Peeth

Peeth, from Sanskrit pīṭha meaning seat or throne, is a term used in Hinduism and related traditions to denote a religious seat or institution. A peeth may take the form of a monastery or matha (monastic complex) that preserves a spiritual lineage and serves as a place of teaching, worship, and social activity. Peeths are typically headed by a peethadhipati (head of the peeth) and act as centers for the transmission of guru-parampara and various devotional or philosophical disciplines. The term is applied to many established institutions across India, including the four mathas traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya—Sringeri Sharada Peetham in the south, Dwarka Matha in the west, Puri Govardhan Matha in the east, and Jyotirmath (Joshimath) in the north—seen as anchors of the Advaita Vedanta tradition.

In Shaktism, Shakti Peethas are sacred temples dedicated to goddess Shakti. They are linked to mythologies about the goddess Sati, whose body parts are said to have fallen to earth at various sites, forming 51 (or 52) temples of pilgrimage across the Indian subcontinent. These sites are centers of worship, pilgrimage, and regional religious culture.

In addition to these institutional uses, peeth can simply mean the seat or throne of a deity within a temple, or a place of learning and scholarship within a broader religious ecosystem. The word remains a flexible designation for authority, learning, and sacred space in Hindu religious life.