Quick answer: Shakti Peeths are the seats of the Devi where, by tradition, parts of Sati’s body fell after Bhagwan Shiva carried her through the worlds. The most common count is 51; other texts give 18, 52, 64 or 108. Major peeths in India include Kamakhya (Assam), Kalighat (West Bengal), Jwalamukhi and Naina Devi (Himachal), Ambaji (Gujarat), Tripura Sundari (Tripura), Vishalakshi (Varanasi) and Harsiddhi (Ujjain). Most are visited in regional circuits.
Updated for the 2027 yatra season (facts checked October 2026).
For Shakta devotees, and for countless families who simply call the Devi “Mata Rani”, a Shakti Peeth yatra is as important as the Char Dham or the Jyotirlingas. Yet there is no single fixed list. Different scriptures name different places, and some peeths are now in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Tibet.
This guide explains why the lists differ, gives the major Shakti Peeths you can visit in India, the 18 Maha Shakti Peeths of the Ashtadasha tradition, and a practical way to plan darshan region by region.
What is a Shakti Peeth? The story of Sati
The Puranas tell that Sati, daughter of Daksha Prajapati, gave up her body in the fire of her father’s yagya after Shiva was insulted there. In his grief Shiva carried her body across the worlds in the tandava. To bring him back to peace, Bhagwan Vishnu used the Sudarshan Chakra, and the parts of Sati’s body, her ornaments and clothes fell at many places. Each became a seat (peeth) of the Devi.
At every Shakti Peeth the Devi is worshipped in a particular form, and a form of Shiva as Bhairav guards the shrine. Tradition holds that darshan of the Devi is complete only after darshan of her Bhairav, so many yatris visit both.
In many peeths there is no idol in the usual sense. The Devi may be worshipped as a rock, a spring, a flame, a yantra or a covered stone, and the priests’ explanation of the form is part of the darshan. It is worth asking the pujari to tell you the story of the place before you join the queue.
Why are there 51, 52 or 108 Shakti Peeths?
| Count | Usual source | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Adi Shakti Peeths | Kalika Purana and related traditions | Often given as Kamakhya, Kalighat, Vimala (Puri) and Tara Tarini (Odisha) |
| 18 Maha Shakti Peeths | Ashtadasha Shakti Peetha Stotram attributed to Adi Shankaracharya | Widely followed in South India |
| 51 | Pithanirnaya (Mahapithanirupana) Tantra and other Tantric texts | The most common count; each peeth has a named Devi and Bhairav |
| 52 | Regional Bengal tradition | Adds one peeth to the 51 |
| 108 | Devi Bhagavata Purana | A wider list of sacred seats of the Goddess |
The lists also disagree on exact places for some peeths, and local traditions sometimes honour a temple as a Shakti Peeth even where the texts are silent. Treat any “official list” you see online with care: there isn’t one.
Major Shakti Peeths in India and how to visit
The following are among the most visited and widely honoured. The body part given is the popular tradition at each temple; texts sometimes differ.
| Shakti Peeth | Place, state | Popular tradition | Gateway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kamakhya | Nilachal hill, Guwahati, Assam | Yoni; one of the Adi Peeths | Guwahati |
| Kalighat | Kolkata, West Bengal | Toes of the right foot | Kolkata |
| Jwalamukhi (Jwalaji) | Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh | Tongue; the Devi is worshipped as natural flames | Kangra / Chandigarh |
| Naina Devi | Bilaspur district, Himachal Pradesh | Eyes | Chandigarh / Anandpur Sahib |
| Chintpurni | Una district, Himachal Pradesh | Feet (Chhinnamastika) | Una / Chandigarh |
| Ambaji | Banaskantha district, Gujarat | Heart; the Devi is worshipped as a sacred yantra, not an idol | Ahmedabad / Palanpur |
| Tripura Sundari | Matabari, Udaipur, Tripura | Right foot | Agartala |
| Vishalakshi | Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh | Earrings (or eyes) | Varanasi |
| Harsiddhi | Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh | Elbow | Indore / Ujjain |
| Maihar (Sharda Mata) | Trikuta hill, Satna district, Madhya Pradesh | Necklace, by local tradition | Maihar station |
| Purnagiri | Near Tanakpur, Champawat, Uttarakhand | Navel | Tanakpur |
| Danteshwari | Dantewada, Chhattisgarh | Tooth, by local tradition | Raipur / Jagdalpur |
| Bhramari (Trisrota) | On the Teesta, Jalpaiguri, West Bengal | Left foot | Siliguri |
| Nartiang (Jayanti) | Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya | Left thigh | Shillong / Guwahati |
Mata Vaishno Devi in Jammu and Kashmir is deeply revered and is counted as a Shakti Peeth in popular belief, though it does not appear in every classical list.
