On the third day of Navratri, Goddess Chandraghanta is worshipped. She is a ten-armed goddess with three eyes who rides a tiger and has different weapons such as a trishul, sword, gada and kamandal. She has a crescent moon on her forehead, because of which she is known as Chandraghanta. In Sanskrit, ‘chandra’ means moon. Goddess Chandraghanta signifies the alternate side of the calm and patient Goddess Mahagauri.
Her warrior side shows us that she can be both generous and go to war, depending completely on what the situation is. Maa Chandraghanta wears a necklace of bells, and it is believed in one battle between the gods and demons, the vibrations produced from the bells led to the death of several rakshasas. She is known to protect her devotees and blesses them with peace and happiness.
Maa Chandraghanta is worshipped so that we keep evil forces away from us. It is believed that she can rid the world of sins and physical suffering. Milk or kheer is to be offered to the Goddess as bhog. Some recipes which can be tried at home are vrat wali kheer, sabudana kheer and makhana kheer.
During the nine days on Navratri, devotees get up early in the morning, pray to Goddess Durga and make various offerings. Many devotees also avoid meat products, alcohol and do not smoke. Each of the nine days of Navratri a different form of Goddess Durga is worshipped.
Her nine forms together are referred to as Navdurga. Goddess Durga’s nine forms are Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandmata, Katyayani, Kaalratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri.
