Astadasa Sakthipeethalu (18 powerful places)
There 18 places where there are temples of Sakthi with different names. These are very famous and visiting these places is very auspicious.The details of these places are narrated.
Eighteen famous places
As per Hindu mythology there are 18 Sakthi peethas which are very powerful and famous.
This story belongs to Satya Yuga. Dakshaprajapati planned Bruhspathi Havana.( religious or social function performed on a large scale by scarifying ghee and other items in fire.)
Dakshaprajapati is a devotee of Lord Vishnu. His daughter Sati Devi married Lord Shiva. For the Havanam Daksha has not invited Lord Shiva and family. But Sati Devi has gone to the function even though Shiva is warning her. But after going there she is not able to bare the ill-treatment of his father and not able to hear the abuses and hence jumped into that fire of havan and died.
Shiva came to know about this and created Veerabhadra to destroy the havan of Daksha. Veerabhadra has put the dead body of Sati Devi on his shoulders and created havoc to all there by his vilayatandavam(A type of ferocious dance which will create lot of fear and destruction) . To bring him to peace lord Vishnu made the dead body into pieces with his weapon 'Chakra'. The parts of her body have fallen in 18 places and these 18 places are very well known as "Astadasa Peethalu". Out of these 18 places 4 are in Andhra Pradesh; twelve are in various states of India. One is in Sri Lanka and another one is in Kashmir occupied by Pakistan. The details of these eighteen places are described here.
1. Sankari Devi
It is believed that this place is on a hill at Trinkoli of Sri Lanka. Presently no temple is there. This temple was destroyed by Portugal rulers during their war in 17th century.
2. Kamakshi:
The temple of Kamakshi is in Kanchipuram in the state of Tamilnadu. In this place the of lower of the vertebrae of Sati Devi has fallen (This is the belief of people here). We will get lot of health and wealth by praying this Goddess.
Chaumundeswari Devi has killed Mahishasura and asked Shiva to tell how to come out if the sin she has committed by this act. Shiva told her to stay at Kanchi as Annapurna and donate meals to all. Then she entered Kanchi. She made Shivalinga with sand and worshiped and married Shiva, after becoming Kamakshi Devi.
3. Srunkhla
It is the belief of people that stomach part of Goddess is fallen in this place. Some people believe that the place is in Gujarat. But some people say it is near Kolkata. Surendra Nagar is a village in Gujarat state near Rajkot. . In this place there is a deity called "Chotillamata". The people here believe her as Srunkhla Devi. But many people believe that PANDUVA, a place in west Bengal is the real Sakthipetha. But no temple is there now. In the place where they identify as the place of temple presently there is a Masjid. This place is now under archeological Dept. Nobody is allowed to enter inside. But every year in the month of 'Maugham' a festival by name 'Melatala' will be performed. Both Hindus and Muslims participate in this festival.
4. Chamundi
The hair of Goddess Sati Devi during veerabhadra dance has fallen on Chamundi Hills near Mysore. This Goddess has killed Mahisasura who is creating lot of problems and punishing people. This Deity is known as Chamundeswari.
5. Jogulamba
Alampur is in our State (A.P.). It is very near to Kurnool and about 5 hours journey from Hyderabad. In this place the top layers of teeth and cheek of the goddess has fallen. The name of the Deity here is Jogulamba. The temple of this Goddess was destroyed by Muslims in 14th century. Then the idol of Deity is kept in Bala Brahmeswara temple in this place. In 2004 a new temple is constructed and the idol is shifted to this new place. This Goddess is very ferocious. There is a pond around the temple. People here say as the Goddess is very ferocious to keep her cool this arrangement is made.
6. Bramarambha
In Sri Sailam of A.P. the neck portion of Sati Devi has fallen. This place is very famous Sivakeshtra and one among the Dwadasa Jyothirlingas. If we visit this place and have darshan of Lord Shiva; we will not have rebirth.
There was a danava (demon) called 'Arunasena' and he is creating havoc to all people and munis(Saints). He obtained a boon(divine gift) from God that he cannot be killed by two or four legged living organisms..Hence Sakthi has taken the shape of Butterfly and killed him. Later on she has become Bramarambha and stayed in this place Sri Adi Sankaracharya has darshan here and he installed Srichakra. The famous 'Soundaryalahiri' has been written by him here only. This place is also near to Hyderabad and is situated in Kurnool district.