The 18 Maha Shakti Peeths
The Ashtadasha (eighteen) Shakti Peetha Stotram, attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, names these seats. Locations below are the ones usually identified today.
- Shankari – Trincomalee, Sri Lanka
- Kamakshi – Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu
- Shrinkhala – Pandua region, West Bengal (identification debated)
- Chamundeshwari – Mysuru, Karnataka
- Jogulamba – Alampur, Telangana
- Bhramaramba – Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh (same complex as Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga)
- Mahalakshmi – Kolhapur, Maharashtra
- Ekaveerika – Mahur, Maharashtra
- Mahakali – Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
- Puruhutika – Pithapuram, Andhra Pradesh
- Girija (Biraja) – Jajpur, Odisha
- Manikyamba – Draksharamam, Andhra Pradesh
- Kamarupa (Kamakhya) – Guwahati, Assam
- Madhaveshwari – Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh
- Vaishnavi – Jwalamukhi, Himachal Pradesh (as commonly identified)
- Mangala Gauri (Sarvamangala) – Gaya, Bihar
- Vishalakshi – Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
- Saraswati – Sharada Peeth, Kashmir (now across the Line of Control)
Shakti Peeths outside India
- Nepal: Guhyeshwari near Pashupatinath in Kathmandu is easily visited by Indian yatris. Some traditions also place a peeth at Muktinath (Gandaki).
- Tibet: Lake Mansarovar is honoured as a Shakti Peeth in several lists, which is one more reason Kailash yatris perform puja at its shore.
- Pakistan: Hinglaj Mata in Balochistan, one of the most revered of all.
- Bangladesh: several peeths, including Jessoreshwari and Sugandha.
- Sri Lanka: Shankari Devi at Trincomalee, first in the Ashtadasha list.
Travel to some of these depends on visas and political conditions, so check the current position before planning.
Devi peeths in Uttarakhand, near our base
Yatris starting from Dehradun, Haridwar or Rishikesh often ask which Devi seats they can include without a long detour. Uttarakhand has several shrines honoured locally as Shakti Peeths or siddh peeths:
- Surkanda Devi near Dhanaulti, where local tradition holds that Sati’s head fell; reached by a steep walk or ropeway.
- Kunjapuri above Rishikesh and Chandrabadni in Tehri, which with Surkanda are honoured as a sacred triangle of the Devi.
- Purnagiri near Tanakpur, busiest during the spring mela around Chaitra Navratri.
- Varahi Devi at Devidhura in Champawat, known for the Bagwal on Raksha Bandhan, which fits into a Kumaon yatra with Jageshwar; see our 3-day Kumaon Yatra.
Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi in Haridwar are not in the classical lists, but they are among the most visited Devi temples in North India and are usually part of any Haridwar darshan.
How to plan a Shakti Peeth yatra: circuits that work
| Circuit | Peeths covered | Typical days | Best months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Himachal Devi darshan | Naina Devi, Chintpurni, Jwalamukhi, Brajeshwari (Kangra), Chamunda | 3 from Chandigarh | March–June, September–November |
| Assam and Meghalaya | Kamakhya, Nartiang | 3–6 from Guwahati | October–April |
| Tripura | Tripura Sundari | 3–4 from Agartala | October–March |
| Bengal | Kalighat and other peeths around Kolkata; Bhramari near Siliguri | 3–4 | October–February |
| Gujarat | Ambaji with Gabbar hill | 3–5 from Ahmedabad | October–March |
| Madhya Pradesh | Harsiddhi (with Mahakal), Maihar, Amarkantak | 2–6 | October–March |
| Jammu | Vaishno Devi | 3 from Jammu | Year-round; winter is cold, monsoon slippery |
Practical tips
- Navratri is the peak. Chaitra Navratri (beginning 7 April in 2027, the Hindu new year) and Sharad Navratri bring the biggest crowds. Go then if it is your sankalp, but book early and expect long queues.
