Kade Sheetla Dham is an important place of Shakti Worship in Prayaga, is around 70 km from Prayagraj, at Kade in Manikpur Kaushambi, Uttar Pradesh. The temple, on the banks of Ganga River, is the abode of Goddess Sheetla and is one of the 51 shakti peethas.
It is believed that Sati’s hand fell here when her body was cut by Vishnu’s Sudarshan Chakra to stop the destruction of the cosmos. This makes it an important place of pilgrimage for the devotees of Shakti.
Shiva is worshipped here as Kaleshwara, and the old city was named Kala Nagara after him. It was also called Karkat Nagar – kara is hand and kara signifies the cutting off of something.
Shiva is worshipped here as Kaleshwara, and the old city was named Kala Nagara after him. It was also called Karkat Nagar – kara is hand and kara signifies the cutting off of something.
It is believed that Yudhisthira of the Mahabharata visited the spot during pilgrimage and built the first shrine and installed the Shivling.
Kada is mentioned as a place of Hindu pilgrimage by Ibn Battuta (1340 AD).
Destroyer of Hindu temples, Aurangzeb was unable to even touch the shrine due to the power of the Goddess. He was forced to grant land and donations.
The most important festival observed here is the Navratri which falls in September or October. The nine-day festival attracts Goddess Shakti worshippers from all over India and neighboring countries.
It is said that whenever there is an outbreak of contagious disease in the region people take refuge in the shrine and sprinkle water offered to goddess and they get cured immediately.
The main offering in the shrine are coconut (नारियल), बताशा, dress (चुनरी), flag(ध्वज पताका एवं निशान), ornaments (आभूषण) and clothes (वस्त्र ).