Shailputri, as the Sanskrit name states, is the daughter of the Mountains. First among the nine forms of Durga, Shailputri is worshipped as the absolute form of Mother Nature. During the festival of Navratra, the goddess is portrayed with a half-moon on her forehead, a trident in her right hand and a lotus in her left hand, and riding on the back of a bull. The first day of Navratra is marked for the worship of Shailputri.