Kurukshetra is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas of the Pithanirnaya; by the text Sati’s ankle fell here, and the goddess is Savitri and the Bhairava Sthanu, and from the name Sthanu (Sthanvishvara) it is placed near Thanesar. Haryana Tourism counts the Bhadrakali temple at Thanesar among the 51 Shakti Peethas and says Sati’s anklet fell into the well here.
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- Tradition
- Shakta
- Place
- Jhansa Road, Thanesar, Kurukshetra district
- State
- Haryana
- Country
- India
Tradition
According to Haryana Tourism a marble ankle recalls the event of the well. By tradition the Pandavas worshipped the goddess here with Shri Krishna and, after victory in the Mahabharata war, offered their horses in her service; so even today devotees offer terracotta and metal horses when a wish is fulfilled. Another belief is that the mundan of Shri Krishna and Balarama was held here.
Where the sources differ
- A difference on the limb: the Pithanirnaya says the ankle, Haryana Tourism the anklet.
- The Devi Bhagavata (7.30) names the goddess at Sthaneshvara (Thanesar) Bhavani.
- Wikidata has no coordinates for the temple, so no map is given here.
- The count of pithas depends on the text: the Pithanirnaya lists 51, some Bengali lists 52, the Devi Bhagavata (7.30) gives 108 places with names of the goddess, and the early Tantras name only four (Sircar).
Frequently asked questions
Which part of Sati fell at the Kurukshetra Shakti Peetha?
By the Pithanirnaya, the ankle; by Haryana Tourism, the anklet, which fell into the well of the Bhadrakali temple. The goddess of the Pithanirnaya is Savitri and the Bhairava Sthanu.
Where is Bhadrakali, Kurukshetra Shakti Peetha?
Bhadrakali, Kurukshetra Shakti Peetha is in Jhansa Road, Thanesar, Kurukshetra district, Haryana.
Which lists of tirthas include Bhadrakali, Kurukshetra?
The 51 Shakti Peethas (number 25 of 51 in the list).
Sources
- D. C. Sircar, The Śākta Pīṭhas (Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal 1948; Motilal Banarsidass, 1973): table of the Pithanirnaya pp. 35-37, note on this pitha p. 51 (archive.org)
- Vachaspatyam (Taranatha Tarkavachaspati), "pitha": the list of pithas quoted from the Tantrachudamani (Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries, sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de)
- Devi Bhagavata Purana 7.30 (the list of 108 pithas), English translation by Swami Vijnanananda (wisdomlib.org)
- Haryana Tourism (haryanatourism.gov.in): Bhadrakali Temple, Kurukshetra
- Kurukshetra district (kurukshetra.gov.in): list of the tirthas of the 48 kos, "Bhadar Kali Mandir"
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