Ethereal forms of the Divine Mother
Legend
Daksha, unhappy with his daughter Sati's marriage to Lord Shiva, refused to invite Shiva to the yagna he was performing. Relenting to Sati who wanted to visit her father, Shiva allowed his wife to go the yagna. There, Daksha insulted Shiva. Unable to bear her father's disrespect towards her husband, Sati immolated herself. Shiva, in his wrathful form of Veerabhadra, destroyed the yagna and killed Daksha.The ire and grief of Shiva, manifested as the celestial dance of destruction, the Tandav. Lord Vishu, with the aim of stopping the Tandav, used his Sudarshana Chakra, which cut through the Sati's corpse. The parts of her body fell at varied spots all through the Indian subcontinent and these sites came to be called Shakti Peethas .
Deity - Temples
Deity :- Goddess Shakti
Temples Covered :-
18 Maha Shaktipeethas
Kamakshi Amman Temple Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu)
Chamundeshwari Temple , Mysore (Karnataka)
Sri Jogulamba Devi Temple, Alampur (Telangana)
Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple Srisailam , Bhramaramba devi, Srisailam, (Andhra Pradesh)
Mahalakshmi Temple Kolhapur (Maharashtra)
Shri Renuka Devi Temple, Mahur (Nanded District, Maharashtra)
Harsidhimata temple, Mahakali temple (Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh)
Padagaya Kshetram, Sri Kukkuteswara Swamy Temple, Puruhutika devi Temple, Pithapuram (Andhra Pradesh)
Biraja Temple, Girija Kshetra, Jajpur (Odisha)
Sri Bhimeshwara temple draksharamam, Manikyamba Shaktipeeth, Draksharamam (Andhra Pradesh)
Kamakhya Devi Temple , Guwahati (Assam)
Alopi devi temple, Prayaga Madhaveswari temple, Prayaga (Uttar Pradesh)
Maa Jwala Devi Mandir, Maa Jwala Ji, Kangra, Jwalamukhi (Himachal Pradesh)
Mangla Gauri Temple , Gaya (Bihar)
Sri Kasi Vishalakshi Devi Temple, Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh)
Sharada Peeth, Kashmir .. Temple is in ruins and is in POK.
Shankari Devi Shakthi Peeth , Trincomalee (Sri Lanka) ... currently the temple is in ruins
Shrinkhala Devi Temple, Pandua (West Bengal) ...currently the temple is in ruins
List of 4 Adi Shaktipeethas
Jagannath Temple Puri, Odisha
Maa Tara Tarini temple , Odisha
Kamakhya Temple, Guwahati, Assam
Kalighat Kali Temple, Kolkata, West Bengal
Auspicious Days
Tuesdays and Fridays are considered auspicious in most Devi temples.
Best time to Travel
Most of the temples of Shakthipeetha can be visited around the year though most of the Yatra packages concentrate on the months of Aug-Nov, to beat the extreme summer and winter.
Darshan Info Clock Duration
Duration of the journey depends on the number of Shakthipeethas and the area covered. The Sadeteen Shakthipeetha yatra in Maharashtra(from Mumbai) can be covered in 4 to 5 days, while the Nav Shakthipeetha yatra through Uttarakhand, Chandigarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Orissa (from Delhi) is around 20 days. The Shakthipeethas of West Bengal (from Kolkotta) can be covered in 4 days. Many tour operators cater Shakhipeetha shrine visit to the specification of the devotees.
Yatra Preparations
Devotees should prepare for the journey based on the area they are visiting. Some of the shorter yatras does not need much preparation, while some others that include trekking through Himalayan terrain would require medical checkup and improving physical fitness before the trip.
The accessibility to good quality pooja articles in today's adulterated world as well as availability of all the items required is a major concern for many devotees. Please check out our P-STORE page for various high quality Pooja Samagri for your Pilgrimage or mail us :- [email protected] or call us directly on Mobile :- +919619899406
Must Haves
The journey should be planned according to the area visiting. Most of the travel around India, would need only light cotton clothing and conservative attire for temple visit. However, if the tour covers the regions of higher altitude, make sure to carry appropriate woollens.Dehydration salt packets, light snacks, bottled water, first aid etc should be carried in the daypack.
Health Awareness
Some of the Shakthipeethas are in rural areas with not many medical facilities, so be sure to carry any special medications that you might need.
Travel Method
Most of the Shakthipeethas in India can be reached by a combination of air/rail/road. Some like the Vaishno Devi temple will require trekking. Some others, atop hills, will also have steps to climb. Palanquins or dolis are available for those who cannot climb in most of the temples.
Crowd Expected
Shakthpeethas are crowded during Navratri festival and on Tuesday and Friday which are important days in Devi temples.
Festivals
Navratri mahotsav is celebrated with pomp and fervour in the Shakthipeetha temples.
Devi deities are considered more powerful on Tuesdays and Fridays.
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