It is the eigth day of Navratri 2020 on Saturday and devotees worship the goddess as Maha Gauri on this day. Also known as ashtami, the Goddess is worshipped as a form with three eyes, four hands, and a fair complexion. Maa MahaGauri is believed to defeat all evil forces of the universe.
Maa Mahagauri holds a damru and a trident in her two hands and two hands are held in postures of ‘abhay’ and “varad” — blessing devotees with fearlessness and well-being.
Devotees offer diya, jasmine flowers and perfum to the goddess and chant the mantra “Shwete Vrishe samaarudha, Shwetambardhara shuchih MahaGauri shubham Dadyanmahadevpramodada”.
Some devotees also perform the kanya poojan on Ashtami. Inviting young girls to worship them as forms of the goddess, devotees offer clothes, fruits, money, gifts and a meal prepared in desi ghee.
According to the mythology, Goddess Parvati lost her complexion after performing tapa for a long time. Lord Shiva is said to have brought it back and turned her fair as he appeared before her.
White and yellow are Maa Maha Gauri’s favourite colours and devotees wear white or yellow-coloured clothes and also eat food in these colours.