Pitambara Peeth

Getting there

• By air

  Gwalior Airport is the nearest airport, about 70 to 75 km from Datia.

• By train

  Datia Railway Station is the nearest railhead, 1 to 3 km from the temple. Auto-rickshaws are readily available there.

• By road

  Regular state-run and private buses run to Datia, and taxis and cars reach the temple by well-maintained highways. Jhansi is about 29 km away.

Rules to know

• Visitors should dress modestly and leave leather items outside the temple premises.
• Keep silence where you are asked to.
• The temple does not take money offerings from devotees.

Why devotees come here

Pitambara Peeth in Datia town is one of India's most revered Shakti shrines. It is dedicated to Baglamukhi, known in northern India as Pitambara Devi or Maa Pitambara. Darshan opens early in the morning and the day closes with a night aarti.

Pitambara Peeth is primarily a Shakti pitha, a place of worship devoted to the Divine Mother. The shrine is dedicated to Baglamukhi. A legend says she emerged from the Haridra Sarovar to calm a destructive storm. The Vankhandeshwar Shiva lingam here is alleged to date from the time of the Mahabharata.

Swami Ji arrived in Datia in the late 1920s and spent years in intense tapasya, austerity, at this site. In the mid-1930s he installed the idol of Baglamukhi, which formally founded the Peeth. The temple blends Rajput and Maratha styles, and it is known for its intricate carvings and sculptures.

Tuesdays and Fridays are considered especially auspicious for Baglamukhi worship. Navratri is the most significant time to visit, with elaborate rituals and cultural programmes.

Festivals

• 4 May every yearDatia Gaurav Divas (Peetambara Mai Jayanti)

  Held alongside the Maa Pitambara Prakatya Mahotsav. The Rath Yatra starts at the Peeth's main gate and goes through the city to the stadium grounds.

• NavratriNavratri

  The most significant time to visit, with elaborate rituals and cultural programmes.

Tips for your visit

• Tuesdays and Fridays are considered especially auspicious for Baglamukhi worship.
• October to March is the best season, when Datia's weather is at its most pleasant.
• Datia Palace, a seven-storey Bundela palace, is one of the main historical monuments of Datia.

Questions people ask