15, June 2025
Hudh Mata: The Unidentified Shakti Peetha of Dachhan
Author(s): Dr. Anoop Singh
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DOIs:10.2017/IJRCS/202506010 | Paper ID: IJRCS202506010Abstract
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Abstract: The sacred geography of the Indian subcontinent is intricately woven through the Shakti Peetha tradition, believed to mark the spots where the divine body parts of Mata Sati fell. While classical texts enumerate between 26 to 108 Shakti Peethas, many spiritually potent sites remain outside these canonical lists. This paper examines the Hudh Mata shrine in the Dachhan Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, near the Hudh Kund Mountain, and reconsiders its cultural, spiritual, and mythological significance through textual references, folklore, and regional traditions. Specific emphasis is laid on the nearby shrine of Trisandeshwar Bhairav, aligning with the tantric belief of Bhairava protecting each Peetha. Based on the verse from Tantra Chudamani, which locates Sati's throat (Kantha) in Kashmir, and supported by oral narratives and devotional practices, the study argues for recognizing Hudh Mata as an unidentified Shakti Peetha—Kanthadesha—of the Dachhan. This research contributes to the evolving discourse of devotional cartography, challenging classical boundaries and validating localized sacred memory within the Shakta tradition.
Key Word: Hoth Mata, Trisandeshwar, Kaikoot, Trisandhya, Doodh Ganga, Bhramsar.
Dr. Anoop Singh (2025); Hudh Mata: The Unidentified Shakti Peetha of Dachhan, International Journal of Research Culture Society, ISSN(O): 2456-6683, Volume – 9, Issue – 6, Pp.67-80 Available on – https://ijrcs.org/