The Kankalitala temple is located on the banks of the Kopai River in Bolpur. It is said that the kankal (waist bone) of Sati fell here, making it one of the Shakti Peethas and also believed to be the last of the 51 Peethas. Here, the Mother is worshipped in the form of Mahakali.
For the midday rice offering (Annobhog), the Mother is
served five kinds of fried items, dal (lentils), fried rice, cabbage curry,
chutney, and payesh.
According to Tantra Chudamani, Kankalitala is the 28th Shakti
Peeth. In ancient times, this place was known as Kanchi. According to the Peeth Nirnay Tantra, it is said
that Sati’s bone fell here, which is why it is called Kankalitola.
Additionally, the Anandamangal epic by Bharat Chandra mentions that Sati’s
waist portion fell here. However, there are differing opinions among scholars
and people about this Shakti Peeth.
The goddess of this Shakti Peeth is popularly known as Garbhadevi
and is worshipped along with Ruru Bhairava. There is a kund (water tank)
adjacent to the temple, which is believed to have great spiritual significance.
The kund contains several stone fragments, which ascetics have identified as
parts of the goddess's body. These stone fragments are taken out of the kund
once every twenty years, and after the worship, they are submerged back into
the water. It is said that the kund at Kankalitola is directly connected to the
Manikarnika Ghat in Kashi. The place is surrounded by many miraculous stories,
making it quite an attractive spot for tourists.