Chattal Shakti Peeth (Chandranath)

Chandranath hill, Sitakunda upazila, Chittagong district

51 Shakti Peeths

About

Chandranath is one of the main Hindu pilgrimages of the Chittagong region of Bangladesh. On the summit of Chandranath hill, the highest peak in Chittagong district, stands the Shiv temple of Chandranath, and the shrine of Maa Bhavani is held to be the Chattal Shakti Peeth, where the right arm of Devi Sati fell; the Bhairav is Chandrashekhar. A little below the peak is the Virupaksha temple, and at the foot lie the Vyas Kund and an ancient banyan. Sacred to both Shaktas and Shaivas, the hill draws sadhus and families alike.

The story

The Shakti Peeth story tells that after the sorrowful events at King Daksha's yagya, Shiv ji wandered in grief with Devi Sati's body, and Vishnu ji's Sudarshan chakra divided it; on these Chattal hills her right arm fell.

The whole area is full of local legends. The town of Sitakunda takes its name from a pond that, it is said, the sage Bhargava made for Sita ji to bathe in when Shri Ram passed this way during his years in the forest. At the foot of the hill is the Vyas Kund, where Maharishi Vyas is believed to have meditated and performed a yagya; pilgrims bathe here before the climb. Tripura's old chronicle, the Rajmala, says that about 800 years ago a king named Biswambhar Sur tried to reach Chandranath by sea, and later the rulers of Tripura gave the temple many gifts. In older times Sitakunda was a sacred place for Buddhists too, and Buddhist temples still stand in the area.

Visiting

November to February is the best time; the Shivratri mela brings huge crowds. Sitakunda is about 38 km north of Chittagong by road or rail. The climb takes a few hours: a gentler forest trail goes up on the left and stone steps on the right. Start early, carry water and wear good shoes. Pilgrims from India need a passport and a Bangladesh visa.

Festivals

Shiv Chaturdashi mela (Maha Shivratri) in Phalgun (February–March); the fair lasts until Dol Purnima

51 Shakti Peeths

Sources