INTRODUCTION: 
Matangi Devi is one among the Mahavidyas, and contains the features of Parvati, the Holy Mother. She is also described as an aspect of Goddess Saraswati. Similar to Saraswati, she is the god for education, music, wisdom, courage and knowledge. By worshiping her we can acquire great powers, and can safeguard ourselves from enemies, reach the top position in our life, moving with others in a pleasing manner and obtain good knowledge in all the subjects.
Matangi is considered as the goddess of impurity and unhygienic. She is offered with the left-over food or spoiled food. Matangi appears with a green body. She plays the instrument veena and appeared with a parrot.
The mantra meant for her is very powerful to come out from the enemy related sufferings and also from tension, regular quarrels in the home as well as in the office, lack of peace, unsound mind and unsound body. It is advisable to recite the mantras with full of devotion and faith on her, especially on Tuesdays and Fridays, and to offer the remaining portion of the consumed food or also can offer fresh food to her. We can place a picture of her in our puja room and meditate her by chanting her names as well as reciting her slokas and to observe in deep devotion while doing puja to her. She wears red garments and red jewelry. She looks like a young lady, and carries weapons and the veena instrument in her hands. She shows smile on her face and blesses us, and gives all sorts of prosperity to us.
According to the ancient puranas, once, Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi visited Shiva and Parvati and offered feast to them. While the gods were eating, some portion of the food fell down on the ground, and immediately a beautiful Goddess was formed in that place similar to the appearance of Mata Saraswati, and ate the left-over food of the gods.
After consuming the holy Prasad, she has become more powerful and got boons from the gods. She has got a permanent place in the divine world and controls the universe with the powers of the Trimurties. It is also believed that Sati Mata after immolating herself in the fire, turned out into Matangi Devi, in order to destroy the bad forces and to protect the good ones in the world.
She is also worshiped in Varanasi and receives the worship similar to that of Lord Shiva in Varanasi. The temples dedicated to her are very few. Some of the temples are as follows:
1. Matangi Devi Temple at Belgaum, Karnataka.
2. Matangi Devi Temple at Madanapalle, Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh.
3. Mata Matangi Temple at Nangur, Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu.
4. Matangi Mandir at Jhabua in Madhya Pradesh.
IMPORTANCE
She also gives the listening and grasping power to the devotees, and controls the mind and body. By worshiping her, our bad activities and bad thoughts will be controlled and our senses also will be greatly controlled and we can live by doing good deeds. She is also the controller of speech and gives learning capacity, similar to Saraswati. By meditating her, we will get good speech and can master all forms of art, and attain great spiritual and mental energy.
Her mantra must be recited at least one thousand times and we have to offer flowers, fruits and food-Mainly consumed cooked rice mixed with vegetables (Holy Prasadam) to her while doing puja, and to offer ghee for conducting homas.
Even though it is mentioned in the epics, that we have to offer only consumed food to her, there is no compulsion behind that. We can also serve fresh food with flowers and fruits. Only thing is that, we have to do the offerings to her with sincere devotion on our mind, and must realize her greatness in every moment of our life. By doing good activities to the poor people like offering food, clothing and shelter, she will appreciate our efforts, and will make us to shine in our life.
Let us worship the divine mother and be blessed.
“OM SREE MATANGI DEVIYE NAMAHA”“OM NAMAH SHIVAYA”
SENT BY
R.HARISHANKAR
