Gods are easy to please with prayers and meditations. The demon Mahishasura, once extracted a boon from Brahma that gave him protection from death at the hands of any male in the three worlds. Soon, Mahishasura was wreaking mayhem on heaven and earth. Since no single god could confront him, they came together to create a being imbued with their collective strength, a fearsome warrior goddess who killed the demon and came to be called Mahishasuramardini.
Another story has it that during this time, Parvati, Shiva’s consort, comes to visit her parental home in the Himalayas. She is Shakti, the creative energy of the universe; the festival is a thanksgiving for her gift of all Creation.
Navratri is associated with Lord Ram whose prayers to the Goddess led to his victory over the demon-king Ravana as per the Hindu epic, The Ramayana.
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