Tales Of South Delhi

NAVADURGA: NINE FORMS OF SHAKTI, NINE CHAPTERS OF WOMANHOOD Musings By Seema Chugh , GK Enclave 1 , SouthDelhiTales@gmail.com A woman is not one identity. She is a journey. Navratri is often celebrated through colour, fasting, prayers, garba and devotion. But beneath these traditions lies a profound idea—the celebration of Shakti, the feminine force that creates, nurtures, protects, transforms and renews. The Navadurga—the nine forms of Maa Durga—can be viewed as nine expressions of this Shakti. Traditionally, each of the nine days honours a different form of Devi. And perhaps there is another beautiful way to experience these nine forms: as nine chapters of a woman’s life. Not necessarily nine chronological ages, because a woman may experience every one of these forms many times throughout her life. She may be a Shailaputri at 16, a Katyayani at 35, a Kalaratri at 50 and a Siddhidatri at 70—and then begin again. Because womanhood is not a straight line. It is a circ...

DID YOU KNOW? Maa Durga Has More Than One Ride! We all know Maa Durga’s mighty Lion — her most familiar and powerful vahana . But did you know that, during Durga Puja, tradition speaks of other vahanas too — and that the day of the week on which certain Puja days fall determines how Maa Durga is believed to travel between her earthly home and her heavenly abode? It is a fascinating little secret hidden in the Puja calendar. AGAMAN — HOW DOES MAA COME TO EARTH? The weekday on which Maha Saptami falls determines Maa Durga’s Agaman — her arrival on Earth during Sharad, the autumn season . For 2026 , according to the traditional calculations followed in the Gupta Press Panjika and Bisuddha Siddhanta Panjika , Maha Saptami falls on a Sunday . And that means… MAA COMES ON GAJA — THE ELEPHANT! The elephant is traditionally associated with rain-bearing clouds, strength, stability, fertility and abundance . An old traditional verse says: “Gaje cha jalada Devi, sasya-p...