Temples: The 51+ Shakti Peethas
🕉️ Sacred Seats of the Divine Mother
🌺 What Are Shakti Peethas?
The Shakti Peethas (Sanskrit: शक्तिपीठ) are holy sites where parts of Goddess Sati’s body, her ornaments, or divine energy are believed to have fallen during Lord Shiva’s grief-stricken cosmic dance (Tandava), after her self-immolation at the Daksha Yajna.
These places are not just geographical locations — they are vibrating centers of feminine cosmic power (Shakti). They have been revered for millennia by both Shakta (Goddess) and Tantric traditions, and many are also associated with Shaiva worship and yogic sadhana.
📖 Shakti Peetha in Scriptures
शक्तिपीठानि सर्वाणि शक्त्याः स्थानेषु संस्थितानि।
śaktipīṭhāni sarvāṇi śaktyāḥ sthāneṣu saṁsthitāniTranslation: All the Shakti Peethas are established at sacred places where the Devi’s power resides eternally.
The Peethas are mentioned in Devi Bhagavata Purana, Kalika Purana, and Tantra Chudamani. They are considered especially potent for sadhana, healing, liberation (moksha), and worldly fulfillment (siddhi).
🔢 Total Number of Shakti Peethas
- Traditionally: 51 or 52 (based on different versions of the Puranas).
- Extended traditions: Some lists expand to 64 or 108.
- Pan-Indic spread: Found across India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
📍The 51 Shakti Peethas – With Body Parts and Bhairava Guardians
| No. | Shakti Peetha Name | Location | Body Part | Shakti Name | Bhairava |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kamakhya | Guwahati, Assam | Yoni | Kamakhya | Umananda |
| 2 | Kamakshi | Kanchipuram, TN | Navel | Kamakshi | Krodha Bhairava |
| 3 | Taratarini | Berhampur, Odisha | Breasts | Tara | Kshhetra Pala |
| 4 | Kalighat | Kolkata, WB | Toes | Kalika | Nakuleshwar |
| 5 | Jwalaji | Kangra, HP | Tongue | Siddhida | Unmatta Bhairava |
| 6 | Vaishno Devi | Katra, J&K | Skull top | Mahatripurasundari | Kalabhairava |
| 7 | Vishalakshi | Varanasi, UP | Face | Vishalakshi | Kala Bhairava |
| 8 | Saptashrungi | Vani, Maharashtra | Right arm | Saptashrungi | Bhairavnath |
| 9 | Chamundeshwari | Mysore, Karnataka | Hair | Chamunda | Mahakala |
| 10 | Ambaji | Gujarat | Heart | Ambika | Batuk Bhairava |
| 11 | Shankari Devi | Trincomalee, Sri Lanka | Teeth | Shankari | Rishi Rakshaka |
| 12 | Shriparvata Devi | Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh | Neck | Shrivani | Shivananda |
| 13 | Mahalakshmi | Kolhapur, Maharashtra | Eyes | Mahalakshmi | Krodhish |
| 14 | Lingarajani | Bhubaneshwar, Odisha | Skin | Kiritamala | Samvarta |
| 15 | Jogulamba | Alampur, Telangana | Upper Teeth | Jogulamba | Vireshwara |
| 16 | Manasa Shaktipeetha | Amarnath, Jammu & Kashmir | Throat | Mahashira | Amar |
| 17 | Chandranath | Sitakunda, Bangladesh | Right Arm | Bhavani | Chandrashekhara |
| 18 | Bhairavi | Chikmagalur, Karnataka | Hair | Bhairavi | Ruru Bhairava |
| 19 | Prabhas | Veraval, Gujarat | Stomach | Chandrabhaga | Vakratunda |
| 20 | Kalipeeth | Kalighat, Kolkata, West Bengal | Right Toes | Kalika | Nakuleshwar |
| 21 | Nandipur | Nandipur, West Bengal | Necklace | Nandini | Nandikeshwar |
| 22 | Yogadaya | Khirgram, West Bengal | Left Thigh | Yogadaya | Samvart |
