The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Department has mooted a plan to attract north Indian tourists with a circuit of ‘Shakti Peethas’ in the state. Out of the total 18 Shakti Peethas, three Shakti Peethas are in Andhra Pradesh.
Most of the Shakti Peethas are in north India, but no state has three Peethas. Even Uttara Pradesh has only two peethas. By taking advantage of this, the AP Tourism department is now planning the Shakti Peethas circuit.
The state has has Srisaila Peetham, Draksharamam Peetham, and Pushkarini Peetham. Srisaila Peetham has goddess Bramarambika Devi in Bramaramba Mallikharjuna Temple in Srisailam of Kurnool while Draksharamam Peetham has goddess Manikyamba Devi in Bheemeswara Temple in Draksharamam and Pushkarini Peetham has goddess Puruhutika Devi in Kukkuteswara Swamy temple in Pithapuram in East Godavari district.
The Tourism department would release its mission 2023 plan to attract tourists, including the Shakti Peethas circuit. The circuit may come into reality in five to six months, tourism authorities said. Apart from this, a pilgrimage circuit would also be introduced soon.
The Srisailam temple is dedicated to the deities Siva and Parvati. It is significant to the Hindu Sects of both Shaivism and Shaktism as a temple referred to as one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Siva and as of the eighteen Shakti Peethas. It is existing since the second century as there is inscriptional evidence from the Satavahana dynasty, the AP Tourism regional director Srinivasa Pani said.