Maa Sarala !!

 Devi maa's sodasha upachar has started in all the Shakti peethas. 

Let's start this with the place my ancestors come from Jagatsinghpur, Odisha. Adhishtaatri devi of Jagatsinghpur is Maa Sarala. Jhankada basini maa Sarala. 

According to folklore Maa sati's tongue had fallen here. So, she is also called Vakdevi or Bakdevi. In the temple the stone idol of maa has 8 hands and her right feet is on a lion. Just as in her Mahisamardini swarup. She is referred to as the Goddess of knowledge or wisdom. In one of her hand she holds a book or pushtak. 

She possess Shiva's trident, Vishu's Chakra, Vayu's bow, Surya's arrow, Vishwakarma's axe, Indra's thunder, Airavat's bell and Himavan's lion. 

According to folklore she was carved by Parshuram the incarnation of lord Vishnu and was worshipped by him for wisdom and power. Sarala Das who wrote Odia Mahabharat was an ardent follower of Maa Sarala.

Though I visit my village rarely once in 10 to 15 yrs we would visit Sarala temple first and then go to our village. 

Only this year I could not go there. I went straight to my maternal uncle 's house to meet my granny. She is too old so meeting her is far more important than going to temples. Stayed just a day there and returned. Don't know if ever I can again go there. Still could not go to our village. But, this time I remember Jagatsinghpur in a better way my birth place afterall.