The Chattala pitha of the Pithanirnaya is placed on the Chandranath hill at Sitakunda in Chattogram (Chittagong) district, Bangladesh. By the text Sati’s right arm fell here; the goddess is Bhavani and the Bhairava Chandrashekhara, and the goddess says that in the Kali age she dwells above all at Chandrashekhara. The Chandranath (Shiva) temple stands on the hilltop and the Bhavani temple on the way up.
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- Deity
- Bhavani
- Tradition
- Shakta
- Place
- Chandranath hill, Sitakunda upazila, Chattogram district
- Region
- Chattogram Division
- Country
- Bangladesh
- Map
- OpenStreetMap (22.6335, 91.6844)
The Shivachaturdashi fair
According to the Sitakunda upazila government website a large fair is held here every year at Shivachaturdashi (Maha Shivratri in Phalgun), with pilgrims from Bangladesh, India and other countries. According to Prothom Alo (2025) the tirtha lasts three days and the fair fifteen; according to Daily Star Bangla (2023) there are about 3,500 steps to the hilltop temple.
How to reach Chandranath, Sitakunda
- According to the Sitakunda upazila website: by bus or train from Dhaka or Chattogram to Sitakunda (37 km from Chattogram, 227 km from Dhaka), by rickshaw to Byaskunda, then about 3 km uphill on foot.
Main festivals
Where the sources differ
- The Sitakunda upazila website says Sati’s thigh joint fell here, whereas the Pithanirnaya and Banglapedia say the right arm.
- Prothom Alo links the pitha with the Bhavani temple on the way to Chandranath; the map marks the hilltop Chandranath temple (Wikidata), on the same hill.
- 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 limb of Sati fell at the Chattala (Chandranath) Shakti Peetha?
By the Pithanirnaya, the right arm; the goddess is Bhavani and the Bhairava Chandrashekhara. It is on the Chandranath hill at Sitakunda, Bangladesh.
Where is Chandranath, Sitakunda Shakti Peetha?
Chandranath, Sitakunda Shakti Peetha is in Chandranath hill, Sitakunda upazila, Chattogram district, Chattogram Division (Bangladesh).
Which lists of tirthas include Chandranath, Sitakunda?
The 51 Shakti Peethas (number 14 of 51 in the list).
How to reach Chandranath, Sitakunda?
According to the Sitakunda upazila website: by bus or train from Dhaka or Chattogram to Sitakunda (37 km from Chattogram, 227 km from Dhaka), by rickshaw to Byaskunda, then about 3 km uphill on foot.
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. 47 (archive.org)
- Vachaspatyam (Taranatha Tarkavachaspati), "pitha": the list of pithas quoted from the Tantrachudamani (Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries, sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de)
- Banglapedia (Asiatic Society of Bangladesh), "Sakta-pitha" by Masahiko Togawa: the table of the pithas in Bangladesh
- Sitakunda upazila (sitakunda.chattogram.gov.bd): places of interest, and the upazila background page
- Prothom Alo, 21 February 2025; Daily Star Bangla, 18 February 2023: the Shivachaturdashi fair
- Wikidata Q857380 (Chandranath Temple): map coordinates
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