Four Adi Shakti Peethas of India
भारत के चार आदि शक्तिपीठ
Hub page. Checked 17 October
Tradition lists 51 Shakti Peethas, and from those it picks four as the Adi, or first, Peethas. This page names the four, shows the limb each is tied to, and sends you to our full guide for each temple.
Quick answer: The four are Kamakhya in Guwahati, Vimala in Puri, Tara Tarini near Berhampur and Kalighat in Kolkata. eSamskriti credits the list to the Shiva Purana, the Kalika Purana and the Asta Shakti. Wikipedia gives the same four. The sources do not always agree on the limbs.
Last verified: 17 October 2026. Timings, rules and facilities can change. Please confirm with each temple before you travel.
| Peetha | Place | Limb, per eSamskriti | Our guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kamakhya | Guwahati, Assam | Yoni khanda | Kamakhya Temple guide |
| Vimala | Puri, Odisha | Pada khanda (foot) | Vimala Temple guide |
| Tara Tarini | Ganjam, Odisha | Stana khanda (breasts) | Tara Tarini Temple guide |
| Kalighat | Kolkata, West Bengal | Mukha khanda (face), though local tradition says toes | Kalighat Kali Temple guide |
The limbs in this table come from a single third-party page, and that page itself says toes at Kalighat in a later section. Wikipedia's list of Shakta pithas gives yoni at Kamakhya, feet at Vimala, right toes at Kalighat and the breasts at Tara Tarini. Each guide below sets out what its own sources say, and where texts differ we say so.
What Each Peetha Represents
प्रत्येक पीठ क्या दर्शाता है
Kamakhya
Guwahati, Assam
Yoni (creative power)Kamakhya is worshipped as the creative, life-giving power of the Goddess. There is no idol: devotees honour a natural rock cleft with a spring on Nilachal Hill. It is a centre of Tantric Shakti worship, and the Ambubachi Mela marks the Goddess's yearly cycle of fertility.
Read the Kamakhya guideVimala
Puri, Odisha
Feet (foundation)Vimala stands for the Goddess as the steady foundation, the feet at which a devotee surrenders. Her shrine sits inside the Jagannath Temple complex in Puri. By local tradition, food offered to Jagannath is also offered to Vimala before it is served as mahaprasad.
Read the Vimala guideTara Tarini
Ganjam, Odisha
Breasts (nurture)Tara Tarini represents the Goddess as the nourishing mother who sustains her children. The twin goddesses Tara and Tarini are worshipped on a hilltop near the Rushikulya river. Families from across Odisha come to seek a mother's protection for their children.
Read the Tara Tarini guideKalighat
Kolkata, West Bengal
Right toes (fierce protection)Kalighat represents Kali, the fierce form of the Goddess who destroys fear, evil and the grip of time. Devotees see her as a protective mother. Sources differ on the limb: Wikipedia says right toes, while eSamskriti lists the face.
Read the Kalighat guideThese meanings reflect common devotional tradition, not one single scripture. Each guide sets out its own sources.
Where the Four Sit on the Map
चारों शक्तिपीठ कहाँ हैं
Two of the four are in Odisha, one is in Assam and one is in West Bengal. Vimala shares its address with the Jagannath Temple in Puri. Tara Tarini stands in Ganjam district near Berhampur. Kamakhya is on Nilachal Hill in Guwahati, and Kalighat sits in south Kolkata.
Read the Full Guides
विस्तृत मार्गदर्शिकाएँ
- Maa Kamakhya Temple, Guwahati: complete guide
- Vimala Temple, Puri: complete guide
- Tara Tarini Temple, Ganjam: complete guide
- Kalighat Kali Temple, Kolkata: complete guide
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers
What are the four Adi Shakti Peethas?
Which texts list them?
Are they the same as the 51 Shakti Peethas?
Which limb is linked to each?
Which should a senior visit first?
Where is Tara Tarini?
Adi Shakti Peetha guides
Sources and further reading
- Limbs and scripture lists on this page come from third-party pages. We did not check printed editions of the Puranas, so treat them as reported, not confirmed.
- eSamskriti: Shakti Peethas of India, Four Adi Shakti Peethas (third party)
- Wikipedia: Kalighat Temple (third party)
- Wikipedia: Shakta pithas (third party)
Have a question, or spotted something we should verify? Ask in the comments and we will check it against reliable sources and correct the post. See how we source information.
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