The
history of the shakt sect is far from complete, and very little is known with any amount
of certainty about how that sect had fared in Maharashtra. There is some ground to believe
that during the early medieval ages shaktism with its various mantras and tantras did
prevail in this region. Literature of several Marathi saints contains several references
to shakt worship. Tukaram and Dinkarswami, the disciple of Swami Ramdas, have mentioned
the various rites the shakts practised. These and other saints are strongly critical of
what they consider to be the 'anachars’ practised by the shakts especially the
observance of the rites known as the ‘panch-makars. ’However, there is
little evidence to believe that these orthodox practices are presently current at any of
the shakti-piths in this area. The most important such piths of Maharashtra are four in
number, although, technically considered to be only three and a half. They are those at
Kolhapur, Mahur, Saptshringi and TuIjapur Some consider Saptshringi to be the one half
pith, others maintain that it is Kolhapur that is half a pith. The goddess at Tuljapur is
known as Bliavani; the one at Kolhapur as Mahalakshmi and as Amba; and that at Mahur as
Mahamaya Renuka. The Devi at Saptshringi is Jagadamba. All these are extremely popular in
the region. Apart from these four or three and a half piths, there are numerous others
like Ambe Jogai in the Osmanabad district and Aundh in the Satara district.These centres
are however, of secondary importance. Several castes and families of Maharashtra worship
one of the above deities as their family goddess.
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