Shakti Peeth- connect to the divine

The best joy of life is peace and satisfaction which is associated with spirituality. Temples have always been the centre of spiritual growth for all as most temples are free from the hassle of city life and give the opportunity to connect to nature. From a Yogi to an Emperor or the common man, Shakti Peethas are a way to connect to Maa Durga to fulfil their earthly desires with spiritual development.

 The 51 Shakti Peethas or Devi Sthan are temples dedicated to Maa Shakti (Goddess Shakti- wife of Lord Shiva) spread across the Indian subcontinent. They are a pilgrimage for Hindus and have played a significant role in developing the Indian culture

 As per Hindu mythology, after Lord Shiva and Goddess Sati- daughter of Prajapati Daksha got married, Prajapati Daksha organized a yajna, where he invited all the deities, gods and sages except for Shiva, as he did not deem him worthy to marry his daughter.  Sati attended the yajna despite Shiva uninvited and asked Daksha the reason for it. Daksha insulted Shiva, which was unbearable for Sati, so she sacrificed her life.

 Lord Shiva was enraged by this incident. To mourn his wife Sati, he began ‘Rudra Tandava’. Lord Vishnu used Sudarshan Chakra to chop the body of Sati into 51 pieces. The places where organs fell became sacred and the temples (each temple has a different manifestation of Goddess Durga) built there are known as Shakti Peeth.

 At all Shakti Peethas, Goddess Durga is accompanied by Bhairava, who is also in his various manifestations.

The following table mentions the location and deities of the Shakti Peethas.