The Wrath of Mahishasura Mardini
Devi Durga, also identified by the name Adi Parashakti is the warrior goddess of heaven whose stories revolve around wars fought over evil to restore peace and justice.
The famous of all and the reason for her incarnation is the story of Mahishasura. He was a mighty demon who could take the form of any animal but most often appeared as a buffalo. Indian mythology narrates that Mahishasura performed penance for Lord Brahma to appear and grant him the boon of being invincible. He demanded that no man or animal can harm him. he believed that a woman cannot fight him.
As is customary, Lord Brahma granted him the boon. With the confidence of his new-found "immortality", he soon began to conquer the universe and caused chaos in the Trilok (the hell, the heaven, and the earth). Unable to defeat him, the gods decided to approach Lord Vishnu for a solution and thus, to defeat him was created the incarnation of Mahadevi.
She was bestowed with Lord Shiva’s trident, Lord Vishnu’s Sudarshana Chakra, Lord Brahma’s Kamandalam, Lord Indra’s Vajrayudham, Varuna’s Conch, Agni’s Missiles, Vayu’s bow and arrows and Lord Vishwakarma’s axe while the Himalayas gave her a lion to ride on.
Armed with divine weapons, Goddess Durga defeated Mahishasura in a fierce battle that lasted for over ten days and hence the title Mahishasura Mardini meaning "the slayer of Mahishasura". It is in this form of her defeating the demon, armed with weapons and seated on a lion that she is often portrayed and sculptured.
The story of Lord Durga defeating the buffalo demon is an often narrated tale in Shaktism- a cult in Hinduism where Shakti (the feminine power) is worshipped. It is also mentioned in their sacred scripture called the Devi Mahatmya.
A historic city in the southern state of Karnataka called Mysore gets its name from the goddess. People of the place recall the killing of Mahisharura by Devi Durga during Navratri and Mysore Dasara where grand festivities are organized in great pomp to celebrate the triumph of good over evil.
Our traditional artists with their fine craftsmanship manage to capture this divine moment on a piece of cloth. This style of art originates in Odisha and is called Pattachitra- literally meaning "art on cloth". Stark features of this art form include the usage of bright pigments that are often made using natural elements and an intricately designed border on each painting.
This painting can be customized according to your needs. Find the link for this painting here: https://www.artisanscrest.in/products/painting-pattachitra-durga-09