Which Animals Represent Each Day of Navratri?
The nine-night festival of Navratri honors the goddess Durga’s nine incarnations. Every day is devoted to a different manifestation of the goddess, and each manifestation is linked to a distinct mount, or “vahana,” which is frequently an animal. Below is a daily summary of the goddesses and the animals that go with them:
- Day 1: Shailaputri: revered as the embodiment of Goddess Sati, she is the daughter of the mountain. She is shown riding Nandi, a bull.
- Day 2: Brahmacharini: The goddess in this form is symbolic of austerity and penance. She doesn’t have a particular animal mount and is shown walking barefoot.
- Day 3: Chandraghanta: A strong guardian, she is the married form of Goddess Parvati. Her vahana is either a wolf or a tiger.
- Day 4: Kushmanda: The universe is said to have been created by her. The image shows her mounted on a lion.
- Day 5: Skandamata: The war god Skanda (Kartikeya) is descended from this goddess. She is shown astride a fierce lion.
- Day 6: Katyayani: Known as the warrior goddess who vanquished Mahishasura, the buffalo monster. She is riding a lion in this form.
- Day 7: Kalaratri: This is the goddess’s fiercest manifestation. She is renowned for eliminating evil and rides a donkey.
- Day 8: Mahagauri: This form represents serenity and intelligence. She is shown riding either a white elephant or a bull.
- Day 9: Siddhidatri: She possesses superhuman abilities. Although she is shown seated on a lotus, she is also connected to a lion in other cultures.
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