Nine Forms, One Goddess

Mythological insights and a new outlook to an age-old festival.

Ever since I was introduced to the festival of Navratri, I was told that the 9 nights were celebrated with such zeal to commemorate two remarkable mythological events. First being Lord Ram‘s battle with the Lankan emperor Raavan and second, the battle of Goddess Durga with the buffalo demon “Mahishasura” both of which ended with the triumph of the virtuous over the evil.

The images I formed of this festival were night-time poojas and the hard-to-miss Garba and Dandiya dances performed by heavily dressed up men and women. The tenth day was incomplete without the typical Gujarati breakfast comprising of Jalebi and Fafda.

Recently I learnt that Parvati and Durga were two forms of the same Goddess and just a few days ago, it was drawn to my understanding that each of the nine days of Navratri represents a form of the black-skinned Goddess who holds her scarlet tongue out as if to eat away all the evil in the world.

Shailaputri is known to be her first manifestation. With the crescent moon adorning her head and riding on the Nandi bull, she is said to be the daughter of the Himalayas and is endowed with the powers of Bramha, Vishnu and Mahesh.

The second incarnation is Bramhacharini – the celibate Goddess. She wears a rudraksha mala and is draped in white. The pious and peaceful form symbolises happiness, peace, prosperity and grace.

Third comes Chandraghantaa. With ten arms and riding on a tiger, she too wears the crescent moon. During the war of the Devs and the Asurs, her bell/ghanta is said to have banished the demons to the abode to the Death God – Yamraj – and hence the name. Always roaring with anger, she symbolises serenity and power.

The fourth night is dedicated to Kushamandaa who is said to be the only one powerful enough to reside in the core of the Sun. She is said to have created the Universe with her energy-filled “little cosmic egg” (the meaning of her name) that came from her smile. Having a golden complexion, she rides a lion.

Skand Mata is worshipped on the fifth night. Bearing Kartik aka Skand on her lap, she is said to have a white complexion and symbolises selflessness and vulnerability.

Katayani, the symbol of great courage and the sin-destroyer, was born to sage Kaatya and assumed a huge and massive form right after her birth. It is this form of the Goddess that is said to have ended Mahishasura. She is worshipped on the sixth night.

The Seventh night worships the one dark as the night itself is – Kalaratrti who rides a donkey. She shows that life has a dark and ferocious side to it. Also known as Kaali, she wears a garland that emits refulgence.  Like her significant other, she has three eyes but in addition, has the ability to breathe fire onto her enemies.

The eighth form is Maha Gauri or the “very fair”. Having earned the Mahadev as her husband after years of penance, Shiva washed away the mud and leaves that had accumulated on her body by the river Ganga arising from his bun of matted hair. She rides a white elephant or a white bull and is said to be the symbol of prosperity and perfection.

Last, but never the least, comes Siddhi Datri. She is said to have created Bramha, Vishnu and Shiva and to have endowed Shiva with 18 rare perfections. She is also the one to have created the Ardhanarishavar when Vishnu said it wasn’t possible for him to create the world without man and woman. She symbolises respect for nature and achievements and also has healing powers.

On the tenth day, Vijay Dashmi, kings would cross the borders of their kingdoms to capture other kingdoms while the commoners would cross across villages to collect leaves of the Apta tree which are a symbol of gold. This was termed as Seemolanghan translating to “crossing boundaries”. For me, Seemolanghan is crossing the limitations that one sets for himself, to become something new and attain a new form of the same self… just as the Gods and Goddesses have done throughout.