Navratri special Day 5: Jai Maa Skandamata! (see pics)

Goddess Parvati is worshipped as Maa Skandamata on the fifth day of Navratri, Maa Skandamata is represented sitting on a ferocious lion with baby Karthikkeya, her elder son.Maa Skandamata has four hands, two of her upper hands are carrying Lotus flowers, her lower right hand is cradling baby Karthikeya and her lower left hand is in Abhaya Mudra. Baby Karthikeya is also named Skanda, hence Goddess Parvati in this form is known as Skandamata (mother of Lord Skanda).Devotees who worship Skandamata achieve 'Salvation' or 'Moksha'One who prays with undivided attention, also seeks blessing from Lord Skanda.Navratri special Day 4: Jai Maa KushmandaMaa Durga's incarnation as Kushmanda is worshiped on fourth day of Navratri. Maa Kushmanda possesses eight arms, holding weapons and a mala or rosary.Her mount is a tiger. Maa Kushmanda has the power to live inside the Sun. Maa Durga is worshiped with fragrances, flowers, incenses, diyas and rice.It is believed that Maa Kushmanda is Goddes Parvati's avatar. After taking form of Siddhidatri, Goddess Parvati started living inside the center of the sun so that he can liberate energy tro the universe.Since then she was called Maa Kushmanda. It is said that the glow of her body is as luminous as that of the Sun.Navratri special Day 3: Jai Maa Chandraghanta|Goddess Parvati after getting married to Lord Shiva started adorning her forehead with half-moon sharing the other with Lord Shiva, hence this married form of Goddess Parvati with 'half-chandra' is known as Maa Chandraghanta.Maa Chandraghanta is seen mounting on grass atop her tiger. She is depicted with half moon in shape of a bell over her forehead, and 10 hands.Maa Chandraghanta in her four right hand carries a Trishul, a Gada, a Sword and a Kamandal, and on the other side her found left hands are seen carrying, a lotus flower, an Arrow, a Dhanush and Japa Mala.Her fifth right hand is always in Varada Mudra, and her fifth left hand is in Abhaya Mudra.Maa Chandraghanta is considered the goddess who is bestowed to maintain the peach and welfare in the lives of her devotees. She is ready for any war against the wrong and the half-chandra on her forehead expel any kind of negative spirit or aura away from her devotees.Maa Chandraghanta is worshipped on the 3rd-day of every Navratri occasion.Navratri Special Day 2: Jai Maa BrahmachariniGoddess Parvati did a very strict penance to get Lord Shiva as her husband for this she spent 1000 years eating just flowers and fruits and the next 100 years eating leafy vegetables and sleeping on floor. Thus depicting that hard efforts that she had put in.Goddess Parvati performed strict austerity in an open place and brazed through many weathers: scorching summer, winters, storms etc.According to Hindu Mythology, Goddess Parvati survived only on Bilva leaves and later she even stopped that hence, she was bestowed with name Goddess Brahmacharini.Goddess Brahmacharini is represented walking bare feet, with just two hand, in one she carries a Jap Mala, and a Kamandal in another hand.Goddess Brahmacharani is offered prayers on 2nd Day of Navratri.Navratri special Day 1: Jai Maa ShailaputriThe auspicious occasion of Navratri is celebrated to seek blessings from all the nine forms of maa Parvati, wife of Lord Shiva. Each day represents different avatars of Goddess Parvati.Navratri is an occasion during, which Goddess Parvati reveals her nine forms of avatar, Maa Shailaputri, Maa Brahmacharini, Maa Chandraghanta Maa Kushmanda, Maa Skanda Mata, Maa Katyayani, Maa Kalaratri, Maa Mahagauri, and Maa Siddhidayini. Maa Shailputri, is an amalgamation of two forms, Shaila (meaning mountains), and Putri (meaning daughter). Goddess Parvati was the daughter of king Himavant (ruler of Himalayan region of Ancient India).The image of Maa Shailaputri is represented holding a lotus in one hand and a trident in another. She is seen seated a top of a bull.In her previous life Goddess Parvati was born as Sati, daughter of Prajaparti Daksh, and Mata Prasuti (daughter of Manu). Sati all her life offered her prayers to Lord Vishnu and one day she realized that she is 'Adishakti'. From that day she secretly started worshipping Lord Shiva and intended to marry him.Sati despite being forbidden by her father, disobeyed him, and went onto marry Lord Shiva, which annoyed Prajapati Daksh to the core.Soon after their marriage rituals, Prajapati Daksh broke off all his relations with his daughter Sati and forbade her to never enter her palace back at home.Once, Prajapati Daksh organised a 'Yagya', and invited all Devta's, Devi's, Asur', and everybody except his daughter Sati and her husband Lord Shiva. Ignoring this to be her father's deliberate attempt, Sati went to her palace back at home hoping her father would forgive her and would invite her and her husband.Instead Prajapati Daksh due to his ego insulted Sati and her husband Lord Shiva in front of all the guests. Sati could not bear the insult of her husband Lord Shiva by her father, hence she immolated herself.Lord Shiva upon knowing this plucked a lock of his hair and thrashed it onto the ground thus giving birth to Virabhadra, and Bhadrakali, who then destroyed and decapitated Prajapati Daksha.Upon seeing a grieving Lord Shiva, Sati appeared in front of him in her divine form and assured him that she will return as Parvati, in her next birth.Hence, Maa Shailputri is prayed on the first day Navratri, to depict the birth of Maa Parvati, the daughter of Himavant, and Mianavati.