The Eighteen Sacred Sakti Peethas

[Guest guest]

My dear friends and like minded persons

 

May Goddess Durga grant you all happiness, peace and prosperity.

 

This letter is intended to brief you on the Eighteen Sakti Peethaas of India and

their locations. The location identification is specified in a sloka starting

“Lankaayam Sankari Devi……” As per the sloka, the first sakti peetham of Goddess

is located in Srilanka in the name of Saankari, but amazingly no trace is found

of this temple today in Sri Lanka. Kaamakshi Goddess is in Kancheepuram around

70 kilometers from Chennai in Tamilnadu. All temples in Kanchi are facing this

temple which is quite interesting to see.

 

The third one is Goddess Mahalakshmi in Kolhapur situated in Maharashtra. The

main deity is made up of pure gem stone and we find five headed Serpent in the

name of Sesh Nag on the Crown of Goddess. Every year the sun race falls thrice

on the Lotus feet of this Goddess. Goddess Chamundi in Mysore of Karnataka

State is another Sakti Peeth and it is believed that the Demon Mahishaasur was

killed by the Goddess at this place. Goddess Jogulamba is in Alampuram around 27

kilometers from Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh. It is a conjunction point for Tunga

and Bhadra River when Tunga River is said to be of Lord Vishnu and Bhadra of

Lord Shiva.

 

Srunkhalaadevi of Pradyumna is situated around 80 kilometers from Kolkatta.

But then there is no trace of any temple now here, still Gangaasagar around 135

kilometers from Kolkatta is said to be now one of the sakti peethaas. Ekaveerika

Devi Goddess is in Mahaar situated in the Nanded District of Maharashtra. This

goddess is also worshipped in the name of Renuka Maata. One can have darshan of

this Goddess from Shirdi. Ujjain Mahaakaali is another Sakti Peeth which is also

called as the City of Avantika in the days of Bhoj and Vikramarka. It is on the

banks of Kshipra River. The ancient Great Poet of India Kaalidaas was granted

the knowledge by this Goddess.

 

Pithapuram in East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh is the Holy Place of

Puroohootika Devi. It is around 18 kilometers from Kakinada – a port town. It

is situated in the temple of Shri Kukkuteswara Swamy. Goddess Bramaramba is in

Sri Sailam – one of the 12 Jyothirlinga Places, on the banks of Holy River

Krishna. According to an old saying, death in Holy Kaasi, Bhajan or Keertan or

Jap in Arunaachalam in Tamilnadu, Just visit and darshan of God and Goddess in

Sri Sailam are said to elevate any soul and purify. Goddess Girija Devi in

Odhyanam situated 20 kilometers away from Jaajpur in Orissa on the banks of Holy

River Vaitarani is another sakti peeth. Draksharaamam is situated in East

Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh where we can have darshan of Goddess

Maanikyaa Devi. It is just 32 kilometers from Kakinada. Assam State is the

holiest state due to Goddess Kaamaroopa Devi in Gowhati. It is just 18

kilometers from Gowhati. Every year in the month of Ashada, Ambavaachi festival

takes place here when the temple gets closed for three/four days. This is on

the banks of River Brahmaputra.

 

Goddess Vaishnavi is in Jwala Kshetra situated in Jammu and Kashmir and it is

13 kilometers away on a hill from Katra. I do not know the reason; we do not

find a single beggar on this hill leading to the temple. Goddess Mangalya Gowri

is in Gaya around 74 kilometers from Patna in Bihar. This place is famous for

offering oblations to the fore fathers. Goddess Visaalakshmi in Varanasi is

again associated with another Jyothirlinga of Lord Kaasi Viswanaath. It is on

the banks of Holy River Ganges in Uttar Pradesh. Goddess Madhaveswari in Prayag

is also called as Alopi Devi and it is situated a few kilometers away from the

HOLY TRIVENI SANGAMAM in Allahabad. The last one is Goddess Saraswathi Devi in

Kashmir who is also called as Keer Bhavani. This simple paper will not permit

to describe the importance of the places more in detail. However most of you

are in receipt of my mails in detail from time to time as and when I visited

these places and described my experiences.

 

It may not be possible to cover all the places at one stretch and it is quite

tedious and time taking matter also. I suggest visiting these places as per

convenience and stay there for at least one day so that one can experience the

divinity of the place. But then, if possible please visit these places one

after another as per the convenience starting with the forthcoming Dasara. The

description of the places is given basing on the Slokaa and I have also heard

some different places for different Sakti Peethaas. I only expect some

authoritative representative of any Sankar Peeth to come out and clarify the

doubts duly explaining the authenticity of the places. While doing this, it is

also proper for the Holy Jagadgurus of India to clarify the places of Dwaadasa

Jyothirlingas as there is some confusion when different people of different

states claim their temples as that of a Jyothirlinga. This leads to utter

confusion amongst the religious followers, therefore, it is essential that they

come out and give proper clarification on this subject.

 

Till then, we have no other go than to by our individual beliefs.

 

All the best.

Yours affectionately

HARA HARA MAHADEVA DR P V SESHA SAI ASWAMEDHAYAAJI

 

Dr P V Sesha Sai Aswamedhayaaji

3724, Spencer’s Street, #221, TORRANCE CA 90503

Camp: Tallahassee Florida CELL: 310 293 9066

5th September 2006