The Shakti Peeth are the most significant pilgrimage destinations in Shaktism, the goddess-focused Hindu tradition. They are spread across Indian subcontinent.
Historical Significance :
Daksha Prajapati son of Bramha had 27 daughters and Sati Devi is one among them who got married to Lord Shiva. When Dashka entered the arena of a yaga performed by Agni, every one except Lord Shiva stood up as a mark of respect. Daksha felt insulted by Lord Shiva’s behaviour. With the desire to take revenge on Lord Shiva, Daksha performed yagna and invited all the deities except Lord Shiva and Sati. However Sati expressed her desire to attend yagna to Shiva, who reluctantly agreed after presistence from Sati. Sati, being an uninvited guest, was not given any respect and her father insulted Shiva. Unable to bear this insult Sari scarified herself by creating agni from earth with her right thumb of her foot. Enraged with this incident Lord Shiva took the form of Lord Veerabhadra and killed Daksha by cutting his head. Later Shiva took the body of sati from the fire and started tandavam (dance). The world got terrorized with this and prayed Lord Vishnu for rescue. Lord Vishnu used his Sudarshana chakra and cut the Sati’s body in to pieces. These body parts fell at various places in the subcontinent which are today worshiped as Shaktipeetas. There are 18 such places and they are called Ashta(8) Dasa(10) Shaktipeetas.
Some say there are 52 or 108 Shakti peetams. But According to Adi Shankaracharya’s Ashta Dasaha Shakti Peeta Strotram there are mainly 18 of them spread across in India and one in Sri Lanka.
Shakti Peetham's
Sri Shankari Devi
Country: Sri Lanka
Place: Trincomalee
Name of the Shakti: Shankari devi
Part of the body fallen: Groin
Famous for/as: Pilgrim
Best Season: Jan – Dec
The place Trinconmalee means a triangular shaped hill (Tri- cona- malee or malai).The temple is connected by roads. There is also a Kali temple which people visit enroute to Shankari Devi temple.
Sri Kamakshi Devi
State: Tamil Nadu
Place: Kancheepuram
Name of the Shakti: Kamakshi Devi
Part of the body fallen: Back Part
Famous for/as: Pilgrim, Kanchi sarees
Best Season: Jan – Dec
Legend has it that Kamakshi offered worship to a Shivalingam made out of sand, under a mango tree and gained Shiva’s hand in marriage.
Sri Srunkhala Devi
State: West Bengal
Place: Praddyumnam
Name of the Shakti: Sri Srunkhala devi
Part of the body fallen: Stomach part
Famous for/as: Pilgrim
Best Season: Jan – Dec
Shrinkala devi was supposed to be in West bengal, hoogly district.But as such there is no temple also.A story says that Sage Rishya Shringala has brought to her to shringeri in karnataka
Sri Chamundeshwari Devi
State: Karnataka
Place: Mysore
Name of the Shakti: Chamundeshwari devi
Part of the body fallen: Hair
Famous for/as: Pilgrim
Best Season: Jan – Dec
Goddess Parvathi,(consort of Lord Siva),took birth as Chamundeshwari and killed the Evil Mahishasura. After killing the demon, the Goddess resided atop the Chamundi Hills, where she is worshiped with reverence and devotion.
Sri Jogulamba Devi
State: Telangana
Place: Alampur
Name of the Shakti: Jogulamba devi
Part of the body fallen: Upper Teeth
Famous for/as: Pilgrim
Best Season: Jan – Dec
Jogulamba Devi temple at Alampur, one of the 18 Sakti peethams in Indian sub-continent, including Sankari Devi temple in Sri Lanka, has been reconstructed after 615 years.
Sri Bhramarambika Devi
State: Andhra Pradesh
Place: Srishailam
Name of the Shakti: Bhramarambika devi
Part of the body fallen: Neck Part
Famous for/as: Pilgrim
Best Season: Jan – Dec
Shaila Mallikarjuna’s holy place is located on the banks of River Krishna. Here River Krishna is in the form of Patalaganga (underground spring). Lakhs of devotees take a holy dip here and then go for the Darshan of the JyotirLinga.
Sri Mahalakshmi Devi
State: Maharastra
Place: Kolhapur
Name of the Shakti: Mahalakshmi Devi
Part of the body fallen: Eyes
Famous for/as: Pilgrim
Best Season: Jan – Dec
Kolhapur is located in Kolhapur district and is well connected with Pune, 240 km north. It is on the national highway between Bangalore and Pune.
Sri Eka Veerika Devi
State: Maharastra
Place: Nanded
Name of the Shakti: Eka veerika Devi
Part of the body fallen: Right Hand
Famous for/as: Pilgrim
Best Season: Jan – Dec
Ekaveerika devi temple is in Mahur , Maharashtra. The deity here is called Ekaveerika mata. The temple is in Yavatmal district in Maharashtra.
