, Bhairava - Vikṛtākṣa
    Location - Bhadrakali Devi Mandir, Nashik, Maharashtra

  6. Maṇivedika
    Anga - Maṇibandha(Wrists), Devī - Gāyatrī, Bhairava - Sarvānanda
    Location - Gayatri Mata Mandir, Pushkar, Ajmer, Rajasthan

  7. Śuci
    Anga - Ūrdhva-danta(Upper teeth) or Pṛṣṭhabhāga(Back), Devī - Nārāyaṇī, Bhairava - Saṃhāra or Saṅkūra
    Location - Suchindram, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu

  8. Maṇikarṇikā
    Anga - Dakṣiṇa-kuṇḍala(Ornament of the right ear), Devī - Viśālākṣī, Bhairava - Kāla
    Location - Shri Vishalakshi Mata Mandir, Varanasi, U.P.

  9. Magadha
    Anga - Dakṣiṇa-jaṅghā(Right thigh), Devī - Sarvānandakarī, Bhairava - Vyomakeśa
    Location - Shri Badi Patan Devi Mandir, Patna, Bihar

  10. Kālīpīṭha
    Anga - Vāma-pādāṅguli(Fingers of the left foot), Devī - Kālikā, Bhairava - Nakulīśa
    Location - Kalighat, Kolkata, West Bengal

  11. Godāvarītīra
    Anga - Vāma-gaṇḍa(Left cheek), Devī - Viśveśi or Rukmiṇī, Bhairava - Daṇḍapāṇi
    Location - Kotilingala, East Godavari, A.P.

  12. Jvālāmukhī
    Anga - Jihvā(Tongue), Devī - Siddhidā, Bhairava - Unmatta
    Location - Shri Jwalamukhi Mandir, Kangra, H.P.

  13. Śoṇa 
    Anga - Dakṣiṇa-nitamba(Right hip), Devī - Śoṇākṣī or Narmadā, Bhairava - Bhadrasena
    Location - Narmada Mandir, Amarkantak, Anuppur, Madhya Pradesh

  14. Jālandhara
    Anga - Vāma-stana(Left breast), Devī - Tripuramālinī, Bhairava - Bhīṣaṇa
    Location - Devi Talab Mandir, Jalandhar, Punjab

  15. Virāṭa
    Anga - Dakṣiṇa-pādāṅguli(Fingers of the right foot), Devī - Ambikā, Bhairava - Amṛta
    Location - Shri Ambika Devi Mandir, Viratnagar, Kotputli-Behror, Rajasthan

  16. Kāmagiri
    Anga - Yoni(Vagina), Devī - Kāmākhyā, Bhairava - Umānanda or Umānātha
    Location - Kāmarūpa, Guwahati, Assam

  17. Jayantī
    Anga - Vāma-jaṅghā(Left thigh), Devī - Jayantī, Bhairava - Kramadīśvara
    Location - Nartiang Durga Mandir, West Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya

  18. Tripurā
    Anga - Dakṣiṇa-pāda(Right foot), Devī - Tripurasundarī, Bhairava - Tripureśa
    Location - Tripura Sundari Mandir, South Tripura,Tripura

  19. Trisrotā
    Anga - Vāma-pāda(Left foot), Devī - Bhrāmarī, Bhairava - Iśvara
    Location - Shri Trisrota Maa Bhramari Devi Mandir, Jalpaiguri, West Bengal

  20. Kirīṭa or Kirīṭakoṇā
    Anga - Kirīṭā(Ornament of the head), Devī - Bhuvaneśī or Vimalā, Bhairava - Saṁvarta
    Location - Kiriteshwari Mandir, Murshidabad, West Bengal

  21. Vibhāsa
    Anga - Vāma-gulpha(Left ankle), Devī - Kapālinī or Bhīmarūpā, Bhairava - Sarvānanda
    Location -  Maa Bargabhima Mandir, Tamluk, East Midnapore, West Bengal

  22. Bāhulā
    Anga - Vāma-bāhu(Left arm), Devī - Bahulā, Bhairava - Bhīruka
    Location - Bahula Mandir, Ketugram, Bardhaman, West Bengal

