Introduction
Shakthi Peeta refers to the places of worship where Shakthi is established. The word Shakthi roughly translates to valour, boldness, power, energy or dynamism. Peeta refers to the seat of establishment. Shakthi refers to the most fundamental and powerful goddess (Devi) of the universe. Shakti is the underlying power of the creation and its existence. She is considered as the cosmos itself. Adi Sankara in his Saundaryalahari states “if Shiva is united with Shakthi, He is able to create. If not, He is incapable of even stirring.”
Legend
King Daksha, son of Lord Brahma performed Vrishaspati yagna (sacrificial fire) in Kankan (near Haridwar) to avenge Lord Shiva during Satya Yuga. Satya-Yuga, the first of four Yugas is the age of truth. This era is considered as the Golden era as gods governed humanity and people engaged in noble deeds. Daksha’s daughter Sati had married Lord Shiva against her father’s wishes. King Daksha had invited all deities except Lord Shiva and Sati. Sati decided to attend the Yagna though uninvited, despite Lord Shiva dissuading her from attending the Yagna. Lord Shiva eventually relented to her plea to attend the Yagna and had his Ganas, escort her. At the yagna, as Sati was an uninvited guest, she did not get the respect due to her from her father. King Daksha also insulted Lord Shiva. Sati, unable to bear the insult of her husband jumped into the yagna. Upon learning about Sati’s death, Lord Shiva became furious. He destroyed the yagna and cut off Daksha’s head and later replaced with that of a male goat as he restored him to life. Daksha, then completed the Yagna in the presence of all divinity. Lord Shiva carried the corpse of Sati and started Tandava, the celestial dance, which is the source of the cycle of creation and destruction. Aghast at the dance, the other gods requested Lord Vishnu to stop the destruction wrought by Shiva’s tandava. Lord Vishnu then used his Sudarshana Chakra which cut through Sati’s corpse. The various parts of the body fell at several spots establishing Sati in these places creating Shakthi Peetas. In Shakthi Peetas Sati is worshipped. Sati, the wife of Lord Shiva is Shakti and is worshipped in Shakti Peetas in various manifestations as Parvati, Durga, Dakshayini or Kali.
Adi Shakthi Peetas
There are four Shakthi Peetas according to the Shiva Purana, the Devi Bhagvatha, the Kalki Purana and Ashta Shakthi which are known as Adi-Shakthi-Peetas.
The first Adi Shakthi Peeta or the temple where the body part or ornament of Sati fell on earth is located in Puri, Odisha where the Pada Khanda or Bimala (the name of the presiding deity) the ornament fell. The second place is in Berhampur, Odisha where Sthana Khanda or Tara Tarini fell. The third is in Guhawati – Assam, where Yoni Khanda or Kamakya fell and the final place is in Kalighat, Kolkata where Mukhta Khanda or Dakhina kalika fell. Apart from these four Peetas, religious texts recognise 52 places spread across India, Srilanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet and Pakistan as Shakti Peetas.
The following are the Shakthi Peetas. It is to be noted that all these Shakthi Peetas, are guarded by a Bhairava, another form of Lord Shiva. Bhairava is also worshipped along with Shakthi in all the Shakthi Peetas.
List of Shakti Peetas
| S.No | Place | State in India/country | Organ and ornament | Name of Shakthi | Name of Bhairava |
| 1. 1 | Hinglaj(or Hingula), southern Baluchistan, 125 kms from Karachi | Pakistan | Bramharandhra (Part of Head) | Kottari | Bhimlochan |
| 2.
