Shaktism or the Shakta cult is very old in India. History has recorded that there was the practice of Shakti worship or ‘Upasana’ during the Indus Valley civilisation. Later, when the Vedic society developed, the practice took a concrete shape and in the course of time became a full-fledged cult with the Devi or Mother found in all her manifestations. The Shiv Puran and the Kalika Puran make mention of the incident of Sati immolating herself in flames and her consort Lord Shiv carrying her dead body and dancing around in rage. Mahavishnu sent ‘Sudarshan Chakra’ to cut the body of Sati into parts so that the anger of Shiv could be satiated and the universe could be saved from annihilation. It is believed that the parts of Sati’s body fell in 51 places, thereby originating Shakti Peethas. The number varies from 51 to 52 and even 64. There has not been consensus on the exact number amongst scholars as the places are so scattered all over the country, including in certain neighbouring countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, and Srilanka. In the Shrimad Devi Bhagavatam, the number of places rises to 108 including Ashtadasha or 18 Maha (Major) Peethas.
The state of Odisha also boasts of a few Shakti Peethas. The Biraja Peetha of Jajpur and the Tara Tarini Peetha of Ganjam are two prominent ones where the parts of Sati’s body are believed to have fallen. Since India is a country of deep religious faith, many other places make the claim of sharing the parts of Sati’s body, which may or may not be true as almost all the places have been earmarked though the number may vary. In Odisha, besides the two prominent Shakti Peethas, there are numerous other Peethas where the goddesses have either evolved locally or have been patronised by the kings while consolidating their kingdoms. They may not have the sanctity of the Puranas as the original Peethas, but they have earned enormous popularity and faith of devotees on their own. We can take the following two Peethas for example:
- Maa Charchika – In Banki, which is a small town and sub-divisional headquarters in the district of Cuttack, one can have a Darshan of Maa Charchika in the famous Shakti Peetha over here. It is one of the oldest Shakti Peethas in the state of Odisha. Maa Charchika is eight-handed Chamunda, a form of Devi Durga. The temple dedicated to Maa Charchika is situated on a hillock called Ruchika Parvat or hill, and the river flowing by is Renuka. It is believed that when a devotee took away all her jewellery and ornaments and built a house, Maa Charchika got furious and recreated the river to wash it away. In the state of Odisha, the ferocity and miraculous powers of most Devis are well-known. The temple complex on the hillock along with the steps leading to it from the town side of Banki is extremely captivating and presents a panoramic view of the town and nature around. The river Mahanadi is also not far from the spot. Myth has it that the idol of Maa Charchika has been created by Parshurama, the sixth incarnation or Avatar of Lord Vishnu. As in the whole of India, one more tradition is found in the state of Odisha that most Devis have been localised and they are revered and held in high esteem in their respective places with certain exceptions. In western Odisha, Maa Samaleshwari and certain other goddesses have, of course, crossed the boundaries of their native places and gained enormous popularity. There is another temple of Maa Charchika in Mathura near the Yamuna river in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. The Shakti Peetha of Maa Charchika at Banki is 46 kilometres from Cuttack and 54 kilometres from Bhubaneswar approximately, and there is a motorable road up to it. The town of Banki is located on the southern bank of the river Mahanadi.
- Maa Ghanteshwari – Thirty kilometres from the city of Sambalpur approximately via Chiplima and almost half the distance via Chaunrpur and Bagbira stands the Shakti Peetha of Maa Ghanteshwari in a spiritual and panoramic atmosphere, attracting devotees from far and wide. While talking to me, a devotee from Jharkhand made it clear that he was visiting the Peetha twice as Devi had fulfilled his wish. It is firmly believed that Maa Ghanteshwari is benevolent, and if somebody asks her for anything and ties a bell or ‘ghanti’ at the Peetha, his wish gets fulfilled by Devi.
Maa Ghanteshwari has been present at the foot of Lamei hill and on one bank of the river Mahanadi. There are various theories regarding her origin on the spot. One theory says that Devi is a local goddess who lived in the jungle in the midst of wild animals like tigers. Another theory says that she has been brought from a distant place and installed over here. Devi sat in the open, tolerating summer, winter, and rains for the welfare of mankind. But in later times, a small temple has been built, and the complex has been beautified. Before development of road and rail networks, the Mahanadi was being used as a navigable river, and sailors, while moving to Cuttack and coastal Odisha, prayed to the Devi for their safety during boat journey.
Ghanteshwari literally means the goddess of bells. Lakhs of bells or ‘ghantis’ have been tied at the Peetha by the devotees as she is fond of the bell or its sound. It is also believed that the bells sound at night automatically, though the reason is ascribed to the blowing of wind by some.
There are motorable roads up to the Peetha via both Chiplima and Chaunrpur. The place is calm, quiet, and serene, filling the mind with peace and solace. The Peetha of Maa Ghanteshwari has acquired much popularity, thereby drawing devotees from far and wide.
India is a country of deep religious faith, and the Mother Goddess is held in high esteem by the people. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Dwarika to Kamakhya, Devi reigns supreme and has had a profound influence on the Indian psyche through the ages. Whether the Devi has evolved out of ‘Banadurga’ or a local goddess or ‘Gramadevati’ or out of a part of Sati’s body hardly makes any difference for the people who have reposed great faith in whatever form she exists. The number of the original Shakti Peethas varying in different sources has also not affected the status of the cult. She is ‘Sarvamsaha Maa’, giving protection to her offspring no matter whether she is present in India or in any neighbouring country.
e views expressed are the writer’s own)
Mr. Prafulla Kumar Majhi,
Retired Asst. Director, A. I. R, is an eminent Scholar and freelance writer in English & Odia. His areas of interests are sociocultural, economic, literary, historical and analytical studies and writings.
Email: airprafulla61@gmail.com
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