- Know the closures. Kamakhya closes for three days during the Ambubachi Mela in late June each year, when lakhs of sadhus and devotees gather. Plan around it unless you are going for the mela.
- Walking and climbs. Naina Devi, Maihar (more than 1,000 steps, with a ropeway) and Vaishno Devi (about 12 km each way from Katra, with ponies, palki, battery cars on part of the route and helicopters to Sanjichhat) need some effort. Others are road-side temples.
- Visit the Bhairav. Ask locally where the peeth’s Bhairav temple is, and complete your darshan there.
- Offerings. Chunari, coconut, sindoor and sweets are the common offerings. Buy from temple trust counters where available.
What we arrange
We organise Shakti Peeth yatras across India with hotels near the temples, early darshan timing and help with temple formalities. Popular choices include the 3-day Himachal Devi Darshan Yatra from Chandigarh (listed from ₹20,000), the Kamakhya Devi Darshan Yatra from Guwahati, the Gangasagar and Kalighat Yatra from Kolkata (from ₹30,000) and the Ambaji Shakti Peeth Yatra from Ahmedabad (from ₹30,000). All our Devi yatras, including Tripura Sundari, Maihar and Amarkantak, Dantewada and Vaishno Devi, are on our Shakti Peeth yatra page. Planning Jyotirlingas too? See our 12 Jyotirlinga guide, since Srisailam and Ujjain hold both. To plan your yatra, use the enquiry form on this page or call/WhatsApp us (numbers on our Contact page).
Frequently asked questions
How many Shakti Peeths are there?
There is no single agreed number. The most common count is 51, from Tantric texts such as the Pithanirnaya. Adi Shankaracharya’s stotram names 18 Maha Shakti Peeths, a Bengal tradition counts 52, and the Devi Bhagavata Purana lists 108. Lists also differ on some locations, so different temples may be honoured as the same peeth.
Which is the most important Shakti Peeth?
Kamakhya on Nilachal hill in Guwahati is widely regarded as the foremost, as the seat where the yoni of Sati is believed to have fallen. It is counted among the four Adi Shakti Peeths and the 18 Maha Shakti Peeths. Kalighat, Jwalamukhi, Vishalakshi and Hinglaj are also among the most revered.
How many Shakti Peeths are in India?
Most of the 51 are in India, with the largest number in West Bengal. Others lie in Pakistan (such as Hinglaj), Bangladesh, Nepal (Guhyeshwari), Sri Lanka (Shankari) and Tibet (Mansarovar). Because lists differ, you will see different counts for India, often given as about 40 or more of the 51.
Is Vaishno Devi a Shakti Peeth?
Mata Vaishno Devi is regarded as a Shakti Peeth in popular belief, and lakhs of devotees treat darshan there as such. However, it does not appear in every classical list of 51 or 18 peeths. Whatever the textual position, it remains one of the most visited Devi shrines in India, reached by a walk of about 12 km from Katra.
What is the best time for a Shakti Peeth yatra?
For most peeths, October to March is the most comfortable. Chaitra and Sharad Navratri are the most auspicious and the most crowded. Himachal’s Devi temples are pleasant from March to June and September to November. Kamakhya closes for three days during the Ambubachi Mela in late June, so plan around those dates.
Which are the 18 Maha Shakti Peeths?
They are Shankari (Sri Lanka), Kamakshi (Kanchipuram), Shrinkhala (West Bengal), Chamundeshwari (Mysuru), Jogulamba (Alampur), Bhramaramba (Srisailam), Mahalakshmi (Kolhapur), Ekaveerika (Mahur), Mahakali (Ujjain), Puruhutika (Pithapuram), Girija (Jajpur), Manikyamba (Draksharamam), Kamarupa (Guwahati), Madhaveshwari (Prayagraj), Vaishnavi (Jwalamukhi), Mangala Gauri (Gaya), Vishalakshi (Varanasi) and Saraswati (Kashmir).
Can senior citizens do a Shakti Peeth yatra?
Yes. Many peeths, including Kalighat, Ambaji, Vishalakshi, Harsiddhi, Tripura Sundari and Jwalamukhi, are close to the road with short walks. Kamakhya has steps and long queues, so going early helps. Naina Devi and Maihar have ropeways. Vaishno Devi has ponies, palki and helicopter options for part of the route.