The well-known temple of Goddess Mahakali at Chandrapur is not included in the three and a half Shakti Peeths of Maharashtra but is considered to be the major Shakti Peeth of Vidarbha.  Outside the Chandrapur fort, south of the Zarpat river near the Anchaleshwar temple, on the Chandrapur-Aheri road, is the Mahakali temple.  The original temple is said to have been built by the Gond king Khandakya Ballal Shah (1472-1497).  A carved idol of Mahakali (Wakataka period) was found in a basement on a rock on the south bank of the river and the king built a small temple on the spot.  All the Gond kings who came after Khandakya Ballal Shah became devotees of Mahakali, and Mahakali became the chief deity of the Gond dynasty of Chandrapur.  The temple we see today was built by Rani Hirai for the victory of her husband, King Bir Shah, over her son-in-law.