Kumar Rajiv Nayan
Ara : Goddess Durga with all her grandeur has arrived on boat (naav) this year and will leave for Kailash on an elephant. Devotees welcomed the Goddess with ‘Kalash Sthapan’ that marked the commencement of Shardiya Navaratara.
However, according to Haridwar and Kashi Panchang, Maa Durga arrived on boat but will leave for Kailash on palanquin (doli).
According to Pandit Sanjay Kumar Mishra, the arrival of deity on a boat is auspicious and implies greenery and plenty of foodgrains. It also implies the women empowerment too. Her return on an elephant is auspicious too but it implies political instabilitjy.
Pandit Ganesh said that the devotees worship nine forms of Goddess Durga—Shailputri, Brahmcharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skanda Mata, Katyayani, Kalratri, Maha Garui and Siddhidatri—in the same order on every day during the nine day Navaratra. Maa Durga who arrives with Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesh, and Kartikeya would bless her devotees and leave on ‘Dashmi’ that falls on October 18 this year.
Pandit Om Prakash Mishra said that there is confusion on departure of Maa Durga – whether she departs on boat or an elephant. He further said that discussion on Maa Durga’s arrival and departure vehicles and its meanings started recently and there was no mention of it in the ancient scriptures. “There is no basis to verify the authenticity of the implications,” he told this correspondent on October 10, 2018.