18 Maha Shakti Peethas · 18 temples

The Ashtadasha (18) Maha Shakti Peethas are the most exalted seats of the Divine Mother, enumerated by Adi Shankaracharya in his famous stotram 'Lankayam Shankari Devi…'. From Shankari in Lanka to Saraswati in Kashmir, these eighteen shrines mark where parts of Goddess Sati's body fell and are considered the holiest of all the Shakti Peethas.

1
Alopi Devi Mandir
📍 Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh
A unique Shakti Peetha in Prayagraj where no idol is worshipped — only a wooden cradle (doli) over the spot where the last part of Sati's body is said to have vanished (alop).
🗓️ October to March; Navratri and the Magh Mela / Kumbh (January–February) draw the largest crowds.
2
Biraja Temple Jajpur
📍 Jajpur, Odisha
The Girija (Biraja) Shakti Peetha at Jajpur on the Baitarani river, where the navel of Sati is said to have fallen. The goddess is worshipped as a two-armed Mahishamardini piercing the buffalo demon.
🗓️ October to March; Navratri and the Sharad festivals are the grandest.
3
Chamundeshwari Temple
📍 Mysuru, Karnataka
A hilltop shrine on the Chamundi Hills above Mysuru, dedicated to the fierce goddess Chamundeshwari who slew the buffalo-demon Mahishasura. She is the guardian deity of the erstwhile Mysore royal family.
🗓️ September to February for pleasant weather; Dasara (September–October) is the grandest and most spectacular time.
4
Ekaveerika Renuka Temple Mahur
📍 Mahur, Maharashtra
The eighth of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas, atop the hills of Mahur (Mahurgad), where the right hand of Sati is said to have fallen. The goddess is worshipped as Ekaveerika (Renuka Devi).
🗓️ October to March for pleasant weather; both Navratris are the peak pilgrimage seasons.
5
Harsiddhi Temple Ujjain
📍 Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
A Shakti Peetha in Ujjain near the Mahakaleshwar temple, where the elbow of Sati is said to have fallen, famed for its towering pair of lamp-columns (deep stambhas) lit during Navratri.
🗓️ October to March; Navratri, when the deep-stambhas are lit, is the most spectacular time.
6
Jogulamba Temple Alampur
📍 Alampur, Telangana
The fifth of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas, at Alampur where the Tungabhadra meets the Krishna, where the upper teeth of Sati are said to have fallen.
🗓️ October to March for pleasant weather; Navratri and Mahashivratri are the grandest festivals.
7
Jwala Devi Temple
📍 Kangra, Himachal Pradesh
A one-of-a-kind Shakti Peetha where the goddess is worshipped not as an idol but as eternal natural flames rising from the rock, marking where Sati's tongue fell.
🗓️ March to June and September to December; Navratri sees the largest gatherings of devotees.
8
Kamakhya Temple
📍 Guwahati, Assam
The most powerful of all Shakti Peethas, crowning the Nilachal Hill above the Brahmaputra in Guwahati. It is the foremost seat of Tantric goddess worship in India.
🗓️ October to April for pleasant weather; the Ambubachi Mela (usually June) is the most significant but very crowded occasion.
9
Kanchipuram Kamakshi Amman Temple
📍 Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu
One of the three most important Shakti shrines in India, in the ancient temple-city of Kanchipuram. Here Adi Shankaracharya is said to have installed the Sri Chakra to calm the goddess's fierce energy.
🗓️ October to March for pleasant weather; Navratri and the Aadi and Vasantha festivals are especially grand.
10
Mahalakshmi Temple Kolhapur
📍 Kolhapur, Maharashtra
The ancient Ambabai temple of Kolhapur, revered as a Shakti Peetha and one of the great abodes of Goddess Mahalakshmi in western India.
🗓️ October to March; Navratri and the Kiranotsav days (around late January and mid-November) are especially auspicious.
11
Mallikarjuna Temple
📍 Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh
The second Jyotirlinga, set amid the forested Nallamala Hills on the banks of the Krishna River. It is one of the rare shrines that is simultaneously a Jyotirlinga and a Shakti Peetha.
🗓️ October to March, when the hill weather is cool and comfortable. Mahashivratri is the grandest festival here.
12
Mangala Gauri Temple Gaya
📍 Gaya, Bihar
The sixteenth of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas, on the Mangalagauri hill in Gaya, where the breast of Sati is said to have fallen. The goddess is worshipped as the nurturing mother.
🗓️ October to March for pleasant weather; Navratri and the Pitru Paksha season are especially significant.
13
Manikyamba Temple Draksharama
📍 Draksharama, Andhra Pradesh
The twelfth of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas, within the great Draksharama temple, where the left cheek of Sati is said to have fallen. The goddess is worshipped as Manikyamba.
🗓️ October to March for pleasant weather; Mahashivratri and Navratri are the grandest festivals.
14
Puruhutika Devi Temple Pithapuram
📍 Pithapuram, Andhra Pradesh
The tenth of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas, at Pithapuram (Padagaya), where the back or the left hand of Sati is said to have fallen. The goddess is worshipped as Puruhutika.
🗓️ October to March for pleasant weather; Navratri is the grandest festival.
15
Saraswati Sharada Peeth
📍 Sharda (Neelam Valley), Jammu & Kashmir
The eighteenth of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas, the ancient Sharada Peeth on the Kishanganga (Neelam) river, where the right hand of Sati is said to have fallen. It was once among the greatest centres of learning in the subcontinent.
🗓️ Access is highly restricted; the site lies in the Neelam Valley of Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Navratri is the traditional festival of the goddess.
16
Shankari Devi Temple
📍 Trincomalee, Sri Lanka
The first of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas, at Trincomalee in Sri Lanka, where the groin (or an anklet) of Sati is said to have fallen. The original shrine stood beside the Koneswaram temple on Swami Rock.
🗓️ May to September for calmer east-coast weather; Navratri is the principal festival.
17
Shrinkhala Devi Temple
📍 Hooghly, West Bengal
The third of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas, at Pradyumnapuram (Pandua) in Bengal, where the stomach or the girdle (shrinkhala) of Sati is said to have fallen.
🗓️ October to March; Navratri and Durga Puja are the peak devotional periods.
18
Vishalakshi Temple
📍 Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
A Shakti Peetha beside the Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi, where an earring (or the eyes) of Sati is said to have fallen. The goddess Vishalakshi, the 'wide-eyed one', is the presiding Devi of Kashi.
🗓️ October to March; Navratri and Kajali Teej are the most auspicious.

