Maa Parvatis soft and gentle touch represents the warmth of motherhood. Her love is overwhelming and all-encompassing. She takes new forms when her emotions overtake her, and she displays the full range of what women can do in society.
The worship of Parvati (and her other popular forms Durga and Kali) originated on the Indian subcontinent before the Common Era. Some texts classify her as a “mountain goddess,” and others consider her to be combinations of earlier appearing goddesses. She is the spouse of Lord Shiva, mother to their children, and the gentle aspect of the universal goddess, Devi. As Parvati, she is the wife and energy behind Lord Shiva, god of destruction and rejuvenation. It is Shivas relationship with Parvati which brings him balance. Their union allows him to be an ascetic and lover, but within the bounds of marriage. With Shiva, Parvati has two sons: Kartikeya, who conquered the demon Taraka; and Ganesha, who became the elephant-headed god of wisdom and good fortune.
Parvati symbolizes fertility, marital happiness, devotion, power, and asceticism. Shiva and Parvati are held up as the perfect example of marital bliss and one is rarely depicted without the other. She is honored as the mother goddess, a universal source of energy, power, and creativity.
Parvati can embody many forms, each of which is worshipped as an individual goddess in her own right. One of her forms, Durga, is the warrior and protector goddess. She rides astride a ferocious lion, charging into battle and destroying evil. Her many arms hold weapons like a trident and a discus, as well as the lotus blossom and a conch shell.
During the nine-day lunar celebration of Navratri, She is worshipped as a mother to all, often called Durga Ma. And since oral tradition holds that Durga Ma has been known to walk the Earth as a little girl giving out blessings, children—especially little girls—are often worshipped in these communities as the representation of the goddess. 
