NAVARATRI -- DASARA 

It’s October, and that means it’s the month of dance, much and revelry! Navratri is celebrated from the first to ninth date of Ashwin Shukla Paksha of the Hindu Calendar, which usually falls in October. This is essentially a religious festival.

Goddesses Worshiped 

During the festival of navratri, the goddess Durga, who is a form of goddess Parvati, is worshiped in her nine forms.

There are 9 forms of the Divine Mother they are:


Shailaputri: Navi-Ratri commences with the first night devoted to a puja for Shailaputri, the daughter of Himavan. Her two hands, display a trident and a lotus. She is mounted upon a bull (also Lord Shiva's vehicle)



Bramacharini: One hand holds a water pot and the other a rosary. She personifies love and loyalty.



Chadraghanta: Worshipped on the third night this Durga-Shakti is astride a tiger, displays a golden hue to her skin, possesses ten hands and three eyes. Eight of her hands display weapons while the remaining two are respectively in the mudras or gestures of boon-giving and stopping harm.


Kushmanda: The fourth night begins the worship of Kushmanda, possessed of eight arms, holding weapons and a maalaa or rosary. Her mount is a tiger and she emanates a solar-like aura.




Skandamata: Using a lion as a vehicle she holds her son, Skanda, in her lap while displaying three eyes and fours: Two hands hold lotuses while the other two hands respectively display defending and granting gestures.





Katyayani: Daughter of the sage Katya, this sixth shakti is also astride a lion with three eyes and eight arms clasping battle implements. Her complexion is golden coloured.





Kalaratri: Black skin with bountiful hair and four hands: two hands are clutching a cleaver and a torch, while the remaining to are in the mudras of giving and protecting. Her vahana (vehicle) is a faithful donkey.





Mahagauri: Four arms with the fairest complexion of all the Durga-Shaktis. Peace and compassion radiate from her being and she is often dressed in a white or green sari. She holds a drum and a trident and is often depicted riding a bull (Lord Shiva's vahana).



Siddhihatri: Ensconced upon a lotus, most commonly, with four arms, and is the possessor of twenty-six different wishes to grant her worshipers.