Maa Taratarini Temple

Tara Tarini Temple
ତରା ତାରିଣୀ ପୀଠ
Newly Renovated Temple
Tara Tarini Temple Location in Ganjam, Odisha, India Show map of Odisha Tara Tarini Temple Location in Ganjam, Odisha, India Show map of India
Name
Other names	Sthana Peeth (Breast Shrine) of Adi Shakti, Tara Tantra Peetha
Proper name	Maa Tara Tarini
Devanagari	माँ तारा तारिणी
Geography
Coordinates	19°29′22.83″N 84°53′59.23″E / 19.4896750°N 84.8997861°E / 19.4896750; 84.8997861Coordinates: 19°29′22.83″N 84°53′59.23″E / 19.4896750°N 84.8997861°E / 19.4896750; 84.8997861
Country	India
State	Odisha
District	Ganjam
Location	Near Brahmapur City
Culture
Primary deity	Tara and Tarini (Tara & Adi Mata/Adi Shakti)
Important festivals	Chaitra Mela/Chaitra Parva/Chaitra Yatra, Dusshera, Navaratri, Dipawali, Sankranti, All Tuesdays of the year
Architecture
Architectural styles	Kalinga Architecture / Hindu temple architecture
Number of temples	Five
Number of monuments	Five hundred
Inscriptions	At the Foot Hill of the Shrine (Shiv Temple)
History and governance
Date built	Satya Yuga
Creator	Kalinga Emperors in Ancient Period, Basupraharaj in Medieval period in 17th century and Tara Tarini Development Board at present
Website	http://taratarini.nic.in/

Taratarini Temple on the Kumari hills at the bank of the River Rushikulya near Brahmapur city in Ganjam District, Odisha, India is worshiped as the Breast Shrine (Sthana Peetha) and manifestations of Adi Shakti. The Tara Tarini Shakti Peetha is one of the oldest pilgrimage centers of the Mother Goddess and is one of four major ancient Tantra Peetha and Shakti Peethas in India.

The mythological texts recognize four major Shakti Peethas: Tara Tarini (Stana Khanda), near Brahmapur; Bimala (Pada Khanda) inside the Jagannath Temple, Puri; Kamakhya (Yoni khanda), near Guwahati; and Dakshina Kalika (Mukha khanda) in Kolkata. There are 52 other sacred Shakti Peethas, which originated from the limbs of Mata Sati's corpse in the Satya Yuga.

The shrine is considered as one of the most revered Shakti Peethas & Tantra Peethas and major pilgrimage centres of Shakta(Shaktism)sect of Hinduism. It is believed that the shrine is a Shakti Peetha. Shakti Peethas are holy abodes of Parashakti. This is believed to have originated from the mythological story, of falling of the body parts of the corpse of Sati Devi, when Shiva carried it and wandered. There are 51 Shakti Peethas and 26 Upa Peethas spread across the Indian sub-continent. 51 Shakti Peethas are believed to be representing the 51 letters in Sanskrit alphabet. Sati Devi's breasts are believed to have fallen here in Tara Tarini. The Shakti of the shrine is addressed as Maa Tara Devi.

The origin of Shakti Peethas are related to the mythology of Daksha yagna and Sati's self-immolation. The Shakti Peetha shrines lead to the development of Shaktism in India.