Taratarini Temple

Taratarini Temple

Tara Tarini temple is on at Kumari hills on the bank of Rushikulya near Purushottampur in Ganjam District, 30 km from Berhampur, in the state of Odisha, India. The Twin Goddesses Tara and Tarini are worshiped at the temple as manifestations of Adi Shakti. The Taratarini Hill Shrine is one of the oldest pilgrimage centers of the Mother Goddess and is one of four major ancient Shakti Peethas in India.

The mythological texts recognize four major Shakti Peethas: Tara Tarini (Stana Khanda), near Berhampur; Bimala (Pada Khanda) inside the Jagannath Temple (Puri); Kamakhya (Yoni khanda), near Guwahati; and Dakshina Kalika (Mukha khanda) in Kolkata. There are fifty two other sacred Shakti Peethas, which originated from the limbs of Mata Sati's corpse in the Satya Yuga.

Four Adi Shakti Peethas

The great mythological texts including the Shiva Purana and the Kalika Purana (the Asthashakti) recognize the four major Shakti Peethas. Like (Bimala, Pada Khanda) inside the Jagannath Temple, Puri, Orissa, (Tara Tarini) Sthana Khanda (Breasts), near Berhampur, Orissa, (Kamakshi, Yoni khanda) near Guwahati, Assam and (Dakhina Kalika, Mukha khanda) in Kolkata, West Bengal originated from the limbs of the Corpse of Mata Sati. In a hymn, the Kalika Purana (Asthashakti) clearly says:

]

Further explaining the importance of these four Peethas the Brihat Samhita also gives the geographical location of these Peethas. For Example:

“Rushikulya Tate Devi, Tarakashya Mahagiri, Tashya Srunge Stitha Tara, Vasishta Rajitapara"

Thus, there is absolutely no dispute regarding these four Adi Shakti Peethas and their locations.