  23. Aṭṭahāsa
    Anga - Adhara-oṣṭha(Lower lips), Devī - Phullarā, Bhairava - Viśveśa
    Location - Attahasa Mandir, Bardhaman, West Bengal

  24. Yugādyā
    Anga - Dakṣina-pādāṅguṣṭha(Toe of right foot), Devī - Bhūtadhātrī, Bhairava - Kṣīrakhaṇḍa
    Location - Shri Jogadya Mandir, Khirgram, Mangolkote, Bardhaman, West Bengal

  25. Nalāhāṭī
    Anga - Udaranalī(Abdominal tube), Devī - Kālikā, Bhairava - Yogīśa
    Location - Shri Nalateswari Mandir, Birbhum, West Bengal

  26. Vaktreśvara
    Anga - Manas(Mind), Devī - Mahiṣamardinī, Bhairava - Vakranātha
    Location - Bakeshwara(Vaktreshvara) Mandir, Birbhum, West Bengal

  27. Nandipura
    Anga - Kaṇṭhahāra(Necklace), Devī - Nandinī, Bhairava - Nandikeśvara
    Location - Nandikeshwari Mandir, Saithia, Birbhum, West Bengal


    Śaktipīṭhas - With multiple claims

  28. Ujjayinī
    Anga - Kūrpara(Elbow), Devī - Maṅgalacaṇḍikā, Bhairava - Māṅgalyakapilāmbara
    Location - Shri Harsiddhi Mata Mandir, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
    or 
    Location - Shri Mangalchandi Mandir, Mangalkote, Bardhaman, West Bengal (Less likely)

  29. Karavirā
    Anga - Trinetra(3 eyes), Devī - Mahiṣamardinī, Bhairava - Krodhīśa
    Location - Mahalakshmi(Ambaji) Mandir, Kolhapur, Maharashtra 
    or
    Location - Shri Chamundeshwari Devi Mandir, Mysuru, Karnataka (Less likely)

  30. Śrīśailam
    Anga - Grīvā(Neck), Devi - Mahālakṣmī, Bhairava - Saṃvarānanda or Īśvarānanda
    Location - Srisailam, A.P. (Inside Mallikārjuna Jyotirliṅga complex)
    or
    Location - Shri Shri Mahalakshmi Bhairabi Griba Mandir, Sylhet, Bangladesh (Less likely)

  31. Prayāga
    Anga - Hasta-āṅguli(Fingers of hands), Devī - Lalitā, Bhairava - Bhava
    Location - Lalita Devi Mandir, Prayagraj, U.P. - Mahālakṣmī
    or
    Location - Alop Shankari Devi  Mandir, Prayagraj, U.P. - Mahākālī
    or
    Location - Inside Akshayavat complex, Prayagraj, U.P.  - Mahāsarasvatī

  32. Rāmagiri
    Anga - Dakṣiṇa-stana(Right breast), Devī - Śivānī, Bhairava - Caṇḍa
    Location - Chitrakoot, M.P. 
    or
    Location -  Maa Sharda Mandir, Maihar, M.P.

  33. Ratnāvalī
    Anga - Dakṣiṇa-skandha(Right shoulder), Devī - Kumārī, Bhairava - Śiva
    Location - Near Chennai, Tamil Nadu
    or
    Location -  Ratnavali Mandir, Khanakul, Hooghly, West Bengal (Less likely)

  34. Bhairavaparvata
    Anga - Ūrdhv-oṣṭha(Upper lips), Devī - Avantī, Bhairava - Lambakarṇa
    Location - Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
    or 
    Location - Shri Ambaji Mandir, Girnar, Junagarh, Gujarat

  35. Virajākṣetra
    Anga - Nābhi(Navel), Devī - Vimalā, Bhairava - Jagannātha
    Location - Puri, Odisha(Inside Jagannātha Purī Mandir complex)
    or 
    Location - Maa Biraja Mandir, Jajpur, Odisha 

  36. Kāñcī
    Anga - Kaṅkāla(Skeleton), Devī - Devagarbhā, Bhairava - Ruru
    Location - Shri Kanchi Kamakshi Amman Mandir, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu
    or 
    Location - Kankalitala Mandir, Birbhum, West Bengal (Less likely)

