Navaratri is a festival dedicated to the worship of the Hindu deity Durga. The word Navaratri means 'nine nights' in Sanskrit, nava meaning nine and ratri meaning nights. During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Devi are worshipped. The tenth day is commonly referred to as Vijayadashami or "Dussehra" (also spelled Dasera).
Navaratri is an important major festival and is celebrated all over India and Nepal. Diwali the festival of lights is celebrated twenty days after Dasera. Though there are in total five types of Navaratri that come in a year, Sharad Navaratri is the most popular one. Hence, the term Navaratri is being used for Sharada Navaratri here.
Day of worship: 1st day of Navratri
Governing planet: Moon
Mantra: Om Devi Shailaputryai Namah
Iconography: She rides a bull, carrying a Trishul(trident) in her right hand and a lotus flower in Her left hand.
Day of worship: 2nd day of Navratri
Governing planet: Mars
Mantra: Om Devi Brahmacharinyai Namah
Iconography: Walks on bare feet, carrying a japa mala in Her right hand and a kamandalu in Her left hand.
Day of worship: 3rd day of Navratri
Governing planet: Venus
Mantra: Om Devi Chandraghantayai Namah
Iconography: Goddess Chandraghanta mounts the tigress. She wears the semi-circular moon(Chandra) on her forehead. The half-moon on her forehead looks like the bell(Ghanta) and hence, Her name. She is depicted with ten hands.
Special powers: This form of the Mother Goddess is ready for war with all her weapons, to protect the peace and welfare of Her devotees.It is believed that the sound of the moon-bell on her forehead drives all types of spirits away from Her devotees.
Day of worship: 4th day of Navratri
Governing planet: Sun
Mantra: Om Devi Kushmandayai Namah
Iconography: Rides on a lioness and has eight hands. She holds a kamandalu, Dhanush, Bada and Kamal in Her right hands. Her left hands hold Amrit Kalash(pot of nectar), japa mala(prayer beads), Gada and Chakra - in that order.
Specific power: She created the universe in the flash of Her smile and is believed to bestow siddhis(supernatural powers) and niddhis(wealth) to Her devotees
Day of worship: 5th day of Navratri
Governing planet: Mercury
Mantra: Om Devi Skandamatayai Namah
Iconography: Goddess Skandamata mounts the ferocious lion. She carries baby Skanda in her lap. Lord Skanda(also known as Kartikeya or Lord Murugan) is the brother of Ganesha.
Special powers: Devotees who worship this form of the Mother Goddess get the added benefit of blessings of Lord Skanda, the God of War(also known as Kartikeya).
Day of worship: 6th day of Navratri
Governing planet: Jupiter
Mantra: Om Devi Katyayanyai Namah
Iconography: Goddess Katyayani rides on a magnificent lion and is depicted with four hands. She carries a lotus flower and sword in her left hands respectively and keeps her right hands in Abhayamudra and Varadamudras.
Day of worship: 7th day of Navratri
Governing planet: Saturn
Mantra: Om Devi Kalaratryai Namah
Iconography: Her complexion is dark black and She rides on a donkey. She is depicted with four hands. Her right hands are in Abhayamudra and Varadamudra. She carries a sword and deadly iron hook in her left hands.
Day of worship: 8th day of Navratri
Governing planet: Rahu
Mantra: Om Devi Mahagauryai Namah
Iconography: She rides the bull, just like Goddess Shailputri. She has four arms, holding a Trishul in one of her right hands and depicts the Abhayamudra with the other right hand. She carries a Damaru in one left hand and depicts the Varadamudra in her other left hand.
Day of worship: 9th day of Navratri
Governing planet: Ketu
Mantra: Om Devi Siddhidatryai Namah
Iconography: Goddess Siddhidatri sits on Kamal and rides on the lion. She is depicted with four hands. She has Gada in the one right hand, Chakra in the other right hand, lotus flower in the left hand and Shankh in the other left hand.
Specific power: She bestows all types of siddhi(supernatural powers) to her devotees and hence is worshipped by humans, ghandarvas, asuras and devas alike.
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