Shondesh Shakti Peeth (Sylhet, Bangladesh)

The Shondesh Shakti Peeth is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas, located in Bangladesh. At this site, Sati's left hand (Vama Hasta) is believed to have fallen. The goddess is called Aparna — a form of Parvati associated with intense spiritual austerity: "Aparna" means "without leaves" (a = without; parna = leaf), referring to Sati/Parvati's extreme tapasya (austerities) in which she subsisted without even leaves, reducing her form to pure spiritual fire. This name invokes the aspect of the goddess as the supreme ascetic — the goddess who conquers through spiritual discipline rather than warfare. The Bhairava at this peeth is Trisandhya — "of three sandhyas/twilights," a form of Shiva associated with the three sacred juncture times of the day (dawn, noon, dusk) and the three states of consciousness.