On the fifth day of the Chaitra Navratri festival, devotees offer prayers to Skanda Mata. The auspicious nine-day long Navratri festival began on Friday, April 8, 2016. Maa Skanda Mata is also worshipped in the form of Parvati, Maheshwari or Mata Gauri. The mother of Skanda Kumar or Lord Kartikeya was chosen by devtas as their commander in chief in the war against the demons. Navratri is celebrated to worship nine different forms of Goddess Durga - Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skanda Mata, Katyayani, Kalratri, Maha Gauri and Siddhidatri.