  37. Mithilā
    Anga - Vāma-skandha(Left shoulder) or Netra(Eye), Devī - Umā or Mahādevī, Bhairava - Mahodara
    Location - Vanadurga Mandir, Uchhaith, Madhubani, Bihar 
    or 
    Location - Ugratara Mandir, Saharasa, Bihar
    or
    Location - Jaymangala Devi Mandir, Begusarai, Bihar 

  38. Prabhāsa
    Anga - Udara(Stomach) or part of heart, Devī - Candrabhāgā, Bhairava - Vakratuṇḍa
    Location - Shri Ambaji Mandir, Girnar, Junagarh, Gujarat
    or
    Location - Shri Arasura Ambaji Mandir, Banaskantha, Gujarat
    or
    Location - Shri Chandrabhaga Mandir, Gujarat(Near Somnath Jyotirlinga) (Less likely)

  39. Śrīparvata
    Anga - Dakṣiṇa-karṇa(Right ear), Devī - Śrī-sundarī, Bhairava - Sundarānanda
    Location - Ladakh
    or 
    Location - Maa Kali Mandir, Jaintapur, Kanaighat, Sylhet, Bangladesh

  40. Kāśmīra
    Anga - Kaṇṭha(Throat), Devī - Mahāmāyā, Bhairava - Trisandhyeśvara
    Location - Anantnag, Jammu & Kashmir(Near Amarnath Mandir)
    or
    Location - Sarada Peeth, Neelum Valley, Pak Occupied Kashmir   (Less likely)

    Śaktipīṭhas - With no certain claim 

  41. Pañcasāgara
    Anga - Adho-danta(Lower teeth), Devī - Vārāhī, Bhairava - Mahārudra
    Location - Maa Varahi Devi Mandir, Varanasi, U.P.   (Uncertain)

  42. Kālamādhava
    Anga - Nitamba(Hip), Devī - Kālī, Bhairava - Asitāṅga
    Location - Near Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh (Uncertain)

    Śaktipīṭhas - Outside India 

  43. Gaṇḍakī
    Anga - Dakṣiṇa-gaṇḍa(Right cheek), Devī - Gaṇḍakī, Bhairava - Cakrapāni
    Location - Near Shri Muktinath Mandir, Mustang, Nepal(Origin of Gaṇḍakī river)

  44. Nepāla
    Anga - Jānu(Knees), Devī - Mahāmāyā, Bhairava - Kapāla
    Location - Guhyeshwari Mandir, Kathmandu, Nepal(Near Pashupatinath Mandir)

  45. Mānasa
    Anga - Dakṣina-hasta(Right palm), Devī - Dākṣāyaṇī, Bhairava - Amara
    Location - Near Manasarovar, Burang, Tibet

  46. Laṅkā
    Anga - Nūpura(Anklet), Devī - Indrākṣī, Bhairava - Rākṣaseśvara
    Location - Shri Thirukoneswaram Kovil, Trincomalee, Sri Lanka

  47. Hiṅgulā
    Anga - Brahmarandhra(Crown of the head), Devī - Koṭṭarī, Bhairava - Bhīmalocona
    Location - Hinglaj Mata Mandir, Lasbela, Balochistan, Pakistan

  48. Sugandhā
    Anga - Nāsikā(Nose), Devī - Sunandā, Bhairava - Tryambaka
    Location - Shri Sugandha(Ugrataara) Devi Mandir, Barisal, Bangladesh

  49. Yaśora
    Anga - Vāma-hasta(Left palm), Devī - Yaśoreśvarī, Bhairava - Candra
    Location - Jessoreshwari Mandir, Jessore, Satkhira., Bangladesh

  50. Caṭṭala
    Anga - Dakṣiṇa-bāhu(Right arm), Devī - Bhavānī, Bhairava - Candraśekhara
    Location - Bhavani(Chandranath) Mandir, Chittagong, Bangladesh

  51. Karatoyātaṭa
    Anga - Vāma-karṇa(Left ear), Devī - Aparṇā, Bhairava - Vāmana
    Location - Shri Shri Bhabani Mandir, Bhawanipur, Bogra, Bangladesh 


॥ ॐ श्री-सीता-लक्ष्मण-भरत-शत्रुघ्न-हनुमत्समेत -श्रीरामचन्द्रपरब्रह्मार्पणमस्तु ॥

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