Place · Shakta pitha · India
Attahās
The Shakta Pitha at Attahas in Birbhum district, West Bengal — one of the four Birbhum Shakta Pithas, said to be the site where Sati's lower lip fell. The name 'Attahas' means 'the goddess's laughter' — the goddess's loud laughter after Sati's self-immolation is said to have reverberated through the forest here. The temple is a modest 18th-century structure in a grove, part of the dense Birbhum Pitha network (Tarapith, Bakreshwar, Kankalitala, Attahas, Nalhati). The pilgrimage circuit of all four is traditionally completed in a single three-day yatra by Birbhum Shakta sadhakas. The temple is managed by the local Attahas committee.
- Periods
- Regional Flourishing, Islamic Age and Bhakti Traditions, Republic and Living Practice
- Function
- Sacred site & pilgrimage
- Confidence
- Mixed / layered — The place is documented; its associated historical or cultural record and its named tradition are distinct layers.
- Location
- 23.640, 87.980
Worth knowing
Attahasa literally means loud laughter or a great burst of laughter. According to one traditional interpretation, the name refers to the Goddess’s enormous cosmic laughter. The shrine is associated with Fullara and lies in Birbhum, a region particularly rich in Shakta, Baul and Tantric traditions.
On these journeys
Sources
Hindu pilgrimage sites in India — Wikipedia
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