Maa Durga

01The Devi Mahatmya

Seven hundred verses within the Markandeya Purana, known in the north as the Durga Saptashati and in the south as the Chandi, carry her whole katha. Mahishasura had driven the devas from heaven. Their anger poured out of them as light, and from that light the Devi took form. Each Deva gave her a weapon, Himavan gave the lion, and she fought the demon through his changing shapes until she pinned him under her foot. Later chapters tell how she slew Shumbha and Nishumbha, with Kali and the Matrikas fighting beside her.

02Navaratri and the nine forms

Twice a year, in Chaitra and in Ashvin, the nine nights are hers. Each night honours one of the Navadurga: Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri. Homes sow barley in a pot on the first day, the ghatasthapana, and on the eighth or ninth day young girls are fed and worshipped as the Devi herself. In Bengal the Sharad festival becomes Durga Puja, the Devi arriving with her children for four days and leaving on Vijayadashami. In Gujarat the same nights are danced as garba.

03Her seats

In the Trikuta hills of Jammu, Mata Vaishno Devi is worshipped as three natural pindis inside a cave, reached by a climb of about thirteen kilometres from Katra. At Mysuru, Chamundeshwari on her hill is the heart of the royal Dasara. Tulja Bhavani at Tuljapur was the family Devi of Chhatrapati Shivaji. At Jwalamukhi she is worshipped as flames that burn from the rock. Vindhyavasini at Vindhyachal, Kanaka Durga at Vijayawada and Ambaji in Gujarat draw crowds at every Navaratri.

In the texts

• Devi Mahatmya (Markandeya Purana, chapters 81–93)
• Devi Bhagavata Purana
• Durga Sukta (Taittiriya Aranyaka)

Utsav: festivals