|
Kiriteshwari Kireetkona village, Murshidabad | West Bengal | Kirit | Vimala | Sangbarta/Sanwart |
| 3. | Vakreshwar, Ahmedpur | West Bengal | Part of Brain | Mahishamardini | Vakranth |
| 4. | Varanasi | Uttar Pradesh | Hair | Uma | Bhootesh |
| 5. | Sharkarare,or Karavipur near Karachi | Pakistan | Eyes | Mahishmardhini | Krodhish |
| 6. | Sugandha, situated in Shikarpur | Bangladesh | Nose | Sunanada or Ugratara | Traimbak |
| 7. | Jwalamukhi, Kangra | Himachal Pradesh | Tongue | Ambika | Unmatta |
| 8. | Bhairavaparvat, at Bhairava Hills, Ujjain | Madhya Pradesh | Upper lips | Avanti | Lambakarna |
| 9. | Attahas, district of Bradhman | West Bengal | Lower lips | Phullara | Bhairabhvishesya |
| 10. | Nasik | Maharastra | Chin | Bhramari | Vikrakatakka |
| 11. | Amarnath | Jammu & Kashmir | Throat | Mahamaya | Trisandhyeshwar |
| 12. | Mallikarjuna Hills, Sri Silam | Andhra Pradesh
|
Neck | Mahalakshmi or Brahmaraambika | Shambaranda or Malllikarjuna Swamy |
| 13. | Nalhati, Kolkatta | West Bengal | Vocal Pipe | Kalika | Yogesh |
| 14. | Nandipur | West Bengal | Necklace | Nandini | Nandikeshwar |
| 15. | Mithila | India Nepal border | Left Shoulder | Uma or Mahadevi | Mahodar |
| 16. | Ratnavali, Hoogly | West Bengal | Right Shoulder | Kumari | Bhairabh |
| 17. | Ramagiri, Chitrakoot
|
Uttar Pradesh | Right Breast | Shivani | Chand Bhairav
|
| 18. | Vajreshwari Temple | Himachal Pradesh | Left Breast | Vajreshwari | Kalabhairav |
| 19. | Vaidyanath, Devgarh | Jarkhand | Heart | Jaidurga | Vaidyanath |
| 20. | Manas or Manav Kschetra | Tibet | Right Hand | Dakshayani | Amar |
| 21. | Katwa, Veerbhum, Bahula | West Bengal | Left Hand | Bahula | Bhiruk |
| 22. | Ujjain | Madhya Pradesh | Elbow | Mangala Chandika | Kapilambar |
| 23. | Pushkar, Manibandha | Rajastan | Both Wrists | Gayatri | Sarvanand |
| 24. | Prayag, Allahabad | Uttar Pradesh | Ten Fingers | Lalita | Bhav Bhairav |
| 25. | Kanchipuram | Tamil Nadu | Ottiyana, Ornament covering stomach | Kamakshi | Kaal Bhairav |
| 26. | Shondesh, Amarkantak Sone River | Madhya Pradesh | Right Buttock | Narmada | Badrasen |
| 27. | Kalamadhav | Madhya Pradesh | Left Buttock | Kali | Asitnanda |
| 28. | Kamgiri | Assam | Genitals | Kamakhya | Umananda |
| 29. | Gandaki, Mukthinath | Nepal | Right Cheek | Gandakichandi | Chakrapani |
| 30. | Godavaritir | Andhra Pradesh | Left Cheek | Viseshi or Viswamatuka | Dandapani |
| 31. | Prabhas near Girnar hills | Mumbai,
Maharastra |
Stomach | Chandrabhaga | Vakratunda |
| 32. | Utkal Virja, Jagannath Puri | Odisha | Navel | Vimala | Jagannath |
| 33. | Kanyasharm Bhadrakali temple | Kanyakumari,Tamil Nadu | Back | Sharwani | Nimish |
| 34. | Jayantia Hills, Khasi mountain | Bangladesh | Left Thigh | Jayanti | Kramdishwar |
| 35. | Maghadha | West Bengal | Right Thigh | Sarvanandakari | Vyomkesh |
| 36. | Pasupathinath | Nepal | Knees | Mahamaya | Kapali |
| 37. | Tripura | Udaipur | Right Leg | TripuraSundari | Tripureshwar |
| 38. | Tristrota , Shalbadi Gram, Jalpaigudi | West Bengal | Left Leg | Bhramri | Bhairaveshwar |
| 39. | Shri Parvatt, Laddakh, (Another belief that it is also found in Srisailam | Jammu & Kashmir
Andhra Pradesh |
Right Anklet | Shri Sundari | Sundarananda |
| 40. | Bhabanipur, Karatoyatat | Bangladesh | Left Anklet | Arpana | Vaman |
| 41. | Vibhasha, Tamluk | West Bengal | Left Ankle | Kapalini, Bhimarupa | Saravananda |
| 42. | Kurukshetra, Bhadrakali temple | Harayana | Right Ankle | Savitri | Sthanu |
| 43. | Vairat | Rajastan | Left Toes | Ambika | Amrit |
| 44. | Kalipeeth or Kalighat | West Bengal | Right Toes | Kallika | Nakuleshwar or Nakuleesh |
| 45. | Varanasi | UttarPradesh | Ear rings | Vishalakshi Manikarni | Kaal Bhairav |
| 46. | Suchindram, Kanyakumari | Tamil Nadu | Upper Teeth | Narayani | Sanghar |
| 47. | Panch Sagar, exact location not known | Uttarakand, Haridwar | Lower Teeth | Varahi | Maharudra |
| 48. | Pashupathinath | Nepal | Both knees | Guhyeshwari | Kapal Bhairav |
| 49. | Chatgoan | Bangladesh | Right Arm | Bhawani | Chandrashekar |
| 50. | Jessoreshwari | Bangladesh | Centre of the hands and soles of the feet | Jashoreshwari | Chand |
| 51. | Bhavanipur or Karotoa | West Bengal | Left Seat or her clothing | Aparna | Bhairabha |
| 52. | Karnat | Himachal Pradesh | Ears | Jai Durga | Avirooka or Abiru |
| 53. | Kancidesh, Bolpur Station, Kopar River Banks | West Bengal | Skeleton, Bone | Devagarbha | Ruru |
| 54. | Chandi Mandir | West Bengal | Intestines | Maa Chandi | Shiva |
