18 Shakti Peethas

18 Shakti Peethas

Shakti is the Divine Feminine in Hinduism. She is the complete incarnation of Adi Para Shakti. Shakti is associated with Parvati, the benevolent deity of harmony, marital felicity, and longevity; Durga represents strength and courage; and Mahakali is the deity who destroys evil.

"Shakti Peethas" are the powerspots of Shakti where people throng to worship her. These temples are very ancient and are spread across the country.

According to Hindu mythology, there are 108 Shakti Peethas, of which 51 are well known. But, 18 Shakti Peethas are the most auspicious and are also called "Ashta Dasha Shakti Peethas." The 18 Shakti Peethas are the heavenly abodes of Shakti.

Legend of the 18 Shakti Peethas

As per the legend, Sati Devi, wife of Shiva, immolated herself in her father Daksha's Yagna when he humiliated her and Shiva before an august assembly of gods, kings, and sages. An angry Shiva destroyed the Yagna and decapitated Daksha. He then roamed about carrying Sati's body and dancing the Tandav. Fearing that his dance of destruction would annihilate the entire universe, Vishnu severed Sati's body with his Sudarshana Chakra to stop Shiva. Sati's severed body parts supposedly fell on different parts of the earth. The places where her body parts fell later became Shakti Peethas.

There are 3 Shakti Peethas in Andhra Pradesh: two each in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Jammu & Kashmir; one each in Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar and Orissa; Shri Shankari Devi Shakti Peeth - Trincomalee, Sri Lanka.

Benefits of Worshipping at the 18 Shakti Peethas

Everyone should visit these 18 Shakti Peethas at least once in their lifetime for salvation. The choicest blessings of the Divine Mother Shakti can bring peace, prosperity, and happiness into our lives.

The list of Ashta Dasha Shakti Peethas or 18 Shakti Peethas follows:

Sr. No.	Place	Part of the body fallen	Name of Shakti
1	Trincomalee (Sri Lanka)	Groin	Shankari Devi
2	Kanchi (Tamilnadu)	Back part	Kamakshi Devi
3	Pandua (West Bengal)	Stomach	Sri Shrinkala Devi
4	Mysore (Karnataka)	Hair	Chamundeshwari Devi
5	Alampur, Mahbubnagar (Telangana)	Upper teeth	Jogulamba Devi (Yogamba Devi)
6	Srisailam (Andhra Pradesh)	Neck	Bhramaramba Devi
7	Kolhapur (Maharashtra)	Left Eye	Mahalakshmi Devi
8	Mahur, Nanded, Maharashtra	Right Hand	Eka Veerika Devi
9	Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh)	Tongue	Mahakali Devi
10	Pithapuram (Andhra Pradesh)	Left hand	Puruhutika Devi
11	Jajpur (Odisha)	Navel	Biraja Devi
12	Draksharamam (Andhra Pradesh)	Left cheek	Manikyamba Devi
13	Guwahati (Assam)	Vulva	Kamarupa Devi
14	Prayaga (Uttar Pradesh)	Fingers	Madhaveswari Devi
15	Kangra, Jwalamukhi (Himachal Pradesh)	Head	Vaishnavi Devi
16	Gaya (Bihar)	Breast	Sarvamangala Devi
17	Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh)	Throat	Visalakshi Devi
18	Kashmir	Lips	Saraswati Devi

Kamakshi Devi

Sati's backside supposedly fell in the place where the Sri Kamakshi Amman Temple, in Kanchipuram, Tamilnadu, stands now. The presiding deity is Kamakshi Devi. Kanchi Kamakshi is in a majestic Padmasana yogic posture signifying peace and prosperity. She holds a sugar cane bow and a bunch of five flowers in her lower arms and has a Pasha and an Ankusha in her upper arms.

Shankari Devi

The groin of Sati had fallen in Trincomalee, the eastern coast of Sri Lanka. Shankari Devi and Trikoneshwara are the main deities at this temple. Aadi Shankaracharya's Stotram starts from the Shankari Devi Shakthi Peeth, one of the 18 Shakti Peethas.

