This is an important religious stopover as it is one of the 51 shaktipeethas (devotional shrines where the severed body parts of Goddess Sati fell) in the country. Bhadrakali Temple is said to be the place where her ankle fell. Devotees know the temple by many names including Savitri Peeth, Devi Peeth, Kalika Peeth or Aadi Peeth.

Legend has it that indignant at the behaviour of her father, who insulted her husband Lord Shiva, Goddess Sati committed Sati, or self-immolation in her father's yajna (a fire ritual). Devastated, Lord Shiva began pacing the universe with the burning body of his wife in his arms, causing havoc wherever he went. To save the universe, Lord Vishnu sent his sudarshan chakra to cut up her body into 52 parts so that the damage would be as less as possible. It is believed that wherever Sati�s body parts fell, a shaktipeeth was established.

The temple is also associated with the Mahabharata legend. It is believed that Lord Krishna, along with the Pandavas, worshipped at this temple and offered their chariot horses as sacrifice. So local lore suggests that even today, if a devotee makes a wish at the temple and it comes true, the devotee should, in the fashion of the Pandavas, offer a couple of horses. As a result of this local lore, a number of devotees can be seen offering horses made of clay or precious metals at the temple. Another story associated with the temple states that the mundan or the sacred head shaving ceremony of Lord Krishna and his brother Balram was performed here. The temple receives a lot of footfall during festivals like navratras (a nine-day-long festival).