Durga

About Durga

Durga is the warrior form of the Mother Goddess, born when the gods pooled their fury into a single radiant woman to kill Mahishasura — the buffalo-demon no male god could defeat. Each deity handed her a weapon: Shiva's trident, Vishnu's discus, Indra's thunderbolt, Yama's sword. Riding a lion gifted by Himavan, she pierced Mahishasura's throat with the trident. Her story fills the Devi Mahatmyam of the Markandeya Purana. Her name itself means fortress. Over Navaratri's nine nights, devotees worship her in nine forms — from mountain-born Shailaputri to the dark, corpse-treading Kalaratri — ending on Vijayadashami, the day she struck the demon down.