Goddess Skanda Mata worshiped on fifth day

The auspicious nine-day long Navratri festival began on Tuesday, 13 October and Goddess Skanda Mata is worshiped on Day 5. On the fifth day of the navratri festival, devotees offer prayers to Maa Skanda Mata, 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.