Chintpurni
| Maa Chintpurni | |
|---|---|
Mata Chintpurni inside from back gate | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| District | Una district |
| Deity | Chhinnamasta |
| Festivals | Navratri |
| Location | |
| Location | Chintpurni, 177110 |
| State | Himachal Pradesh |
| Country | India |
Location in Himachal Pradesh | |
| Coordinates | 31°48′31″N 76°06′10″E / 31.808620°N 76.102870°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Hindu |
| Creator | Mai Das |
| Completed | unknown |
| Elevation | 977.87 m (3,208 ft) |
| Website | |
| http://chintpurni.in | |
Chintpurni is a small town in the Una district of Himachal Pradesh about 40 km (25 miles) north of Una, not far from the border with the Indian state of Punjab. The elevation is about 977 meters (about 3,200 feet). It is home to the Maa Chintpurni Temple which is a major pilgrimage site as one of the Shakta pithas in India. The Hindu genealogy registers at Chintpurni, Himachal Pradesh are kept here. North of Chintpurni are the western Himalayas. Chintpurni lies within the much lower Shiwalik (or Shivalik) range.
Himachal Pradesh has 5 Shakti Pithas - Chintpurni, Jwalamukhi Temple, Bajreshwari Mata Temple, Shri Chamunda Devi Mandir and Naina Devi Temple.
The legend behind the Shakti Pitha is part of the Shaktism tradition which tells the story of the self-immolation of the goddess Sati. Vishnu had to cut her body into 51 body parts, which fell on Earth and became these sacred sites.
The legend of Chhinnamasta Devi is apparently also part of the Shaktism tradition in Chintpurni. Here, Chhinnamasta is interpreted as the severed-headed one as well as the foreheaded-one.