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Durga

Durga (, ) is one of the most important goddesses in Hinduism, regarded as a principle aspect of the supreme goddess. Associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars, her mythology centers around combating evils and demonic forces that threaten peace, dharma and cosmic order, representing the power of good over evil. Durga is seen as a motherly figure and often depicted as a warrior, riding a lion or tiger, with many arms each carrying a weapon and defeating demons. She is widely worshipped by the followers of the goddess-centric sect, Shaktism, and has importance in other denominations like Shaivism and Vaishnavism.

Durga is believed to have originated as an ancient goddess worshipped by indigenous mountain-dwellers of the Indian subcontinent, before being established in the main Hindu pantheon by the 4th century CE. The most important texts of Shaktism, ''Devi Mahatmya'' and ''Devi Bhagavata Purana'', which revere Devi (the Goddess) as the primordial creator of the universe and the Brahman (ultimate truth and reality), identify Durga as the embodiment of ''maya'' (illusion), ''shakti'' (power or energy) and prakriti (nature). She is best known as ''Mahishasura-mardini''; for slaying Mahishasura—the buffalo demon who could only be killed by a woman. In accounts of her battles with other demons such as Shumbha and Nishumbha, Durga manifests other warrior goddesses, the Matrikas, and Kali, to aid in combat.

In Vaishnava contexts, Durga is revered as Mahamaya or Yogamaya—the personification of the illusory powers of the god Vishnu—and sometimes considered to be his sister. Durga is typically portrayed as an independent, unmarried warrior goddess. However, in traditions where she is identified with the goddess Parvati, she also acquires domestic attributes and is widely regarded as the consort of Shiva. This identification is especially prominent in the regional traditions of Bengal, where Durga is also considered as the mother of the deities Ganesha, Kartikeya, Lakshmi, and Sarasvati.

Durga has a significant following all over Nepal, India, Bangladesh and many other countries. She is mostly worshipped after spring and autumn harvests, especially during the festivals of Durga Puja, Durga Ashtami, Vijayadashami, Deepavali, and Navaratri. She is one of the five equivalent deities in Panchayatana puja of the Smarta tradition of Hinduism. Provided by Wikipedia