Lord Shiva married Sathi the daughter of Daksha. Once when Daksha insulted Lord Shiva , he decided not to go to his house . But When Daksha conduced a great Yaga, Sathi wanted go there against the wishes of Lord Shiva. When Lord Shiva was again insulted By Daksha, Sathi jumped in the yaga fire and died. The furious Shiva came there beheaded Daksha, and in great anger he took the body of Sathi and holding it atop his head started the dance of the deluge. Lord Vishnu curt the body of Sathi in to pieces and the place where each piece fell was called a Shakthi Peeta(power centre. One group believes that there are eighteen Shakthi Peetas and another believes that there are one hundred and eight Shakthi peetas. The eighteen Shakthi peetas are:- 


• Trinkomali (Sri Lanka) Sankari Devi – Groin fell here 
• Kanchi (Tamil Nadu) Kamakshi Devi - Back 
• Pradyumna or Chotila (Gujarat) Sri Srunkala Devi - Stomach 
• Mysore (Karnataka) Chamundeswari Devi – Hair 
• Alampur (Andhra Pradesh) Jogulamba Devi – Upper teeth 
• Srisailam (Andhra Pradesh) Bhramramba Devi - Neck 
• Sholapur (Maharastra) Mahalaksmi Devi - Eyes 
• Nanded (Maharastra) Ekavenika Devi – Right Hand 
• Ujjain (Madya pradesh) Mahakalai Devi – Upper Lip 
• Pithapuram (Andhra Pradesh) Puruhutika Devi – Left Hand 
• Cuttack (Orissa) Girija Devi - Navel 
• Draksharamam (Andhra Pradesh) Manikyamba Devi - Left cheek 
• Guwahati (Assam) Kamarupa Devi – Vulva 
• Prayag (Uttar Pradesh) Madhaveswari Devi - Fingers 
• Jwala (Himachal Pradesh) Vaishnavi Devi - Head 
• Gaya (Bihar) Sarvamangala Devi – Breast 
• Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) Visalaksi Devi - Wrist 
• Kashmir Saraswati Devi – Right Hand 
This great prayer mentions the eighteen Shakthi Peetas and praises the Goddess there.) 


1.Lankhayaam Shankari devim, Kamakshi Kanchika pure , 
Pradhyumne srunkala devi, Chamunda Krouncha pattane , 

2.Alampure Jogulamba , Sri Shaile Bramarambika , 
KOlhapure Mahalakshmi , Mahurye Eka veerika 

3.Ujaynyaam Maha Kali , peethikaayam Puruhuthika, 
Odhayane Girija devi, Manikha Daksha vatike 

4.Hari kshethre Kama roopi, Prayage Madhaveswari, 
Jwalayaam Vaishnavidevi , Gaya Mangala Gourika 

5.Varanasyam visalakshi , Kashmere thu Saraswathi, 
Ashta dasa Shakthi peedani , yogeenam abhi durlabham 

6.Sayam kale paden nithyam , sarva shatru vinasanam, 
Sarva roga haram divyam, sarva Sampathkaram Shubham.