The Shakti Peethas are the holiest shrines of the Goddess — places where, according to the Puranas, parts of Goddess Sati’s body are believed to have fallen as Lord Shiva carried her across the land. Each site is worshipped as a seat (peeth) of divine feminine power (shakti). This guide explains the origin, the different counts you will hear (51, 52 or 108), the four Adi Shakti Peethas, and the full list of the 18 Ashtadasha Maha Shakti Peethas with their names and places.
When King Daksha held a grand yagna and deliberately insulted Lord Shiva, his daughter Sati — Shiva’s consort — immolated herself in the sacrificial fire. A grief-stricken Shiva carried her body across the cosmos in the tandava dance. To restore balance, Lord Vishnu used his Sudarshana Chakra to release her body, and the pieces fell at various places across the Indian subcontinent. Every spot where a part fell became a Shakti Peeth, each with its own form of the Devi and an accompanying Bhairava (a form of Shiva).
Different scriptures give different counts. The most widely cited number is 51 Shakti Peethas (some traditions say 52, and the Devi Bhagavata lists 108). Of these, a smaller set is considered the most sacred — the 4 Adi Shakti Peethas and the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas — which most pilgrims focus their yatra around. The peethas are spread across India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
These four are regarded as the most primordial seats of the Goddess:
| Peeth | Place | Body part |
|---|---|---|
| Bimala (in the Jagannath temple) | Puri, Odisha | Feet |
| Tara Tarini | Berhampur, Odisha | Breasts |
| Kamakhya | Guwahati, Assam | Womb |
| Dakshina Kalika (Kalighat) | Kolkata, West Bengal | Face / toes |
Sung in Adi Shankaracharya’s famous Ashtadasha Shakti Peetha Stotram, these eighteen are the most celebrated Maha Shakti Peethas:
| # | Devi (form) | Temple / place | State / country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shankari Devi | Trincomalee | Sri Lanka |
| 2 | Kamakshi | Kanchipuram | Tamil Nadu |
| 3 | Srinkhala | Pradyumnapuram | West Bengal |
| 4 | Chamundeshwari | Mysuru (Chamundi Hills) | Karnataka |
| 5 | Jogulamba | Alampur | Telangana |
| 6 | Bhramaramba | Srisailam | Andhra Pradesh |
| 7 | Mahalakshmi | Kolhapur | Maharashtra |
| 8 | Ekaveerika (Renuka) | Mahur | Maharashtra |
| 9 | Mahakali | Ujjain | Madhya Pradesh |
| 10 | Puruhutika | Pithapuram | Andhra Pradesh |
| 11 | Girija (Biraja) | Jajpur | Odisha |
| 12 | Manikyamba | Draksharamam | Andhra Pradesh |
| 13 | Kamarupa (Kamakhya) | Guwahati | Assam |
| 14 | Madhaveswari (Alopi) | Prayagraj | Uttar Pradesh |
| 15 | Vaishnavi (Jwalamukhi) | Kangra | Himachal Pradesh |
| 16 | Mangalagauri | Gaya | Bihar |
| 17 | Vishalakshi | Varanasi | Uttar Pradesh |
| 18 | Saraswati (Sharada) | Sharada Peeth | Kashmir region |
Beyond the eighteen, several peethas are among the most visited Devi shrines in India — including Vaishno Devi (Trikuta hills, Jammu), Naina Devi (Himachal Pradesh), Kalighat (Kolkata) and Ambaji (Gujarat). Kamakhya in Assam, which appears in both the Adi and Maha lists, is considered especially powerful for tantric worship.
Because the peethas are spread across the country, most devotees cover them in regional clusters rather than in one trip — for example the eastern peethas around Assam, Bengal and Odisha, or the southern group across Andhra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. A well-planned itinerary groups nearby shrines to save travel time.
Kamakhya in Guwahati is often regarded as the most powerful, as it marks where the Devi’s womb is believed to have fallen and is central to Shakti worship.
Most pilgrims visit them in regional clusters over several trips. A single well-planned yatra can comfortably cover the major shrines in one region.
Yes. We arrange guided Devi-darshan tours — start with our Kamakhya Devi Shakti Peeth Yatra or Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra, and we will build a route around the peethas you wish to cover.