The Ashtadasa Shakti Peethas are eighteen great shrines of the Divine Mother named in the Ashtadasa Shakti Peetha Stotram, traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya. Devotees revere them as places where parts of Goddess Sati's body fell. Four of the eighteen are on Telugu soil, a special blessing for Telugu families.
How did the Shakti Peethas come about?
The Puranas tell that Daksha Prajapati performed a grand yagna and pointedly left out his son-in-law, Lord Shiva. Sati went to her father's yagna, could not bear the insult to her husband, and gave up her body in yogic fire. Grief-stricken, Shiva carried her body and began his fierce dance. To protect the worlds, Lord Vishnu used the Sudarshana Chakra to divide the body, and the places where the parts fell became Shakti Peethas.
Different texts count 51, 52, 64 or 108 Peethas. In South India, and especially among Telugu people, the eighteen named in Adi Shankara's stotram are the best known. Traditions also differ on which part fell where, so it is best not to be rigid about such details.
The Ashtadasa Shakti Peetha Stotram
Lankayam Shankari Devi Kamakshi Kanchikapure
Pradyumne Shrinkhala Devi Chamundi Krounchapattane
Alampure Jogulamba Srisaile Bhramarambika
Kolhapure Mahalakshmi Mahurye Ekaveerika
Ujjayinyam Mahakali Peethikayam Puruhutika
Odhyane Girija Devi Manikya Dakshavatike
Harikshetre Kamarupa Prayage Madhaveshwari
Jwalayam Vaishnavi Devi Gaya Mangalya Gaurika
Varanasyam Vishalakshi Kashmireshu Saraswati
Ashtadasha supeethani yoginamapi durlabham
A phalashruti verse follows. Some printed versions show small textual variations; follow the version used in your family.
List of the 18 Shakti Peethas
| No. | Goddess | Commonly identified place |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shankari Devi | Lanka (traditionally Trincomalee, Sri Lanka) |
| 2 | Kamakshi | Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu |
| 3 | Shrinkhala Devi | Pradyumna (believed to be in West Bengal) |
| 4 | Chamundeshwari | Krouncha Pattana (Mysuru) |
| 5 | Jogulamba | Alampur, Telangana |
| 6 | Bhramarambika | Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh |
| 7 | Mahalakshmi | Kolhapur, Maharashtra |
| 8 | Ekaveerika | Mahur, Maharashtra |
| 9 | Mahakali | Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh |
| 10 | Puruhutika | Pithapuram, Andhra Pradesh |
| 11 | Girija Devi | Odhyana (Jajpur, Odisha) |
| 12 | Manikyamba | Draksharamam, Andhra Pradesh |
| 13 | Kamarupa (Kamakhya) | Guwahati, Assam |
| 14 | Madhaveshwari | Prayag, Uttar Pradesh |
| 15 | Vaishnavi Devi | Jwala shrine (popularly placed in the Himachal region) |
| 16 | Mangalya Gauri | Gaya, Bihar |
| 17 | Vishalakshi | Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh |
| 18 | Saraswati | Kashmir region (Sharada Peetha) |
Scholars differ on the exact location of a few Peethas. Check local temple information before planning a yatra.
The four Shakti Peethas in the Telugu states
Jogulamba, Alampur
Alampur in Telangana lies near the meeting region of the Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers. Devotees worship the Mother here as Jogulamba in a fierce form. The ancient Navabrahma temples nearby are also famous, and elders describe Alampur as the western gateway to Srisailam.
Bhramarambika, Srisailam
In the Nallamala hills, Goddess Bhramaramba is worshipped alongside the Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga. Legend says the Mother took the form of bhramaras (bees) to destroy the demon Arunasura. Having a Jyotirlinga and a Shakti Peetha together makes Srisailam unique.
Puruhutika, Pithapuram
Pithapuram, near Kakinada, is home to Goddess Puruhutika. Puruhuta is a name of Indra, who is said to have worshipped the Mother here. The same town has the Kukkuteswara Swamy temple and the Padagaya pushkarini, and is revered by Datta devotees as the birthplace of Sri Sripada Srivallabha.
Manikyamba, Draksharamam
At Draksharamam in the Godavari districts, Goddess Manikyamba is worshipped with Lord Bhimeswara. Local tradition holds that Daksha performed his yagna here, giving it the name Dakshavatika. Draksharamam is also one of the Pancharama Kshetras.
How to visit a Shakti Peetha
- Eat simple satvic food the day before and prepare your mind.
- Check darshan timings and seva details on the official temple website.
- Offer turmeric, kumkum, flowers, bangles or a blouse piece or saree as your means allow.
- Recite the Ashtadasa Shakti Peetha Stotram or Lalitha names during darshan.
- Bring kumkum prasadam home and share it with the married women of the family, as many families do.
Remembering the Peethas at home
The eighteen Peethas are spread across India and beyond its borders. Even if you cannot visit them all, the stotram lets you remember each one. Lighting a deepam before the Mother and reciting it on Fridays, during Navaratri, in Shravana Masam or on Pournami is considered auspicious.
Key points
- The Ashtadasa Shakti Peethas are 18 Devi shrines made famous by Adi Shankara's stotram.
- They are revered as places where parts of Sati's body fell.
- Four are in the Telugu states: Alampur, Srisailam, Pithapuram and Draksharamam.
- Texts differ on the number and exact location of Peethas.
- Reciting the stotram on Fridays and in Navaratri is a simple practice.