Durga Ashtami or Maha Ashtami is one of the most auspicious days of the five days long Durga Puja Festival. Traditionally, the festival is observed for 10 days in all Indian households but, the actual puja that takes place in the ‘pandals’ is held over a period of 5 days.

Durgashtami is the celebration of virtue, strength, destroyer of evil, and optimism dedicated to Goddess Durga (Goddess Shakti). Durgashtami falls on Ashtami Tithi of Shukla Paksha. According to the legends, Goddess Durga was created by The Tri Murti (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva). She came into her soul on the day of Shukla Paksha Ashtami. Goddess Durga is a huge influence of optimism and hope in a lot of Hindu households. You can worship her in not 1 or 2 but 108 names.