Dr Ross
Ref your post #723
Yes Dr., it is confusing. I am sure you've heard / read the gruesome story of chopping up of Sati's
body with the Sudarshana Chakram into many chunks. The places where the different body parts and
ornaments fell are supposed to be enshrined as Shakti Peetams. The spot where the hair is supposed to have
fallen is the Chamundeeswari Shrine, Mysore.
But the ambiguity persists - different schools of thought claim different things some claim 64 Shakti Peetams,
while others claim 52 and Sri Adi Shankara's Ashta Dasa Shakthi Stotram mentions 18 (!), but He established 4.
Of the 52 Shakti Peetams, 23 are in Bengal alone ! This is probably because of a common practice in
India, wherein the mortal relics of a famous and respected individual have been preserved, as evidenced
by the Budhist Stupas. These were probably mortal remains of Female Saints, with the added flavour of flowery
and even poetic folk lore that causes these highly dubious and debatable numbers.
However, the only resonance I felt was in Lalitha Sahasranamam - Icha Shakthi, Gyana Shakthi and Kriya Shakthi,
much like the Three Female Deities mentioned in Islam - Al Laat, Al Manaat and Al Uzza.
[ Dr Romila Thapar - a contemporary historian has done extensive research on this and gone on to propound
the theory that the main motive of Muhammed Ghazni to have ravaged the Somnath Temple so many times was
to destroy one of the three remaining Deities that was smuggled out of the then Arabia and hidden there.
The destruction of the other two deities have been accounted for ].
As we stand now, with a history horribly steeped in lack of documentation, chronological dating, full of ambiguities
and contradictions, it is difficult to say anything with even a slightest hint of authenticity.
So, the Chamundeeswary Shrine is where the HAIR fell !
Guruvethunai
Yay Yem