The Story of Durga

Depicted as the Devi Shakti in the Hindu Mythology, Durga is the warrior goddess, whose mythology centers around combating evils and demonic forces that threaten peace, prosperity and dharma of the good.

Fierce, protective and disposed to unleash her anger against wrong—she is violent for liberation and destruction to empower creation.

Durga is depicted in the Hindu pantheon as a fearless woman—sometimes portrayed with ten arms riding on a lion and other times with eight arms – each arm carrying a weapon - on a tiger

The goddess of power and strength, she is a multi-dimensional Goddess, with many names, many personas, and many facets. Durga, through all her forms, encompasses the essence of salvation and sacrifice. She is the mother of bounty and wealth, as also of beauty and knowledge, for her daughters are Lakshmi and Saraswati.

Being a warrior Goddess, she is depicted to express her martial skills. Her idol which usually depicts her in midst of the battle field yet her face is calm and serene. This tranquil attribute of Durga's face is traditionally derived from the belief that she is protective and violent not because of her hatred, egotism or getting pleasure in violence but because she acts out of necessity and marks the beginning of soul's journey to creative freedom.

Durga is often described as the influential deity, who won in her fight of good over evil, and ensured the spirit of ‘righteousness’.

The victory of Durga over Mahisasur in some ways is embodied by women in today’s testing times – struggling to save grace and dignity. In this patriarchal story today the honor and pride of being a woman does not just come from being a woman but also with the constant battle which each one of us fights every day.

Durga Puja, also called Durgotsava and Navaratri, which takes place right before the autumn harvest—which particularly is celebrated the Eastern part of India and Indian subcontinents is one the biggest festivals in the East. Durga Puja festival marks the battle of goddess Durga with Mahishasura and her emerging victorious and is a celebration of the victory of the powers of good over evil.

Like in the legend - the form of Shakti kills Mahishasur, and outshines in her battle against all odds—the example set by the Goddess of not feeling inferior at any cost needs to be understood in the present day context by all women.

At Artisanscrest, our skilled team of artisans and craftsmen have been inspired by this divine goddess and created several works of art paying homage to her. Get in touch with us today and co-create your own special masterpiece.