Shrinkala Devi

Sri Shrinkala Devi Temple is in Pandua, Hooghly, West Bengal. Sati Devi's stomach had fallen at this spot, and the goddess is worshipped as Shrinkala Devi. The temple was supposed to be in West Bengal, Hooghly district. But, there is no temple as such. A legend explains that Sage Shringala brought her to Shringeri, Karnataka.

Chamundeshwari Devi

Sri Chamundeshwari Temple is in Chamundi Hills, Mysore, Karnataka. This is where the hair from Sati Devi's head supposedly fell. People worship her in the name of Chamundeshwari Devi. She is also called Mahishasura Mardini, as she slew the demon Mahishasura.

Jogulamba Devi

Sati Devi's upper teeth had fallen here, and people worship the goddess here as Jogulamba Devi. The Jogulamba Devi Temple is in Alampur, Jogulamba Gadwal, Telangana. The temple is at the convergence of the sacred rivers Tungabhadra and Krishna. Dakshina Kashi is another name for it.

Bhramaramba Devi

Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple, in Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh, is one of the 18 Shakti Peethas in India. The temple’s presiding deities are Bhramaramba Devi and Mallikarjuna. It is one of the only three temples in India where both Jyotirlinga and Shakti Peeth are revered. Sati's neck part had fallen here.

Mahalakshmi Devi

Sati Devi's left eye had fallen here. This temple is in Maharashtra, and devotees worship the goddess as Kolhapur Maha Lakshmi. The idol of Mahalakshmi is carved in black stone. She is 3 feet tall, and a stone lion stands behind her. Her crown has the image of Sheshnag, the serpent of Vishnu. The crown of Mahalakshmi Devi is studded with gemstones and weighs around 40 kg.

Eka Veerika Devi

Sri Eka Veerika Devi Temple, Manhur, Nanded, Maharashtra, is one of the 18 Shakti Peethas. Here, Sati Devi's right hand had fallen, and the deity is revered as Eka Veerika Devi. The temple is 800 years old. It offers a paste of Pan Patta and Supari as Prasad.

Mahakali Devi

The tongue of Sati had fallen in the Mahakali Devi Temple, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. Shiva took his permanent abode here after vanquishing the demon Dushana. Mahakaleshwara Jyotirlinga and Mahakali Devi grace their devotees in this temple. It is one of the famous 18 Shakti Peethas.

Puruhutika Devi

Sri Kukkuteswara Swamy Temple, Pithapuram, Andhra Pradesh, is a popular Shakti Peeth where Sati Devi's left hand fell. People worship her in the name of Puruhutika Devi.

Her idol has four arms. They hold a bag of Beeja, Parashu, Kamala, and Madhu Patra. Jaganmata Puruhutika Devi appeared before Indra Deva and blessed him with wealth at this spot after his Aghora Tapasya.

Biraja Devi

In Sri Biraja Devi Temple, Jajpur, Odisha, the navel of Sati had fallen. The Girija Devi idol has two arms, with one arm stabbing the chest of Mahishasura and the other pulling his tail. One foot of Devi is on a lion, and the other is on the demon's chest.

Manikyamba Devi

Sati Devi's left cheek had fallen in this place, where the Bhimeswara Swamy Temple, Andhra Pradesh, stands. Manikyamba Devi is the presiding deity here.

Kamarupa Devi

Sati Devi's vulva (yoni) had fallen here. Kamakhya and Umanand are worshipped at this temple. The sanctum is in the form of a cave. There is no idol, but a natural underground spring flows through a yoni-shaped cleft in the bedrock.

Madhaveswari Devi in Alopi Devi Temple, Vaishnavi Devi in Jwalamukhi Temple, Sarvamangala Devi in Mangala Gauri Temple, Visalakshi Devi in Visalakshi Temple, and Saraswati Devi in Sri Sharada Peeth are the powerful 18 Shakti Peethas. where Sati's fingers, head, breast, throat and lips are believed to have fallen.

A visit to the Ashta Dasha Shakti Peethas can bring peace of mind and clear the way to salvation. Dussehra, Shakti Pooja, and other Hindu festivals attract huge crowds in all the 18 Shakti Peethas.