Chandraghanta and Shiva's Wedding Procession: The Story of Navratri Day 3

From penance to the wedding day

On the third night of Navratri, which falls on 13 October in 2026, devotees worship Chandraghanta, the third form of Durga. The story continues from Brahmacharini, where Parvati wins Shiva through penance. Shiva has accepted her, the families have agreed, and the wedding day arrives. What happens next is one of the best-loved scenes in Shiva Purana retellings.

The most unusual wedding procession

When Shiva set out for Himavan's palace, he did not arrive as a typical bridegroom. His baraat (wedding procession) was made up of ganas, ghosts, goblins, ascetics and strange beings of every kind. Shiva rode Nandi, his body covered in ash, his hair matted, a tiger skin around him, with serpents as his ornaments. The gods and sages joined the procession too, but the wild company around Shiva made it unlike anything the mountain kingdom had ever seen.

Mena's shock

Parvati's mother Mena came out to welcome the groom. At the sight of the procession and of Shiva himself, she was overwhelmed with fear and worry. In the tradition, she fainted. She could not believe that her beautiful daughter, who had spent years in penance, was about to marry someone who looked so frightening.

The family was in turmoil. This is the moment the story turns to Parvati.

Parvati becomes Chandraghanta

According to popular tradition, Parvati saw her family's distress and took a fierce, majestic form to restore calm. She appeared with a golden radiance and ten arms holding weapons, riding a tiger, with a half-moon shaped like a bell (ghanta) adorning her forehead. This is Chandraghanta, from chandra (moon) and ghanta (bell).

Her appearance showed everyone present that the bride was not helpless. She was a goddess with the strength to meet any difficulty, and she was entering this marriage by her own choice. Parvati then asked Shiva to take a form that would reassure her family. In the Shiva Purana's account, Shiva appeared as a radiant, handsome bridegroom, and the wedding went ahead. Mena's worry turned into joy.

Note on sources: the Navadurga list itself, including Chandraghanta as the third form, appears in the Devi Kavacha. The wedding-procession account comes from the Shiva Purana's story of Mena's reaction and Shiva's change of form, and the Chandraghanta detail is part of popular retellings. Versions differ in the details.

What Chandraghanta looks like

Chandraghanta is shown with a bright golden complexion and ten arms holding a trident, mace, sword, bow, arrow, lotus and other weapons, with one hand in a blessing gesture. She rides a tiger (some depictions show a lion). The bell-shaped crescent moon on her forehead is her defining feature. In yogic tradition, she is linked with the Manipura chakra, associated with courage and inner strength.

The bell and its meaning

Devotees believe the sound of Chandraghanta's bell drives away fear and negative energy. This is why bells and the ringing of the ghanta are so closely associated with her worship. She is said to grant bravery and calm in difficult moments, and her form is a reminder that grace and strength can exist together.

What the story teaches

Chandraghanta's story is about not being defined by appearances. Shiva looked frightening to Mena, but Parvati knew who he truly was. And Parvati's own gentleness did not mean weakness: she took a fierce form the moment it was needed. The third day of Navratri is traditionally read as the point where the goddess combines peace and courage. For all nine forms in order, see our Navadurga guide, and for dates and rituals, see Sharad Navratri 2026 and our 9 Days, Colours & Significance guide.