It is believed by the people that during the nine days of the Durga Puja, nine different forms of Durga are worshipped. The idol of Goddess Durga shows that Goddess Durga has ten arms. The ten arms designate the presence of nine different forms of Durga.
The different forms of Durga are mentioned as under.
1. Durga Shailputri is considered to be the daughter of Himalaya. She was the daughter of Daksh during her previous birth and was named as Sati. In this birth, she was named as Parvati. Due to the misbehavior of her father Daksh towards her husband Lord Shiva in her previous birth, she set herself on fire and died. After that, she was reborn to marry Lord Shiva once again. This is first among the different forms of Durga.
2. Brahmacharini is a very beautifully presented in her idol. She is second among the different forms of Durga. She was named as Brahmacharini because once Naradji told her that she will be marrying Lord Shiva and hence in order to get Lord Shiva as her husband she started doing Tap or penance. She undertook the penance as a Bramhachari and hence came to be called as Brahmacharini.
3. Chandraghanta is the third among the different forms of Durga. She is so named as a half circular moon appears on her head. She appears to be golden in color and very charming and bright personality.
4. Kushmanda is the fourth recognized among the different forms of Durga. She seems to be riding on her lion with eight hands in her idol.
5. Skanda Mata depicts that she was a mother of a son called Skand who was born after she married Lord Shiva after passing through a tough penance. She is counted fifth among the different forms of Durga.
6. Katyani is the name given to her sixth form among the different forms of Durga as she was born as a daughter of a Katyan a rishi.
7. Kalratri is the name given to her black color that symbolizes a dark night. Many flames of fire emerge out as a result of her respiration through nose. She is seventh among the different forms of Durga.
8. Maha Gauri is a fair form of Durga. She is counted as eighth among the different forms of Durga. She rides on a bull in her idol and has four hands. While in penance, she gets dirty ang Lord Shiva cleans her with water of Ganga that makes her pure.
9. Siddhidhatri is among the different forms of Durga that was worshipped by Lord Shiva and hence half of the body of Shiva became the body of Goddess.
Tags: Durga Puja, Miscellany