7. Mahalakshmi
This deity is in Kolhapur. In this place the eyes of Sati Devi have fallen. The people at Kolhapur worship her as 'Karaveeravasi" and 'Bhavani Mata' Kolhapur Mahalakshmi idol is a very famous diamond. Adisesha with five faces will be over her head like an umbrella with black face and a lot of Jewelry; this Deity is very attractive and feels like seeing more and more. It is very popularly believed that Mahalakshmi will not leave this place even during the destruction of entire world. Hence this place is known as 'Avimukta kshetram'
8. Ekaveera Devi
In Maharashtra near Nanded there is a place called Mahor. The Goddess in this place is known as Ekaveera Devi. The right hand of Sati Devi has fallen in this place. There are three hills here. On one hill a temple of Atrimaharshi and Anasuyadevi is there. On the 2nd hill there is a temple of Dattatreya and on the 3rd there is a temple of "Renukadevi.
But the actual Ekaveeradevi temple is about 15 kms from this place. In this temple only head of this deity with very big eyes is visible.
9. Mahakali
This temple is in Ujjain. In this place the upper lip of Sati Devi has fallen. That part has become Mahakali and safeguarding this place. This deity is in between Mahalakshim and Mahasaraswati in this place. There was a demon by name Andhakasura. Mahakaleswara started fight with Andhakasura. But because of the boon given by Brahma every blood drop of this demon falling on the earth is becoming another danava. At this moment this Goddess Mahakali has opened her mouth and with her long tongue; she stopped blood drops falling on the land. Kalidas has become very big poet because of this Goddess only.
10. Puruhootika
Pithapuram in East Godavari Dist. of A.P. was known as Peethikapuram. The portion below the base of Sati Devi has fallen in this place and hence it is called Pithapuram.The deity here is known as Puruhootika Devi. This place is very near to Kakinada.. In this temple Eswaralinga is also there with this Goddess.
11. Girija Devi
Girija Devi is in Jajpur District of Orissa State. Here the navel portion of Sati Devi has fallen. Near this temple vitarini river is flowing.
Yam dharma Raj temple and Swetha Varada Swamy temple are also here.
12. Manikyamba
Draksharamam is a town in east Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh; near Kakinada. This place is the South Portion of Daksharajya. Once Vyasa Mahamuni has gone to Kasi. Lord Shiva wants to test his patience. Hence he made no food available to Vyasa. Vyasa muni got angry and started cursing Kasi. At that time Annapurna Devi Gave food to all the disciples of Vyasa. But Lord Shiva asked him to go out of Kasi. Then Annapurna Devi asked him to stay in Draksharama.
13. Kamakhya
The uterus portion of Sati Devi has fallen on neelachala hills in Gowhati of Assam State. Hence this deity is known Kamakhya. In this temple there is no idol. But there is a stone construction similar to yoni. Always water will be coming out of this. In summer, for 3 days this water will be red in colour.
14. Madhavesvari
Four fingers of right hand of Sati devi has fallen near Allahabad. In this place a temple is constructed. No deity in this temple. But there is a square base. Over the base a cloth will be hanging like a hundi and below that a swinger is there. The deity is known as Alopi Devi. This deity has been worshiped by the SUN.Bruhspathi worshiped this deity with Amrutam and hence known as Amruta Theertha
15. Saraswathi
There is a temple in a place; about 150 kms from Mujfarabad of Kashmir occupied by Pakistan. The right hand of Sati Devi has fallen in this place. There is only broken temple available in this place.
16. Vishnavi Devi
The tongue of Sati Devi has fallen in Kangra of Himachal Pradesh. No idol here also. The fire of natural gases coming from earth is believed as Goddess. But there is a belief that the Vishnavi Devi in Jammu is the real Vishnavi Devi.
17. Mangala Gowri
The breast of Sati Devi has fallen in Gaya. The Goddess here is Mangala Gowri. The idols are of the shape of breast. She is treated as sister of Vishnumuthi here.
18. Visalakshi
The ears of Sati Devi have fallen near the Shiva temple in Kasi. Hence the Goddess is Visaalakshi. There are two idols in the temple. One is big and another is small.
These 18 places are known as Sakthipithas.
The article on "Shakti Peethams" is very informative.I have completed the Darshan of Dwadasa Jyothirlingams very recently.
This article on Shakthi Peethams motivated me, and i hope to take up the Darshan of 18 Shakthi Peethams in a phased manner, for my next pilgrimage tours.