7 Shakti Peethas Outside India That Every Devotee Should Know About
Nidhi | Jul 24, 2025, 15:06 IST
( Image credit : Freepik )
Highlight of the story: Did you know that some of the most sacred Shakti Peethas of the Goddess lie beyond India’s borders? These holy sites, where parts of Goddess Sati are believed to have fallen, span across Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. From the desert caves of Hinglaj Mata to the Himalayan heights of Muktinath, each of these seven Peethas carries a story of deep spiritual significance and timeless devotion. In this article, we explore their fascinating history, locations, and why every devotee should know about them.
“यत्र यत्र स्थिता देवी तत्र तत्र शिवालयः।
तत्र तत्र च पूज्यन्ते शक्त्याः पीठानि मानुषैः॥”
"Wherever the Divine Mother resides, there lies a shrine of Shiva too. There, in those sacred places, humans worship the holy seats of Shakti."
The Shakti Peethas are not just temples. They are living memories of love, loss, and cosmic transformation. They are the places where the Goddess herself fell to the earth, piece by piece, after the great tragedy of Sati and Shiva.
When Sati immolated herself in protest at her father Daksha’s insult, Lord Shiva, drowned in grief, carried her body across the cosmos. It is said that Lord Vishnu, to calm Shiva’s devastating sorrow, released his Sudarshan Chakra and dismembered Sati’s body. Wherever her parts fell became a Shakti Peetha, a sacred seat of the Goddess.
Most of us think of these holy sites as being within India. But the truth is that the Goddess is far bigger than any man-made border. Several of her seats lie far beyond India, in places that are now part of Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and even in the high Himalayan deserts of Tibet. They are not just places of worship, but living reminders of an ancient spiritual geography that knew no political boundaries.
These Shakti Peethas are more than mythological landmarks. They are spiritual bridges that connect people across borders, religions, and centuries. They remind us that the Mother does not belong to any one nation or culture.
In a time when the world is increasingly divided, these sacred sites speak softly of a greater truth: that devotion knows no boundaries. Whether in the deserts of Balochistan, the coastal cliffs of Sri Lanka, or the snowy heights of the Himalayas, the Mother is still there, waiting. Waiting for her children to come, to remember her, to bow at her feet, and to awaken to her eternal presence.
तत्र तत्र च पूज्यन्ते शक्त्याः पीठानि मानुषैः॥”
"Wherever the Divine Mother resides, there lies a shrine of Shiva too. There, in those sacred places, humans worship the holy seats of Shakti."
The Shakti Peethas are not just temples. They are living memories of love, loss, and cosmic transformation. They are the places where the Goddess herself fell to the earth, piece by piece, after the great tragedy of Sati and Shiva.
When Sati immolated herself in protest at her father Daksha’s insult, Lord Shiva, drowned in grief, carried her body across the cosmos. It is said that Lord Vishnu, to calm Shiva’s devastating sorrow, released his Sudarshan Chakra and dismembered Sati’s body. Wherever her parts fell became a Shakti Peetha, a sacred seat of the Goddess.
Most of us think of these holy sites as being within India. But the truth is that the Goddess is far bigger than any man-made border. Several of her seats lie far beyond India, in places that are now part of Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and even in the high Himalayan deserts of Tibet. They are not just places of worship, but living reminders of an ancient spiritual geography that knew no political boundaries.
1. Hinglaj Mata Peetha, Balochistan, Pakistan
The Shakti Peetha Beyond
( Image credit : Pixabay )
2. Shankari Devi Peetha, Trincomalee, Sri Lanka
Shankari Devi – The Soul
( Image credit : Freepik )
3. Guhyeshwari Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal
Durga
( Image credit : Pexels )
4. Sugandha Shakti Peetha, Shikarpur, Bangladesh
Shiva Shakti
( Image credit : Pixabay )
5. Chandranath Shakti Peetha, Sitakunda, Bangladesh
Sita Ma
( Image credit : Freepik )
6. Manasa Shakti Peetha, Chittagong, Bangladesh
Goddess Durga
( Image credit : Freepik )
7. Muktinath Shakti Peetha, Mustang, Nepal
The Menstruating Goddess
( Image credit : Freepik )
The Mother Beyond Borders
In a time when the world is increasingly divided, these sacred sites speak softly of a greater truth: that devotion knows no boundaries. Whether in the deserts of Balochistan, the coastal cliffs of Sri Lanka, or the snowy heights of the Himalayas, the Mother is still there, waiting. Waiting for her children to come, to remember her, to bow at her feet, and to awaken to her eternal presence.