Goddess Durga, also known as Parvati or Lalitha is the wife of Lord Shiva and exists in various divine forms. Two of her fierce but very powerful forms are Durga i.e. goddess beyond reach and Kali i.e. goddess of destruction.

Both have great power and energy i.e. Shakti. Durga rides on a lion and Kali rides on a corpse of a demon. Parvati was called Sati in her previous divine incarnation. The family of Lord Shiva, Parvati and their sons Ganesha and Kartikeya is an ideal example of family unity and love. Lord Durga has a charming personality and usually adored by married women for a happy married life.

Female aspect of divinity or expression of energy is referred to as Shakti. Parvati who is wife of Shiva and Lakshmi who is wife of Vishnu is respected in temples dedicated to Shakti. India has a number of Durga Temples scattered every nook and corner of India . Some of the famous ones are Kanyakumari, Kamakshi Amman, Kalikambal, Mahalakshmi temple, Vaishno Devi aetc. Some of the other mentioned temples are Srisailam Temple in Kurnool and Lakha Mandal Temple in Dehradun.