Toshali Sands

Sapta Matrika - Deities, consorts of gods. They are Brahmani (Brahma) Vaisnavi (Vishnu) Indrani (Indra), Kaumari(Kumara), Varahi.(Varahp), Mahesvari (Mahesvara) and Chamunda. Chandi Bhagabata mentions six. matrikas (No Chamunda), Devi Bhagabata and Linga Purana describe eight of them.

Two types of matrikas are seen in Orissa:

(i) Matrikas with war weapons and (ii) matrikas as mothers with child in ‘their laps. Matrikas are noticed in Jajpur, in Puri near Markandeswara tank, in Parsuvamesvara temple and Vaital temples of Bhubanesvara, in Belakhandi, Salanpur of Jagatsinghpur, in Khiching and at Seragarh in Balasore.