Goddess Sati and Lord Shiva are the Brahman and Pradhana sides of the same heavenly coinage. Their narrative, which begins with a powerful Yagna and concludes with Shiva’s slighting by his royal father-in-law and Sati’s eventual self-immolation, establishes the groundwork for Shakti. Concerned that the enraged Shiva’s tandava might destroy the universe, Mahavishnu used his Sudarshan Chakra to cut Sati’s body into 51 pieces.
According to mythology, there are 108 parts. Her body pieces and jewellery dropped to the ground in numerous locations across the subcontinent. They are known as the 51 Shakti Peethas, and each one is associated with one of the 51 letters of the Sanskrit alphabet. The principal goddesses at all Peethas are Shakti and Kala Bhairava. Among all Indian states, West Bengal has the most people.
Story of Shaktipeeth -The beginning of Shakti-Peeths
The storey of Shakti-Peeths begins with Prajapati Daksha, Lord Brahma’s son. He had a daughter, Princess Sati, who was a human embodiment of Goddess Adi-shakti and grew up loving and worshipping Lord Shiva’s stories and traditions. The death of Goddess Sati, according to most tales, is how Shakti-Peethas came to be. Lord Shiva travelled the cosmos carrying the Goddess’s body with him.
Lord Vishnu used his Sudarshan Chakra to cut the body into 52 pieces to assist him to overcome his grief. These ornaments or fragments fell to become sacred spots on Earth. These locations are known as Shakti-Peeths, or Goddess Seats, where people might pay their respects to the Goddess. Lord Bhairava, another manifestation of Lord Shiva, is usually associated with Goddess Sati.
Shakti Peethas in India
1. Amarnath
Location: Jammu and Kashmir
Residing as: Shakti Mayamaya
Body part–Throat
2. Attahasa
Location: Labhpur, West Bengal
Residing as: Shakti Phullara
Body part–Lips
3. Bahula
Location: Ketugram, West Bengal
Residing as: Shakti Bahula
Body part–Left Arm
4. Bakreshwar
Location: Birbhum, West Bengal
Residing as: Shakti Mahishmardini
Body part–Centre portion between eyebrows
5. Bhairavparvat
Location: Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh
Residing as: Shakti Avanti
Body part–Elbow
6. Vishweshwari
Location: Kotilingeswar temple
Residing as: Shakti Rakini
Body part—Cheeks
7. Janasthaan
Location: Amta, West Bengal
Residing as: Shakti Bhramari
Body part–Chin
8. Jwala
Location: Himachal Pradesh
Residing as: Shakti Ambika/Siddhida
Body part–Tongue
9. Kalighat
Location: Kolkata
Residing as: Shakti Kalika
Body part–Right Toes
10. Kalmadhav
Location: Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh
Residing as: Shakti Kali
Body part–Left Buttock
11. Kamakhya
Location: Nilachal Hill, Guwahati
Residing as: Shakti Kamakhya
Body part–Genitals
12. Kankalitala
Location: West Bengal
Residing as: Shakti Devgarbha
Body part–Pelvis
13. Kanyashram
Location: Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu
Residing as: Shakti Sravani
Body part–Spine
14. Chamudeswari
Location: Mysuru, Karnataka
Residing as: Shakti JayaDurga
Body part–Both Ears
15. Kireet
Location: West Bengal
Residing as: Shakti Vimla
Body part–Crown
16. Shondesh
Location: West Bengal
Residing as: Shakti Narmada
Body part–Right Buttock
17. Sri Sailam
Location: Andhra Pradesh
Residing as: Shakti Sundari
Body part–Right Anklet
18. Shuchindram
Location: Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu
Residing as: Shakti Narayani
Body part–Upper Teeth
19. Tripura
Location: Tripura
Residing as: Shakti Tripur Sundari
Body part–Right Foot
20. Ujjani
Location: Madhya Pradesh
Residing as: Shakti Mangal Chandika
Body part–Right Wrist
21. Varanasi
Location: Varanasi
Residing as: Shakti Vishalakshi
Body part–Earrings
22. Vibash
Location: Purba Medinipur, West Bengal
Residing as: Shakti Kapalini
Body part–Left Ankle
23. Bharatpur
Location: Rajasthan, India
Residing as: Shakti Ambika
Body part–Left Toes
24. Vrindavan
Location: Uttar Pradesh
Residing as: Shakti Uma
Body part–Ringlets of Hair
25. Jalandhar
Location: Punjab
Residing as: Shakti Tripurmalini
Body part–Left Breast
26. Ambaji
Location: Gujarat
Residing as: Shakti Amba
Body part–One part of the Heart
27. Jharkhand
Location: Jharkhand
Residing as: Shakti Jai Durga
Body part–Second part of the Heart
28. Danteshwari
Location: Durg, Chhattisgarh
Residing as: Shakti Danteshwari
Body part–Tooth
29. Biraj
Location: Odisha
Residing as: Shakti Vimla
Body part—Navel
30. Ratnavali
Location: Hooghly, West Bengal
Residing as: Shakti Kumari
Body part–Right Shoulder
31. Trisrota
Location: Jalpaiguri district in West Bengal
Residing as: Shakti Bhraaamari
Body part–Left Leg
32. Manibandh
Location: Pushkar Town in Rajasthan
Residing as: Shakti Gayatri
Body part–Wrists
33. Mithila
Location: Darbhanga on the border of Bihar
Residing as: Shakti Uma
Body part–Left shoulder
34. PanchSagar
Location: Uttar Pradesh
Residing as: Shakti Varahi
Body part–Lower Teeth
35. Prabhas
Location: Junagarh district, Gujarat
Residing as: Shakti Chandrabhaga
Body part–Stomach
36. Prayag
Location: Uttar Pradesh
Residing as: Shakti Lalita
Body part–Finger
37. Kurukshetra
Location: Haryana
Residing as: Shakti Savitri
Body part–Ankle Bone
38. Maihar
Location: Chitrakoot
Residing as: Shakti Shivani
Body part–Right Breast
39. Nandikeshwari
Location: Sainthia city of West Bengal
Residing as: Shakti Nandini
Body part–Necklace
Shaktipeeths outside India
40. Shikarpur
Location: Bangladesh
Residing as: Shakti Sugandha
Body part: Nose
41. Sri Shail
Location: Bangladesh
Residing as: Shakti Maha Lakshmi
Body part: Neck
42. Shivaharkaray
Location: Karachi Pakistan
Residing as: Shakti Mahishmardini
Body part: Eyes
43. Chandranath
Location: Bangladesh
Residing as: Shakti Bhawani
Body part: Right-arm
44. Guhyeshwari
Location: Nepal
Residing as: Shakti Mahashira
Body part: Both knees
45. Nainativu
Location: Sri Lanka
Residing as: Shakti Indrakshi
Body part: Anklets
46. Mansa
Location: Tibet, China, and Mansarovar
Residing as: Shakti Dakshayani
Body part: Right Hand
47. Yogeshwari
Location: Bangladesh
Residing as: Shakti Yogeshwari and Goddess Jashoreshwari
Body part: Palms of her hand and soles of her feet
48. Jayanti
Location: Bangladesh
Residing as: Shakti Jayanti
Body part: Left thigh
49. Hinglaj
Location: Pakistan
Residing as: Shakti Kottari
Body part: Top part of her head
50. Gandaki
Location: Nepal
Residing as: Shakti Gandaki Chandi
Body part: Forehead
51. Bhavanipur
Location: Bangladesh
Residing as: Shakti Aparna
Body part: Left ankle ornament