Shakta pithas
[a] Various Puranas such as Srimad Devi Bhagavatam state the existence of a varying number of 51, 52, 64 and 108 Shakta pithas[2][3] of which 18 are named as Astadasha Maha (major) in medieval Hindu texts.
Most of these historic places of goddess worship are in India, but there are seven in Bangladesh, four in Nepal, two in Pakistan, and one each in Tibet, Sri Lanka[3] and Bhutan.
After the secret transfer of Dhakeshwari Shakta pitha to Kolkata the numbers stand as West Bengal (19,1 disputed Shrinkhala Devi Temple) and Bangladesh (6).
The Brahmanda Purana, one of the major eighteen Puranas mentions 64 Shakta pithas of the goddess Parvati in the Bharat or Greater India including present-day India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, some parts of Southern Tibet in China and parts of southern Pakistan.
Another text which gives a listing of these shrines, is the Shakta Pitha Stotram, written by Adi Shankara, the 9th-century Hindu philosopher.
According to legend, lord Brahma once conducted a huge yajna (ritual sacrifice), where all the prajapatis, deities, and kings of the world were invited.
However, Sati was not given her due respect at the yajna, and had to bear witness to Daksha's insults aimed at Shiva.
Enraged at the insult and death of his spouse, Shiva in his Virabhadra avatar destroyed Daksha's yajna and cut off his head.
His anger not abated and immersed in grief, Shiva then picked up the remains of Sati's body and performed the Tandava, the celestial dance of destruction, across all creation.
[10] The history of Daksha yajna and Sati's self-immolation had immense significance in shaping the ancient Sanskrit literature and influenced the culture of India.
It is an important incident in both Shaivism and Shaktism, and marks the replacement of Sati with Parvati, and of the beginning of Shiva's house-holder (grihastāshramī) life from an ascetic.
According to the Pithanirnaya Tantra the 51 pithas are in the present day countries of India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan and Pakistan.
The Bengali almanac, Vishuddha Siddhanta Panjika too describes the 51 pithas including the present modified addresses.
[16][17] Among these, the Shakta pithas at Kamakhya, Gaya and Ujjain are regarded as the most sacred as they symbolize the three most important aspects of the Mother Goddess viz.
Its ruins are near the Line of Control (LOC)[19] between the Indian and Pakistani-controlled portions of the former princely state of Kashmir and Jammu.
The temple priest fled to India with the main idol during the partition via a specially chartered train.
The original holy gem of Goddess Sati was lost long before (the factual date is unknown).
2) The Shrinkhala Shaktipeeth (one of 18 Maha Shakti Peethas) in Hooghly, West Bengal, is a disputed site.
It is claimed that the idol of Goddess Shrinkhala was taken to Sringeri in Karnataka but no such evidence exists there to date because a different Sharada Devi Temple was built there by Adi Shankaracharya.
(Third mahavidya) (main form of Parvati) Currently in Kumartoli Kolkata, West Bengal Other Shakipeeths:- The following shrines are not recognised as the Shakti Peethas, but are still claimed by the devotees and priests, for various reasons.
