Sri Parvat Shakti Peeth Temple, Jammu Kashmir

Address

Sri Parvat Shakti Peeth Temple, Ladakh, Jammu Kashmir, India

Diety

Shakti: Shrisundari Bhairava: Sundaranand, Body part or ornament: Right anklet

Introduction

Shri Parvat Shakti Peeth is one of the 51 Shakti peethas located at Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir. Devotees worship the goddess with the name Shri Sundari (one who is beautiful) and Bhairava associated with a goddess is Sundaranand (on who is handsome). Shri Sundari Devi is considered as the goddess of siddhis (one who can accomplish spiritual boons).

Puranic Significance

Shakti Peeth is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas where the RIGHT ANKLET of Goddess Sati has fallen. Here the idols are – Devi as Shree Sundari (beautiful) and Lord Shiva as as Sundaranand (the handsome one). The place is situated at Laddakh of Kashmir Valley. ANOTHER STORY OF SATI: In Hindu mythology, the son of Brahma, King Prajapati Daksha had a daughter named Sati. Princess Sati grew up adoring the legends and tales of Shiva, and when finally her age of getting married came, she knew it was only the ascetic Lord Shiva of Kailash where her heart and soul resided. Soon enough, Daksha’s daughter left her father’s luxuries and palace and began her meditation to win Shiva’s heart. She performed intense penance in dense forests and renounced food completely. When she finally pleased Shiva through her austerities, the lord of Kailash appeared in front of her and agreed to marry her. The legend goes that Sati and Shiva were happy in their marital bliss, but their marriage had not gone down too well with King Daksha, who considered ascetic Shiva nothing short of an uncouth lad who lives a hermit’s life not worthy of his daughter. So when Daksha organized a great yajna, he invited all the deities, gods and sages–but consciously excluded his son-in-law Shiva to insult him. Hurt by her father’s decision, Sati decided to visit her father and demand the reason for not inviting them. When she entered Daksha’s palace, she was bombarded with insults directed towards the Shiva. Haughty and proud King Prajapati Daksha called him all sorts of names right from a dishevelled god who hung out in graveyard to the supposed ‘lord of the beasts’. Unable to bear anything against her husband, a devastated Goddess Sati threw herself in the glowing scared fire of yajna. When Shiva’s attendants informed him about the demise of his wife, he grew enraged and created Veerbhadra from a lock of his hair. Veerbhadra created havoc in Daksha’s palace and killed him. Meanwhile, mourning his beloved soulmate’s death, Shiva tenderly held Sati’s body and started his dance of destruction (taandav). To save the universe and bring back Shiva’s sanity, Lord Vishnu cut Sati’s lifeless body using Sudharshan Chakra into 51 pieces.

Special Features

According to few ancient scripts Srisailam under Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, India is treated as Shriparvat. It is also treated as Dakshin Kashi, as its one among Jyothirlingas.

Festivals

Navaratri, nine days are celebrated grandly and on Shivratri, devotees gather in huge and celebrate. On occasion of Diwali, a special fair is conducted.