What if I told you that Varanasi has nine distinct temples dedicated to the nine forms of Goddess Durga, offering devotees a sacred pilgrimage through the city over nine days?
Navratri, meaning nine nights, is one of India’s most vibrant and spiritually significant festivals, celebrating Goddess Durga and her nine manifestations, collectively known as the Nav Durga. The festival symbolises the triumph of good over evil and the victory of divine feminine energy. While Navratri is celebrated four times a year, Sharad Navratri, observed during autumn, is the most widely celebrated.
Across India, the festival brings communities together through prayers, fasting, colourful decorations, devotional music, Garba, Dandiya and grand celebrations. Yet, every region adds its own distinctive flavour to this beautiful expression of faith.
VARANASI: THE SACRED JOURNEY OF NAV DURGA
Varanasi, one of world’s oldest living cities, holds a special place in Navratri celebrations. The city is renowned for nine independent shrines dedicated to the nine forms of Goddess Durga. These temples, spread across its sacred neighbourhoods and lanes, form the celebrated Nav Durga Yatra
During Navratri, devotees traditionally visit the shrines in a prescribed sequence, beginning with Maa Shailputri and culminating at Maa Siddhidatri on the ninth day. Each day honours a different manifestation of the Goddess, with its own story, symbolism and spiritual significance.
Let’s explore the nine days of Navratri and the temples of Varanasi associated with each divine form.
DAY 1 – PRATIPADA: MAA SHAILPUTRI
Shailputri Durga Temple, Varanasi
Maa Shailputri, the daughter of the mountains, is the first manifestation of Goddess Durga. She is worshipped as the embodiment of Mother Nature and is associated with purity, peace, prosperity and spiritual awakening.
Depicted riding a bull, she carries a trident in one hand and a lotus in the other. Her white attire symbolises innocence, tranquillity and purity. She is also associated with the Moon, which represents the mind and emotions.
DAY 2 – DWITIYA: MAA BRAHMACHARINI
Maa Brahmacharini Temple, Varanasi
Maa Brahmacharini represents devotion, discipline, perseverance and the power of penance. This manifestation of Goddess Parvati reflects her unwavering determination to attain Lord Shiva as her consort.
According to Hindu tradition, she undertook severe austerities, surviving on fruits, leaves and eventually even giving up food and water. Her extraordinary resolve earned her divine blessings.
She is depicted walking barefoot, holding a jap mala in one hand and a kamandal in the other. On this day, devotees pray for inner strength, wisdom, patience and the courage to remain committed to their goals.
DAY 3 – TRITIYA: MAA CHANDRAGHANTA
Maa Chandraghanta Temple, Varanasi
Maa Chandraghanta is the married form of Goddess Parvati, named after the crescent moon shaped like a bell adorning her forehead.
She is depicted riding a tigress and possessing ten hands, carrying divine weapons and objects while displaying gestures of protection and blessing. Though a formidable warrior, she also represents peace, grace and compassion.
DAY 4 – CHATURTHI: MAA KUSHMANDA
Maa Kushmanda Temple, Varanasi
Maa Kushmanda is believed to have created the universe with a radiant smile. Her name is traditionally associated with the cosmic egg, and she represents the creative energy that brings the universe into existence.
Also known as Ashtabhuja Devi, she has eight arms and is depicted riding a lion. She holds various divine objects, including a kamandal, bow, lotus, nectar-filled pot, rosary, mace and discus.
DAY 5 – PANCHAMI: MAA SKANDAMATA
Maa Skandamata Temple, Varanasi
Maa Skandamata, the fifth manifestation of Durga, is the mother of Lord Skanda, also known as Kartikeya, the god of war.
She represents motherhood, compassion, unconditional love and protection. Depicted riding a lion, she is often shown holding her infant son Kartikeya in one of her four hands.
DAY 6 – SHASHTHI: MAA KATYAYANI
Maa Katyayani Temple, Varanasi
Maa Katyayani is one of the fiercest warrior manifestations of Goddess Durga. According to Hindu mythology, she manifested to destroy the demon Mahishasura and restore the balance between good and evil.
She is usually depicted riding a lion, with four hands holding a sword and lotus while displaying gestures of fearlessness and granting blessings. Her radiant golden complexion and powerful presence reflect courage, determination and divine authority.
DAY 7 – MAHA SAPTAMI: MAA KALARATRI
Maa Kalaratri Temple, Varanasi
Maa Kalaratri is considered the fiercest manifestation of Goddess Durga. Her dark complexion, dishevelled hair and formidable appearance symbolise her power to destroy evil and remove fear.
She is depicted with four hands, carrying a sword and an iron weapon while displaying the Abhaya Mudra of fearlessness and the Varada Mudra of granting blessings. Her vehicle is a donkey, symbolising humility and service.
Her legend is associated with the demon Raktabeej, whose drops of blood produced more demons. Maa Kalaratri is believed to have consumed his blood, preventing further demons from emerging and ultimately defeating him.
DAY 8 – DURGA ASHTAMI: MAA MAHAGAURI
Maa Mahagauri Temple, Varanasi
Maa Mahagauri represents purity, serenity, peace and spiritual illumination. Her complexion is described as radiant and white like the Moon, a conch shell or jasmine flowers.
She is depicted wearing white garments, riding a bull and carrying a trident and a drum in her four hands. She is also known as Shwetambardhara, referring to her white attire, and Vrisharudha, referring to her bull mount. Another name, Shambhavi, reflects the bliss and happiness she bestows upon devotees.
DAY 9 – MAHA NAVAMI: MAA SIDDHIDATRI
Maa Siddhidatri Temple, Varanasi
Maa Siddhidatri, the ninth and final manifestation of Goddess Durga, is the bestower of spiritual accomplishments, wisdom and divine knowledge.
According to Hindu mythology, when the universe began, Adi-Parashakti manifested as Siddhidatri from the left half of Lord Shiva. This divine union gave rise to the form of Ardhanarishvara, representing the inseparable nature of masculine and feminine energies.
She is depicted seated on a lotus and riding a lion, with four hands holding a mace, Sudarshan Chakra, lotus and conch. Her worship marks the culmination of the nine-day spiritual journey, symbolising the attainment of wisdom, fulfilment and divine grace.
A SPECIAL TREAT FOR MY PHILATELIC FRIENDS!
Navratri is also an opportunity to celebrate India’s rich cultural heritage through philately.
From my personal philatelic collection, I am sharing a set of nine rare special covers released from Kolkata during the nine days of Sharad Navratri in 2020. Each cover celebrates the spirit of one of the nine days of the festival. These beautiful covers were designed by eminent philatelist and artist Shri Dipok Dey, making them a wonderful intersection of faith, art, culture and stamp collecting.
For collectors like me, such philatelic treasures preserve more than a festival’s memory; they document the traditions and cultural diversity that make India extraordinary.
From the rhythmic beats of Garba in Gujarat to the grandeur of Durga Puja in Bengal, from devotional gatherings in North India to the sacred temple pilgrimage of Varanasi, Navratri reflects India’s remarkable cultural diversity and shared spiritual heritage. Each day offers a reminder of courage, devotion, compassion, perseverance and the eternal victory of good over evil.
Now, I would love to hear from you!
How is Navratri celebrated in your city?Do you visit temples, participate in Garba and Dandiya, celebrate Durga Puja, observe fasts or follow any unique local traditions?
Share your city’s Navratri traditions and celebrations in the comments. Let’s discover how the Festival of India brings our diverse communities together!
