Kartoyatat Shakti Peeth (Bhabanipur)

The story

According to the Shakti Peeth tradition, after King Daksha's yagya Shiv ji wandered in grief carrying the body of Devi Sati. Vishnu ji's Sudarshan chakra then divided the body, and wherever a part or an ornament fell, a Shakti Peeth arose. Devotees believe the left anklet of Sati fell at Bhabanipur, though some texts name another part, such as a rib, the right eye or her bedding. Here the Devi is Aparna and the Bhairav is Vaman, and Bharatkosh notes that pilgrims first have darshan of the Bhairav and then of the Devi. The Karatoya itself is held sacred: one tradition says the river began from the water poured on Shiv ji's hands at his wedding with Maa Parvati. A much-loved local story tells of a seller of conch-shell bangles (shankha) who was passing a lonely pond near the temple. A little girl wearing sindoor bought a pair of bangles, said she was a daughter of the Natore palace, and asked him to collect the price from Rani Bhabani. Puzzled, the Rani came to the pond with him. When he prayed, two arms wearing the new bangles rose from the water. Since then the pond has been called Shankha Pukur, and the Natore royal family later repaired it.