Shaktibhumi

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According to myths, a grand “Yajna” was organized by the “Prajapati Daksha” at Kankhal. Though all divine beings were invited, His daughter- Sati & His Son-in-law- Lord Shiva were uninvited, because Devi Sati married Lord Shiva against Her Father’s will. When She came to know about the Yajna, Devi Sati came to attend the Yajna uninvited. However, she was not able to tolerate the continuous denigration of Her Husband. She immolated herself in the Yajna. Lord Shiva, being informed of the immolation, rampaged the Yajna and performed Tandava Nritya carrying the mortal body of Devi Sati on his shoulder.

Lord Vishnu cut the corpse of Devi Sati into 51 pieces using the Sudarshana Chakra to save Creation from being destroyed. The different places where these 51 pieces of the corpse of Devi Sati fell, came to be known as Sati Pitha. Some of these Sati Pitha is located outside India like Pakistan, Nepal, Tibet, Bangladesh, and Srilanka. Five such Sati Pitha are located in this Birbhum district and thus Birbhum came to be known as Pancha Pitha where Lord Shiva himself is enshrined as Pithbhairav.

Tarapith Temple

Shaktibhumi Temples

Tarapith

Nalateshwari

Nandikeswari

Mahisamardini

Kankalitala

Fullaratala

Birbhum is also known as the cradle of Tantra Sadhana. Some people are of opinion that after Kamrup Kamakhya, this is the most awakened Tantrapeeth of all India. Therefore, if you search almost all the blocks of Birbhum, you will see that many ancient Tantrapeeths or Shaktipeeths are present.

There is Barakali near Bolpur, Bhadrakalitala in Kirnahar, and on the way from Kirnahar to Labpur, Kalikananda Avadhuta Pujita Devi Mundamali will be found. Maheshpur, Donaipur, Nirisa, Bakul, Bagdola, Dwarbasini, Paikar Khapakali Temples, Kali in Rudranagar; Aparajita temple in Kanakpur; and Chandi temple in Shaktipur are some of the Shakti Sadhana places in Birbhum.

Other Locations

Fullaratala