The Kamakhya Temple draws thousands of devotees, ascetics and tantra practitioners during the annual Ambubachi Mela. (Photo: iStock)
There are few mythological legends that are as deeply woven into the sacred geography of the Indian subcontinent as the story of Lord Shiva and Sati. Lord Shiva, devastated by Sati’s death carried her lifeless body on his shoulders. Consumed by grief and anger, he started the Rudra Tandava, the cosmic dance of destruction. However, the Rudra Tandava would cause destruction of the universe, and Lord Vishnu decided to stop Lord Shiva. He used his Sudarshan Chakra to cut Sati’s body into 51 pieces. Every place where the piece of Sati’s body fell became revered as a Shakti Peetha.