Chandika Puja or Goddess Chandi Puja is observed on Krishna Paksha Navami in Bhadrapad or Bhadra month in North Indian Hindi calendars and on Shravan Krishna Navami in Shravan month as per Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu and Kannada calendars. Goddess Chandika Puja 2019 date is August 25. Goddess Chandi is one of the names of the Supreme Goddess Devi.
Goddess Chandika is described as the Supreme Goddess who is a combination of Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, and Maha Saraswati. She is also described as Maha Lakshmi with eighteen arms (Ashtadasha Bhuja Mahalakshmi). Goddess Chandi is widely worshipped in Bengal where she was originated as per the Puranas. She is also described in Devi Mahatyam or Durga Saptashati or Chandi Path.
There are numerous temples to Chandi in Maharashtra, Bengal, and Nepal. Chandi is worshipped in various forms in all over India. In Saptashringi temple in Vani (Maharashtra) and Ashtadasa Bhuja Mahalakshmi temple at Skandashramam in Salem (Tamil Nadu) the Goddess is worshipped as Astadasa bhuja Mahalakshmi (18-armed Mahalakshmi). In Vaishno Devi Temple of Khatra (Jammu & Kashmir), Chandi Devi is worshipped in the form of three stones.
In Katak Chandi Temple of Cuttack (Orissa), Chandi is worshipped as the Goddess with four-armed. The city of Chandigarh got its name from ‘Chandi Mandir’ (City of Chandi Fort).
On Chandi Puja day, Kaumari Puja is also performed in some places.