Sugandha Shakti Peetha

Sugandha Shakti Peetha is located at Shikarpur, north of Barisal in Bangladesh, close to the river traditionally associated with the name Sugandha. The shrine is dedicated to Goddess Sunanda and is also known locally as Shikarpur Tarabari. It remains one of Bangladesh’s recognised Hindu pilgrimage sites and forms part of the wider network of Shakti Peethas distributed across the Indian subcontinent.

The classical Sugandha tradition associates the site with Sati’s nasika, or nose. The presiding Shakti is Sunanda, while Sugandha is used as an alternate divine name, and the accompanying Bhairava is Tryambaka. The symbolism of fragrance is naturally connected with the nose and with the name Sugandha. D. C. Sircar includes the Peetha among the Mahapithas recorded in the Shivacharita. Banwari Lal Kanchhal classifies the identified shrine as a Samshaktipeeth, demonstrating that modern source traditions do not always assign the same rank.

Shiva Chaturdashi is the temple’s best-documented annual festival, bringing devotees for special worship connected with Sunanda and Tryambaka. Reliable public documentation concerning the shrine’s architectural history and administrative development remains limited, so uncertain dates or rebuilding claims should be avoided. Sugandha is best presented as a living Shakta pilgrimage centre whose identity rests on its Shikarpur location, the Sunanda–Tryambaka pairing and the traditional association with Sati’s nose.