Sri Mahakali Devi
State: Madhya Pradesh
Place: Ujjain
Name of the Shakti: Mahakali devi
Part of the body fallen: Upper lip
Famous for/as: Pilgrim
Best Season: Jan – Dec
According to another popular legend related to Mahakal Temple, a demon by name, Dushana tormented the residents of Avanti. Shiva appeared from the ground and vanquished the demon. Then, upon the request of the inhabitants of Avanti, Shiva took up a permanent abode here as Mahakaleshwara Jyotirlinga.
Sri Puruhutika Devi
State: Andhra Pradesh
Place: Pithapuram
Name of the Shakti: Puruhutika devi
Part of the body fallen: Left hand
Famous for/as: Pilgrim
Best Season: Jan – Dec
Pithapuram is formerly called as Pithikapuram / Pushkara kshetram in Puranas and Tantras.The temple of Puruhutika devi is located within the temple campus of Kukkuteswara swamy.
Sri Biraja Devi
State: Odisha
Place: Jajpur
Name of the Shakti: Biraja devi
Part of the body fallen: Navel
Famous for/as: Pilgrim
Best Season: Jan – Dec
The Biraja Temple, or Girija is located in Jajpur (about 125 kilometres north of Bhubaneswar), Odisha, India. The present temple was built during the 13th century. The principal idol is Devi Durga, who is worshiped as Viraja (Girija)
Sri Manikyamba Devi
State: Andhra Pradesh
Place: Draksharamam
Name of the Shakti: Manikyamba devi
Part of the body fallen: Left cheek
Famous for/as: Pilgrim
Best Season: Jan – Dec
There are two stories related to Pancharama temples. One story related to Pancharama temples is in Bheemeshwara Puranam written by Shree Nathudu. The Story goes like this…
Sri Kamarupa Devi
State: Assam
Place: Guwahati
Name of the Shakti: Kamarupa devi
Part of the body fallen: Vulva
Famous for/as: Pilgrim
Best Season: Jan – Dec
The shrine of the goddess Kamakhya is situated about three miles from the present town of Gauhati and about fifty miles from the range of hills inhabited by two aboriginal matriarchal tribes, the Khasis and the Garos, the former belonging to the Austro-Asiatic and the latter to the Mongolian stock.
Sri Madhaveshwari Devi
State: Uttar Pradesh
Place: Prayaga
Name of the Shakti: Madhaveswari devi
Part of the body fallen: Fingers
Famous for/as: Pilgrim
Best Season: Jan – Dec
Prayaga Madhaveswari is one of the 18 Shaktippethas. She is also called as Alopi mata / Lalita Sthala Purana of Prayaga : Prayaga means Prakrishta Yaga, that means it is the place where Lord Brahma did a very great Yaga
Sri Vaishnavi Devi
State: Himachal Pradesh
Place: Jwala
Name of the Shakti: Vaishnavi devi
Part of the body fallen: Head part
Famous for/as: Pilgrim
Best Season: Jan – Dec
Dedicated to Goddess Jwala Devi epitome of Shakti or Immense Power. Located at a distance of 34 kilometers to the south of Kangra in Himachal Pradesh.
Sri Sarvamangala Devi
State: Bihar
Place: Gaya
Name of the Shakti: Sarvamangala devi
Part of the body fallen: Breast part
Famous for/as: Pilgrim
Best Season: Jan – Dec
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.
Sri Vishalakshi Devi
State: Uttar Pradesh
Place: Varanasi
Name of the Shakti: Vishalakshi devi
Part of the body fallen: Wrist
Famous for/as: Pilgrim
Best Season: Jan – Dec
The Karna kundala(Ear ring) of Devi fell here. Hence Devi Maa here is also known as Manikarni or Manikarnika. The Puranas say that this city exists even after the Pralaya. Goddess worshiped here as Maa Vishalakshi & Lord Shiva as Kala or Kaal Bhairva.
Sri Danteshwari Devi
State: Chattisgarh
Place: Dantewada
Name of the Shakti: Danteshwari devi
Part of the body fallen: Tooth
Famous for/as: Pilgrim
Best Season: Jan – Dec
Danteshwari Temple is temple dedicated to Goddess Danteshwari, and is one of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas, shrines of Shakti, the divine feminine, spread across India.
Sri Saraswathi Devi
State: Jammu and Kashmir
Place: Kashmir
Name of the Shakti: Saraswathi devi
Part of the body fallen: Right hand
Famous for/as: Pilgrim, Origin of Adi Shankara’s Sharada Peetham
The temple is so vital to Kashmiris that Kashmiri language has the script of Sharda, which is little similar to Devanagari.