| 23 | Bhramari | Kangra, Himachal Pradesh | Hair | Bhramari | Bhisan |
| 24 | Bahula | Katwa, West Bengal | Left Arm | Bahula | Bhiruk |
| 25 | Vibhasha | Tamluk, West Bengal | Left Ankle | Kapalini | Sarvananda |
| 26 | Janasthana | Nashik, Maharashtra | Chin | Bhuvaneshwari | Bhairav |
| 27 | Manikarnika | Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh | Earring | Vishalakshi | Kalabhairava |
| 28 | Ujjaini | Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh | Upper Lip | Avantika | Lambakarna |
| 29 | Karnat | Mithila, Bihar | Left Shoulder | Uma | Mahodara |
| 30 | Guhyeshwari | Kathmandu, Nepal | Knees | Mahashira | Kapali |
| 31 | Bhairavi | Kshirgram, West Bengal | Skin | Bhairavi | Ishwar |
| 32 | Kireet | Kireet Kona, West Bengal | Crown of Head | Vimala | Sanghat |
| 33 | Ratnavali | Khanakul-Krishnanagar, WB | Right Shoulder | Kumari | Shiva |
| 34 | Jalandhar | Jalandhar, Punjab | Left Breast | Tripuramalini | Bhishan |
| 35 | Nalhati | Birbhum, West Bengal | Vocal Cord | Kalika | Yogesh |
| 36 | Ugratara | Guwahati, Assam | Navel | Ugratara | Bhairav |
| 37 | Varahi | Pithapuram, Andhra Pradesh | Left Foot | Puruhutika | Ksheeraksha |
| 38 | Chattal | Chattagram, Bangladesh | Right Arm | Sarvani | Vaidyanath |
| 39 | Shrikhanda | Shrikhanda, Himachal Pradesh | Chin | Sundari | Bhairav |
| 40 | Sugandha | Barisal, Bangladesh | Nose | Sunanda | Tryambak |
| 41 | Yashore | Yashore, Bangladesh | Palm of Right Hand | Jaya Durga | Chandrashekhar |
| 42 | Magadh | Patna, Bihar | Left Hip | Sarvanandkari | Vaidyanath |
| 43 | Mithila | Janakpur, Nepal | Left Shoulder | Uma | Mahodara |
| 44 | Gaya | Gaya, Bihar | Part of Abdomen | Sarvanandkari | Vaidyanath |
| 45 | Karota | Tangail, Bangladesh | Both Ears | Arpana | Bhairav |
| 46 | Srihatta | Sylhet, Bangladesh | Neck | Mahalakshmi | Shambaranand |
| 47 | Gandaki | Pokhara, Nepal | Cheeks | Guhyeshwari | Kapali |
| 48 | Rameshwar | Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu | Right Heel | Durga | Bhairav |
| 49 | Viraja Kshetra | Jajpur, Odisha | Navel | Viraja | Jagannath |
| 50 | Srisailam (Bhramaramba) | Andhra Pradesh | Left Breast | Bhramaramba | Mallikarjuna |
| 51 | Purnagiri | Tanakpur, Uttarakhand | Back | Purneshwari | Bhairav Nath |
🔥 Shakti Peetha Characteristics
- Each site is protected by a form of Bhairava, who guards the energy.
- The Devi is worshipped under various names: Durga, Kali, Tara, Kamakhya, etc.
- Rituals include tantric pujas, Navaratri festivals, yagnas, and shodashopachara offerings.
- Many Peethas are also powerful centers of pilgrimage healing for mental, physical, and spiritual ailments.
🧘 What We Can Learn
- Energy is eternal: The body dissolves, but the Shakti continues.
- These Peethas represent the sacral geography of Bharat — a feminine network of power.
- They teach us reverence for the feminine in all forms: fierce, gentle, wild, maternal.
🪔 Suggested Practices
- Recite the Devi Kavacham or Durga Saptashati with the names of these Peethas.
- Light a lamp in honor of one Peetha every Friday or full moon (Purnima).
- Meditate on the body part and energy it symbolizes — healing through awareness.