Nine forms of Goddess Durga during Navrathri
During Dussera festival, Goddess Durga is worshipped in forms in nine days of Navrathri celebrations. Durga Matha is an incarnation of nine deities who are worshipped during Navrathri. Each deity is worshipped on each day with differently dressed up.
The Nine forms of Goddess Durga:
Shailaputri
Bharmacharini
Chandra Ghanta
Kushmanda
Skanda Mata
Katyayani
Kaal Ratri
Maha Gauri
Siddhidatri
Shailaputri :
Shailaputri means the daughter of Mountain shaila. Since Parvati is the daughter of King of the Mountains Himavan she is called ‘Shailputri”. Deity Shailaputri is the first among Navadurgas worshipped on the first day of Navarathri during Dussera festival. The incarnation of the power of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, Shailaputri rides a bull and carries a trident and a lotus in her two hands.
Bharmacharini:
On the second day of Navaratri Goddess Durga is worshipped as Bharmacharini which means one who practices dedicated austerity. Brahma means tapa and good conduct. Bharmacharini idol is very gorgeous holding a rosary in her right hand and a water pot in her left hand with Rudraksha beads as her most adored ornaments. Bharmacharini form of Goddess Durga signifies love, peace, prosperity and loyalty. She enlightens us in the magnificent embodiment of Durga with great powers and divine grace.
Chandra Ghanta:
The third day of Navrathri Goddess Durga is worshipped as deity ‘Chandraghanta’ who signifies peace and prosperity. There is a half-circular moon in her forehead in the shape of bell so called Chandraghanta. Shakti as Chandraghanta has a golden bright complexion and rides a lion and has ten hands, three eyes. Eight of her hands display weapons while the remaining two are respectively in the mudras of gestures of boon giving and stopping harm. Deity Chandraghanta symbolizes bravery and possesses great strength to fight against demons.
Kushmanda:
On the fourth day of Navrathri festival deity Kushmanda fourth incarnation of Goddess Durga is worshipped. Deity Kushmanda is considered the creator of the universe which implies her name as ‘Ku’ means a little; ‘ushma’ means ‘warmth’; ‘anda’ means ‘the cosmic egg’. Deity Kushmanda possessed of eight arms, holding a weapons and a rosary and rides on tiger. It is believed that the universe is no more than a void full of darkness, until her light spreads in all directions like rays from the sun. The abode of Kushmanda is Bhimaparvat.
Skanda Mata:
The fifth day of Navrathri is worshipped Goddess Durga as Skanda Mata’ who is referred as the mother of Skanda or Lord Kartikeya. Deity Skanda Mata holds her son skanda on her lap in his infant form. Skanda Mata has four arms and three eyes and holds a lotus in her two hands while the other two hands display defending and granting mudras. Deity Skanda Mata has a bright complexion and often depicted as seated on a lotus.
Katyayani:
The sixth day of Navrathri Goddess Durga is worshepped as deity Katyayani. Deity Katyayani is four-armed carrying a sword, shield and lotus and rides on as lion. It is believed that Goddess Durga was born as a daughter to Sage Katya who wished to have a daughter in the form of a goddess and thus Katyayani an avatar of Durga took birth.She is epitome of love also won’t hesitate to rise up in anger.
Kaal Ratri:
Navrathri seventh day is worshipped by Goddess Durga as Kaal Rathri who has dark complexion with bountiful hair and 4 hands, 2 clutching a cleaver and a torch with a fearlessness posture. She is symbolized as the destroyer of darkness and ignorance. She rides on a donkey with raised right hand which are in the mudras of “giving” and protecting. So she is also known as ‘Shubhamkari’ – one who does good.
Maha Gauri:
The eight form of Goddess Durga is worshipped as Maha Gauri on the eight day of Navrathri celebrations. Deity Maha Gauri symbolizes as the power of unfailing and is intelligent, peaceful and calm and all sins of past, present and future get washed away and devotees get purified in all aspects of life. Deity Maha Gauri is as white as moon and Jasmine. She is of eight years old.
Deity Maha Gauri wears white clothes, has four arms, and rides on a bull. Her right hand is in the pose of allaying fear and her right lower hand holds a trident. The left upper hand holds a ‘damaru’ (a small rattle drum) and the lower one is in the pose of granting boons to her devotees
Siddhidayini or Siddhidatri:
The last day of Navrathri that is on ninth day Goddess Durga is worshipped as deity Siddhidatri who has supernatural healing powers. Deity Siddhidatri has four arms and is beind in a blissful happy enchanting gesture and rides on the lion.
In puranas it is mentioned as Lord Shiva worshipped Deity Siddhidatri and was blessed with all supernatural power and thus how his half body became female and other half body male in the avatar of Ardhnarishvara.