Quick Summary: Discover the ultimate spiritual guide to the 51 Shakti Peethas—the holy sanctuaries where body parts and ornaments of Goddess Sati fell. From the mystic hills of Kamakhya to the serene shores of Trincomalee and the heights of Hinglaj, this guide provides the complete list, locations, Shakti-Bhairava pairs, and regional travel breakdowns for pilgrims.
What are the Shakti Peethas? The Sacred Origin Story
The Shakti Peethas (revered shrines of Goddess Shakti) hold supreme significance in Hindu tradition, particularly within Shaktism. According to sacred scriptures like the Shiva Purana and Kalika Purana, Goddess Sati sacrificed herself in the sacred fire of her father King Daksha’s Yajna after he insulted her husband, Lord Shiva.
Grief-stricken and enraged, Lord Shiva performed the celestial dance of destruction, the Rudra Tandava, carrying Sati’s body across the cosmos. To restore cosmic equilibrium and calm Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu used his Sudarshana Chakra to cut Goddess Sati’s body into pieces.
The locations where her body parts, jewellery, and sacred relics fell to Earth became known as Shakti Peethas. Each Peetha is blessed by a specific form of Goddess Shakti and guarded by a corresponding manifestation of Lord Bhairava.
Fast Facts for Pilgrims & Devotees
- Total Count: 51 Core Shakti Peethas (along with regional traditions like Maha Shakti Peethas and 108 Peethas).
- Geographical Spread: India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Tibet (China).
- Core Triad: Every Shakti Peetha features three divine aspects:
- Body Part / Relic of Goddess Sati
- Shakti Manifestation (The Goddess form)
- Bhairava Manifestation (The Guardian Shiva form)
Explore detailed pilgrimage guides and travel routes for every site on our TirthTrails Shaktipeeth Category Hub.
Complete List of All 51 Shakti Peethas
Below is the complete, verified list of all 51 Shakti Peethas, detailing their present location, the sacred body part of Sati, and the divine Shakti-Bhairava pair at each site.
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| No. | Shakti Peetha | Present Location | Body Part of Sati | Goddess (Shakti) | Bhairava |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Attahas | West Bengal, India | Lower Lip | Phullara | Vishvesha |
| 2 | Bahula | West Bengal, India | Left Arm | Bahula | Bhiruka |
| 3 | Bakreshwar | West Bengal, India | Mind (Variant Tradition) | Mahishamardini | Bakranatha |
| 4 | Bhairava Parvat | Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, India | Upper Lip | Avanti | Lambakarna |
| 5 | Biraja | Jajpur, Odisha, India | Navel | Vimala | Jagannatha |
| 6 | Chattal | Sitakunda, Bangladesh | Right Arm | Bhavani | Chandrashekhara |
| 7 | Gandaki | Muktinath, Nepal | Right Cheek | Gandaki Chandi | Chakrapani |
| 8 | Godavari River Bank | Nanded/Rajahmundry region, India | Left Cheek | Vishveshi | Dandapani |
| 9 | Guhyeshwari | Kathmandu, Nepal | Both Knees (Variant Tradition) | Mahamaya | Kapali |
| 10 | Hinglaj | Balochistan, Pakistan | Brahmarandhra (Top of Head) | Kottari | Bhimalochana |
| 11 | Jalandhar | Punjab, India | Left Breast | Tripuramalini | Bhishana |
| 12 | Janasthana | Nashik, Maharashtra, India | Chin | Bhramari | Vikritaksha |
| 13 | Jayanti | Nartiang, Meghalaya, India | Left Thigh | Jayanti | Kramadishwara |
| 14 | Jessoreshwari | Ishwaripur, Bangladesh | Palm | Jessoreshwari | Chanda |
| 15 | Jwalamukhi | Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, India | Tongue | Siddhida | Unmatta Bhairava |
| 16 | Kalamadhava | Amarkantak region, MP, India | Hip | Kali | Asitanga |
| 17 | Kalighat | Kolkata, West Bengal, India | Toes of Right Foot | Kalika | Nakulesha |
| 18 | Kamakhya | Guwahati, Assam, India | Yoni (Womb / Genital Region) | Kamakhya | Umananda |
| 19 | Kanchipuram | Tamil Nadu, India | Bone (Variant Tradition) | Devagarbha | Ruru |
| 20 | Kanyashram | Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, India | Back | Sarvani | Nimisha |
| 21 | Karatoya River Bank | Bogra, Bangladesh | Left Ear | Aparna | Vamana |
| 22 | Karnata | Karnataka Region, India | Both Ears (Variant Tradition) | Jayadurga | Abhiru |
| 23 | Kirit | Murshidabad, West Bengal, India | Crown (Diadem) | Vimala | Samvarta |
| 24 | Kurukshetra | Haryana, India | Right Ankle | Savitri | Sthanu |
| 25 | Lanka | Sri Lanka | Anklet | Indrakshi | Rakshasheshwara |
| 26 | Mahamaya | Amarnath region, Kashmir, India | Throat | Mahamaya | Trisandhyeshwara |
| 27 | Manibandh | Pushkar, Rajasthan, India | Wrist | Gayatri | Sarvananda |
| 28 | Mansarovar | Mount Kailash, Tibet | Right Hand | Dakshayani | Amara |
