Sanskriti Magazine · Navadurga · Part 3 of 9
You can speak firmly without shouting. You can protect what matters without losing your composure.
This Sharad Navratri, we are looking closely at the nine forms of Maa Durga. Each post pairs devotional history with a question for your daily life. Navadurga worship and regional Durga Puja celebrations share devotion to Maa, while their calendars and customs can differ.
Who is Maa Chandraghanta?
Chandraghanta is the third Navadurga form. Her name is associated with the crescent moon shaped like a bell on her forehead. Devotional imagery presents her armed and ready to protect, while her face remains composed. Read the traditional account and iconography.
How to recognise her form
The bell-shaped crescent, ten arms, weapons and gestures of blessing identify her. Depictions commonly show a tiger mount.
Look for these details when you see an image in a home, temple or festival display. Artists and regional traditions may vary. The form is more than a decorative portrait: its identifying details help you follow the devotional account.
A reflection for this Navratri
Look at the contrast in her image. Readiness and calm appear together. That gives us a question for daily life: can you set a boundary without turning every disagreement into a battle? Courage may mean naming an uncomfortable truth, asking for help, or refusing a request that harms your time and dignity. A calm response is still a response. This is our reflection on her form, not a promise that devotion removes every difficulty.
One practice to carry into your day
- Write down the boundary you need to express.
- Use one clear sentence without an accusation.
- Choose a moment when you can speak and listen.
You can use this as a personal reflection alongside your family’s way of observing the festival. It is not a prescribed ritual or a promise of a particular spiritual result.
A question to share
Where could a calm, clear answer replace silence or anger?
Send this reflection to someone you would like to hear from. A specific memory or example can make the conversation more meaningful.
Follow the nine-part series
- 1. Maa Shailaputri
- 2. Maa Brahmacharini
- 3. Maa Chandraghanta
- 4. Maa Kushmanda
- 5. Maa Skandamata
- 6. Maa Katyayani
- 7. Maa Kalaratri
- 8. Maa Mahagauri
- 9. Maa Siddhidatri
Our reading order follows the traditional Navadurga sequence. Part numbers are not publication dates or a universal day-by-day ritual calendar. For local observance dates, check the 2026 Delhi Navratri calendar and your local temple or panchang.
Illustrations in this series are AI-generated devotional art.
