The last and ninth day of Navratri is dedicated to Maa Siddhidatri, who is considered the most complete and ultimate form of Goddess Durga. The meaning of her name is “the giver of siddhis,” which are divine powers and supernatural blessings given to her devotees. She is illustrated sitting elegantly on a lotus or riding a lion, with four arms: one holding a mace, one holding a chakra, one holding a lotus, and one holding a conch. She embodies serenity and peacefulness, yet has so much strength, wisdom, and endless compassion.
The scriptures say Maa Siddhidatri is the one who gives the mystical powers not only to sages and devotees but also to the gods. It is said that even Lord Shiva gets his Ardhanarishwar form, in which he is half Shiva and half Shakti, because of her. So she represents the culmination of male and female energies to help us all reach our ultimate state of living in a spiritually awakened state.
Devotees will pray to Maa Siddhidatri, showing their deep faith that she will eradicate ignorance and desires, and help the soul reach moksha or liberation from the cycle of birth and death. On this day, the devotees make offerings of sesame seeds along with their prayers because this is pleasing to the Goddess about wealth, as well as wisdom and peace.
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