| 29 | Mithila | Janakpur border region, Nepal | Left Shoulder | Uma | Mahodara |
| 30 | Nalhati | Birbhum, West Bengal, India | Windpipe (Trachea) | Kalika | Yogesha |
| 31 | Nandipur | Birbhum, West Bengal, India | Necklace | Nandini | Nandikeshwara |
| 32 | Panchasagara | Disputed / Uttar Pradesh Region | Lower Teeth | Varahi | Maharudra |
| 33 | Prabhasa | Somnath, Gujarat, India | Abdomen | Chandrabhaga | Vakratunda |
| 34 | Prayagraj | Uttar Pradesh, India | Fingers | Lalita | Bhava |
| 35 | Ramagiri | Chitrakoot Region, India | Right Breast | Shivani | Chanda |
| 36 | Ratnavali | Hooghly, West Bengal, India | Right Shoulder | Kumari | Shiva |
| 37 | Shankari | Trincomalee, Sri Lanka | Thigh / Waist (Variant) | Shankari | Rakshasheshwara |
| 38 | Shonadesh | Amarkantak / Bihar Region, India | Right Hip | Shonakshi | Bhadrasena |
| 39 | Shriparvata | Andhra Pradesh, India | Right Ear | Sundari | Sundarananda |
| 40 | Srisailam | Andhra Pradesh, India | Neck | Mahalakshmi | Shambarananda |
| 41 | Suchi | Suchindram, Tamil Nadu, India | Upper Teeth | Narayani | Samhara |
| 42 | Sugandha | Shikarpur, Barisal, Bangladesh | Nose | Sunanda | Tryambaka |
| 43 | Tripura Sundari | Udaipur, Tripura, India | Right Foot | Tripura Sundari | Tripuresha |
| 44 | Ujjayini | Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, India | Elbow | Mangal Chandika | Kapilambara |
| 45 | Vaidyanath | Deoghar, Jharkhand, India | Heart | Jayadurga | Vaidyanath |
| 46 | Vibhash | Tamluk, West Bengal, India | Left Ankle | Kapalini | Sarvananda |
| 47 | Virat | Bairat, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India | Toes | Ambika | Amritaksha |
| 48 | Vishalakshi | Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India | Earrings | Vishalakshi | Kalabhairava |
| 49 | Vrindavan | Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India | Hair | Uma | Bhutesha |
| 50 | Yugadya | Bardhaman, West Bengal, India | Right Big Toe | Yugadya | Kshirakhandaka |
| 51 | Bhramari | Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, India | Left Foot | Bhramari | Ishwara |
Regional Breakdown of Shakti Peethas for Pilgrims
To help you plan your spiritual yatra efficiently, here is how the Shakti Peethas are geographically distributed:
1. West Bengal (14 Peethas – Highest Concentration)
West Bengal is the heartland of Shakti worship in India. Key shrines include:
- Kalighat (Kolkata): Famous worldwide for its intense devotion to Maa Kali.
- Attahas, Bahula, Bakreshwar, Kirit, Nalhati, Nandipur, Ratnavali, Vibhash, Yugadya, and Bhramari.
2. North & Central India
- Uttar Pradesh: Vishalakshi (Varanasi), Lalita (Prayagraj), Uma (Vrindavan).
- Madhya Pradesh: Avanti & Mangal Chandika (Ujjain), Kalamadhava.
- Himachal Pradesh & Punjab: Jwalamukhi (famous for its eternal blue flames), Jalandhar.
- Rajasthan & Haryana: Manibandh (Pushkar), Virat (Bairat), Kurukshetra.
3. Eastern & North-Eastern India
- Assam: Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati—one of the most revered Tantric pilgrimage sites in the world.
- Tripura: Tripura Sundari in Udaipur.
- Jharkhand & Odisha: Vaidyanath (Deoghar) and Biraja (Jajpur).
- Meghalaya: Jayanti Temple in Nartiang.
4. Southern India
- Andhra Pradesh: Srisailam and Shriparvata.
- Tamil Nadu: Kanchipuram, Kanyashram (Kanyakumari), and Suchi (Suchindram).
- Maharashtra & Karnataka: Janasthana (Nashik), Godavari River Bank, and Karnata.
5. International Shakti Peethas (Beyond India)
- Bangladesh (5 Sites): Chattal, Jessoreshwari, Karatoya, Sugandha, and Panchasagara (partially boundary linked).
- Nepal (3 Sites): Gandaki (Muktinath), Guhyeshwari (Kathmandu near Pashupatinath), and Mithila.
- Pakistan (1 Site): Hinglaj Mata in Balochistan—a revered cave temple.
- Sri Lanka (2 Sites): Shankari Devi (Trincomalee) and Lanka Peetha.
- Tibet / China (1 Site): Mansarovar Dakshayani near Mount Kailash.
Important Spiritual Practices for Visiting Shakti Peethas
When visiting any Shakti Peetha, keep these traditional pilgrim practices in mind:
- Navratri Celebrations: Visiting during Chaitra or Sharad Navratri offers powerful spiritual energies.
- Bhairava Worship: It is traditional custom to pay respects to the associated Bhairava shrine near or within the temple complex after worshiping Goddess Shakti.
- Offerings: Red Chunri, Hibiscus flowers, Kumkum, and traditional prasad are widely offered across all Peethas.
Plan Your Divine Yatra with TirthTrails
Are you planning to visit these holy shrines? Explore detailed travel routes, temple timings, historical insights, and find trusted stays near Shakti Peeths to make your pilgrimage comfortable and hassle-free.
