Chintpurni Shakti Peetha Temple

The Chinpurni Shaktipeetha or the Chinnamastika Shakti Peetha is located at Chintpuri in the Una district of Himachal Pradesh. Surrounded by the western Himalayas in the north and in the east by the Shivalik range bordering the state of Punjab. The temple complex is huge, and situated in the middle of it is the temple garbhagriha. This garbhagriha houses the image of the Mother in the form of a ‘pindi’ or a round stone that is said to symbolise the feet of the deity. The mother figure worshipped is called Ma Chandi. There are four Shiva temples surrounding the Chintpurni temple: Narayana Mahadev in the west, Kaleshwar Mahadev in the west, Muchkund Mahadev in north and Shiva Bari in the south. All these Shiva temples are equidistant from the main Shakti temple, symbolising the unity of the ArdhaNareshwar.
History and Significance:
It is said that after Sati’s self-immolation, Mahadeva danced the dance of destruction with her burnt corpse. To prevent him from destroying the world, Lord Vishnu used his Sudarshan Chakra on Sati’s corpse and fifty-two parts of it fell all around the Indian subcontinent. According to folklore, Devi Sati’s feet feel at Chintpuri and a holy shrine was later built around it that came to be known as the Chinnamastika Shakti Peeth. Chinnamastika Shakti Peeth is one of the seven major Shakti Peeths located in India. The temple itself is an embodiment of the spirit of self-sacrifice, the reason for which is highlighted below.

The temple has an interesting history. It is said to have been established in the village of Chhaproh  by Pandit Mai Das who was a Saraswat Brahmin. It is his descendants who are the official temple priests in the temple. The priests often have fascinating stories of miracles they and their ancestors have experienced to tell interested devotees. In fact, this place was also used to keep Hindu pilgrimage and marriage records.

This particular Shakti Peeth is also famous for its picturesque surroundings as it is located on the highest peak of the Sola Singhi mountain range. Chintpurni is well-connected by roads and travelling is convenient there. There are a good number of hotels and dharamshalas surrounding the temple, and stay is affordable and safe. Nearby places of interest include Thaneek Pura, Sheetala Devi temple, Chamunda Devi Temple, Dharamshala Mahantan and the Jwalamukhi Temple. With divine grace blessing this place, your mind will surely find the tranquillity it seeks.