All temples in this circuit

Shakti PeethaShakti

Alopi Devi Mandir

📍 Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh

A unique Shakti Peetha in Prayagraj where no idol is worshipped — only a wooden cradle (doli) over the spot where the last part of Sati's body is said to have vanished (alop).

Shakti PeethaShakti

Biraja Temple Jajpur

📍 Jajpur, Odisha

The Girija (Biraja) Shakti Peetha at Jajpur on the Baitarani river, where the navel of Sati is said to have fallen. The goddess is worshipped as a two-armed Mahishamardini piercing the buffalo demon.

Chamundeshwari

Chamundeshwari Temple

📍 Mysuru, Karnataka

A hilltop shrine on the Chamundi Hills above Mysuru, dedicated to the fierce goddess Chamundeshwari who slew the buffalo-demon Mahishasura. She is the guardian deity of the erstwhile Mysore royal family.

🛕

Shakti PeethaShakti

Ekaveerika Renuka Temple Mahur

📍 Mahur, Maharashtra

The eighth of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas, atop the hills of Mahur (Mahurgad), where the right hand of Sati is said to have fallen. The goddess is worshipped as Ekaveerika (Renuka Devi).

🛕

Shakti PeethaShakti

Harsiddhi Temple Ujjain

📍 Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh

A Shakti Peetha in Ujjain near the Mahakaleshwar temple, where the elbow of Sati is said to have fallen, famed for its towering pair of lamp-columns (deep stambhas) lit during Navratri.

🛕

Shakti PeethaShakti

Jogulamba Temple Alampur

📍 Alampur, Telangana

The fifth of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas, at Alampur where the Tungabhadra meets the Krishna, where the upper teeth of Sati are said to have fallen.

Shakti PeethaShakti

Jwala Devi Temple

📍 Kangra, Himachal Pradesh

A one-of-a-kind Shakti Peetha where the goddess is worshipped not as an idol but as eternal natural flames rising from the rock, marking where Sati's tongue fell.

Shakti PeethaShakti

Kamakhya Temple

📍 Guwahati, Assam

The most powerful of all Shakti Peethas, crowning the Nilachal Hill above the Brahmaputra in Guwahati. It is the foremost seat of Tantric goddess worship in India.

Shakti PeethaShakti

Kanchipuram Kamakshi Amman Temple

📍 Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu

One of the three most important Shakti shrines in India, in the ancient temple-city of Kanchipuram. Here Adi Shankaracharya is said to have installed the Sri Chakra to calm the goddess's fierce energy.

Shakti PeethaShakti

Mahalakshmi Temple Kolhapur

📍 Kolhapur, Maharashtra

The ancient Ambabai temple of Kolhapur, revered as a Shakti Peetha and one of the great abodes of Goddess Mahalakshmi in western India.

JyotirlingaShiva

Mallikarjuna Temple

📍 Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh

The second Jyotirlinga, set amid the forested Nallamala Hills on the banks of the Krishna River. It is one of the rare shrines that is simultaneously a Jyotirlinga and a Shakti Peetha.

Shakti PeethaShakti

Mangala Gauri Temple Gaya

📍 Gaya, Bihar

The sixteenth of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas, on the Mangalagauri hill in Gaya, where the breast of Sati is said to have fallen. The goddess is worshipped as the nurturing mother.

Shakti PeethaShakti

Manikyamba Temple Draksharama

📍 Draksharama, Andhra Pradesh

The twelfth of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas, within the great Draksharama temple, where the left cheek of Sati is said to have fallen. The goddess is worshipped as Manikyamba.

🛕

Shakti PeethaShakti

Puruhutika Devi Temple Pithapuram

📍 Pithapuram, Andhra Pradesh

The tenth of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas, at Pithapuram (Padagaya), where the back or the left hand of Sati is said to have fallen. The goddess is worshipped as Puruhutika.

Shakti PeethaShakti

Saraswati Sharada Peeth

📍 Sharda (Neelam Valley), Jammu & Kashmir

The eighteenth of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas, the ancient Sharada Peeth on the Kishanganga (Neelam) river, where the right hand of Sati is said to have fallen. It was once among the greatest centres of learning in the subcontinent.

Shakti PeethaShakti

Shankari Devi Temple

📍 Trincomalee, Sri Lanka

The first of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas, at Trincomalee in Sri Lanka, where the groin (or an anklet) of Sati is said to have fallen. The original shrine stood beside the Koneswaram temple on Swami Rock.

🛕

Shakti PeethaShakti

Shrinkhala Devi Temple

📍 Hooghly, West Bengal

The third of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas, at Pradyumnapuram (Pandua) in Bengal, where the stomach or the girdle (shrinkhala) of Sati is said to have fallen.

Shakti PeethaShakti

Vishalakshi Temple

📍 Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

A Shakti Peetha beside the Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi, where an earring (or the eyes) of Sati is said to have fallen. The goddess Vishalakshi, the 'wide-eyed one', is the presiding Devi of Kashi.

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