Tara Tarini Hill Temple is believed to be the Shakti Peeth or Breast Peeth Temple of Adi Shakti. Popular belief is that when Sati could not tolerate the disrespect of her husband, Sati ended her life by jumping into the yagya fire of her father Daksha. When Lord Shiva came to know about this, he could not control his anger, started performing the tandava dance with the dead body of Sati in his hand and the whole creation trembled after feeling the end. When the dead body of Mother Sati was divided into many parts by Lord Vishnu. During this, the breasts of Goddess Sati fell at this place (Tara Tarini Temple).

Adi Shakti Devi Tara Tarini is regarded as the Ishta Devi (presiding deity) in most of the households of Odisha. Representing the goddesses Tara and Tarini with gold and silver ornaments, the main temple has two ancient stone statues of what appear to be human faces, with two brass heads in between them known as her living image. This episode is described differently in the Devi Bhagvat written by Maharishi Vedavyasa. Brahma and Vishnu requested Shakti to enter the body of Sati and immerse her in 108 parts. Where the body parts of Goddess Sati fell, Shakti Peeth was formed. Scholars believe that both the versions are correct which have different spiritual meanings related to creation.

According to another legend, once Maharaja Vashistha invoked the goddess Tara Tarini. He spent years in meditation but failed to please him. Then he cursed the goddess to remain without worship, Goddess Tara Tarini appeared before him and Vashishtha repented of the curse. He said that Goddess Tara Tarini would reappear from the eyes of Goddess Lakshmi. Till then he should remain in the eyes of Lakshmi. When tears fell from the eyes of Mother Sita in the form of Lakshmi incarnation in Ashoka Vatika, the two goddesses - Tara and Tarini - were resurrected. After helping Rama against Ravana, he returned to his eternal abode, Tarini hill.
 
Seva and Puja: The day begins at 5:05 pm with a bathing ritual to 9.45 pm with bhog and pahara (closing the temple doors after the last ritual is over at night).

Celebration
Happy Makar Sankranti day. Dol Purnima/Falgun Purnima during February/March.
 Chaitra Parva, Basantika Parva Chaitra During the month of March/April, Chaitra Mela is a big fair.
Chitlagi Amavasya or Shravan Amavasya during July/August
Shravan Purnima - July / August
Saptapuri Amavasya - Bhadra (August)
Shardiya festival - Ashwina Mulashtami to Dussehra (September/October)
Diwali or Shyamkali Puja on Kartika Amavasya during October/November

Best time to visit: All year round

Interesting fact:
During the month of Chaitra, with 250 barbers at the top of the hill and another 500 at its base, people flock here to get the baby shaved.

Nearby Places:
16 km from Berhampur is an ancient sea port called Gopalpur, 35 km from Berhampur is Junagadh, where ancient inscriptions from the era of Ashoka are visible. The hot springs near Tapatapani are famous as Aryapalli.