The Goddess Sarala known as Vakdevi is conceived as the active and eternal source of all wisdom, intelligence and inspiration. The deity personifies “Bramha-Vidya” (the mystic knowledge of the absolute), that is the topmost religious concept in the perspective of dakshinachara Shakti Cult. She is also known as Utkal Bharati, where Utkal signifies the state of Orissa and Bharati is one of the epithets of Saraswati.

It is believed that the substance of life and the power of knowledge are given by the Goddess and therefore the other name of the Goddess is “Sarada” This belief was authenticated in the 15th. Century AD. Sidheswara Parida, a devotee belongs to a traditional farmer family adopted his name “Sarala Dasa”(servant of Maa Sarala) by the name of his beloved Goddess. Later on Sidheswara was designated as the foremost poet of Oriya literature by his composition of great epics Oriya Mohabharata, Bilanka Ramayan, Chandipuran and Laxminarayan bachanika. The great poet Sarala Dasa admitted time and again that he had been an illiterate man and composition of the great and epoch-making verses in Oriya Mahabharata was the result of the magic power transferred to him by his beloved Goddess Maa Sarala.

It might have influenced and touched the right chord in the hearts of Oriyas. Any Oriya-speaking person in the field of acting, drama, song, folk dance, literature and creative art pays his highest devotion and regards at the beginning of his performance in the respective field and respective form. The Sarala Thakurani has been the fondest introduction to the artistic excellence, learning and literary brilliance.

All over Orissa there has been spread Shkta culture and a number of temples have been raised in different names like Sarala (Jhankada), Vimala (Puri), Ramachandi (Konark), Bhagabati (Banapur), Kalijai (Chilika), Narayani (Balugaon), Taratareni (Ganjam), Tarini (Ghatagaon), Bhadrakali (Bhadrak), Biraja (Jajpur), Mangala(Kakatpur), Manikeswari (Kalahandi) and Samalei (Sambalpur). They are more or less similar invocation incantation and manner of worship but everywhere through out the state and in the neighbouring states like Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Chhatisgarh and West Bengal (Medinipur). Folk song dances like Pala, Daskathia, Ghodanacha and Opera pay their obeisance to Goddess Sarala. Literary activity, commencement of learning “Vidyarambha”. Her very name invites devotion and protection.