Duga

Durga  Navaratri is a composite festival celebrated all over India. Depending on gauna - local tradition,Rishi Markyndya” has given detail about Ma Durga and its nine forms. She is a form of "Shakti and power". The evolution of Shri Maha Saraswati,

Shri Maha Laxmi and Shri Mahakali (the 3 main forms of "Shakti") took place from Shri Brahma, Shri Vishnu and Shri Mahesh respectively. Each of these 3 deities gave rise to 3 more forms and hence in all, these 9 forms together are known as Nav-Durga

•  Shailputri-1st night devoted to the puja of Ma Shailputri. Shail means mountains; Parvati, the daughter of king of Mountains Himavan, is known as "Shailputri". Her 2 hands, display a trident and a lotus. She is mounted upon a bull.  . 
• Bhramcharni- One hand holds a "Kumbha" or water port and the other rosary. She personifies love and loyalty. Bhramcharni is store-house of knowledge and wisdom. Rudraksha is HER most adorned ornament. 
• Chandraghanta- Worshipped on the 3rd night this Ma Durga Shakti is astride a tiger, displays a golden hue to her skin, possesses ten hands and 3 eyes. Eight of her hands display weapons while the remaining two are respectively in the mudras of gestures of boon giving and stopping harm. Chandra + Ghanta, meaning supreme bliss and knowledge, showering peace and serenity, like cool breeze in a moonlit night. Ma is worshipped in this form in Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu) India.
• Kushmanda- The 4th night begins the worship of Kushmanda, possessed of eight arms, holding weapons and a mala or rosary. Her mount is a tiger and she emanates a solar like aura. "Kumbh Bhand" means to see cosmic vivacity in Pindi shape or knowledge of cosmic intricacies in human race.
• Skandmata- Using a lion as a vehicle she holds her son, SKAND in her lap while displaying 3 eyes and 4 hands; two hands hold lotuses while the other 2 hands respectively display defending and granting gestures. Its said, by the mercy of Skandmata, even the idiot becomes an ocean of knowledge.
• Kaatyayani- As mother, Kaatyayani stayed in the Ashram of sage Katyayan for penance, hence she named as Kaatyayani. This 6th Shakti is also astride a lion with 3 eyes and 4 arms. One left hand holds a weapon and the other a lotus.  The other 2 hands respectively display defending and granting gestures. Her complexion is golden coloured. 
• Kaalratri- Black skin with bountiful hair and 4 hands, 2 clutching a cleaver and a torch, while the remaining 2 are in the mudras of "giving" and "protecting". Her vahana is a faithful donkey. The destroyer of darkness and ignorance, Kaalratri is the seventh form of Nav-Durga meaning scourer of darkness; enemy of darkness. Kaalratri's famous shrine is in Calcutta, India
• Mahagauri ..... Four arms with the fairest complexion of all the Durga Shaktis. Peace and compassion radiate from her being and she is often dressed in a white or green sari. She holds a drum and a trident and is often depicted riding a bull.
• Siddhiratri- Ensconced upon a lotus, most commonly, with 4 arms, and is the possessor of 26 different wishes to grant her bhakts. Siddhiratri's famous pilgrim centre, is located in Nanda Parvat in the Himalayas.