Chintpurni

Maa Chintpurni
Maa Chintpurni Location in Himachal Pradesh
Name
Other names	Chhinnmastika Shakti Peeth
Proper name	Chintpurni Shakti Peeth
Geography
Coordinates	31°49′00″N 76°08′00″E / 31.8167°N 76.1333°E / 31.8167; 76.1333Coordinates: 31°49′00″N 76°08′00″E / 31.8167°N 76.1333°E / 31.8167; 76.1333
Country	India
State	Himachal Pradesh
District	Una
Location	Chintpurni, 177110
Elevation	950 m (3,117 ft)
Culture
Primary deity	Chhinnamasta Shakti Peeth
Architecture
Architectural styles	Hindu
History and governance
Date built	unknown
Creator	Mai Das
Website	http://chintpurni.in

Chintpurni (Hindi: चिंतपूर्णी Punjabi: ਚਿੰਤਪੂਰਨੀ) is a major pilgrimage center and one of the Shakti Peethas in India. The Chintpurni shakti peeth (Chhinnamastika shakti peeth) is located in Una district Himachal Pradesh state, surrounded by the western Himalaya in the north and east in the smaller Shiwalik (or Shivalik) range bordering the state of Punjab. The Chintpurni Shakti Peeth houses the temple of Chinnamastika Devi or Chinnamasta Devi. Chhinnamasta or Chinnamastika temple is one of the 7 major and 51 total Shakti Peethas. Here, Chhinnamasta is interpreted as the severed-headed one as well as the foreheaded-one.

When Lord Vishnu severed the burning body of Maa Sati into 51 pieces so that Lord Shiva would calm down and stop his Tandava, the pieces were scattered over various places in the Indian subcontinent. It is believed that Sati’s head fell at this place and is thus considered one of the most important of the 51 Shakti Peethas.

The goddess residing in Chintpurni is also known by the name of Chhinnamastika. According to Markandeya Purana, goddess Chandi defeated the demons after a fierce battle but two of her yogini emanations (Jaya and Vijaya) were still thirsty for more blood. Goddess Chandi cut off her own head to quench Jaya and Vijaya’s thirst for more blood.

She is usually shown holding her own severed head in her hand, drinking one stream of blood spurting from the arteries in her neck, while at her side are two naked yoginis, each of whom drinks another stream of blood.

Chhinnamasta, the headless goddess, is the Great Cosmic Power who helps the sincere and devoted yogi to dissolve his or her mind, including all the preconceived ideas, attachments and habits into the Pure Divine Consciousness. Cutting off the head suggests the separation of the mind from the body, that is the freedom of the consciousness from the material confines of the physical body.