The story of Durga and the demons is from the scriptures called the Puranas. Here is an outline of the plot… Long, long ago a demon called Mahisha pretended to be very religious. Shiva was so impressed that he blessed Mahisha. He said no man or God would ever be able to kill him. As soon as he had received this blessing, he started to take over the world. He killed humans and gods and nobody was able to stop him. The Gods all went to Shiva and asked him to help. He concentrated his energies into a beam of light that came from his third eye. The other gods joined in. Their combined energy beams met and created the goddess Durga. Durga (known in this temple as Ambika) Durga combined the fighting powers of many gods. She carried Shiva's trident, Brahma's sword, Vishnu's wheel, as well as an axe, a bow, an arrow, an iron spear, a truncheon and other weapons. She rode into battle on a lion and killed many of Mahisa's demon army. But when Durga started attacking Mahisa himself, she met with a problem. Each drop of blood that fell from the demon king formed another demon as soon as it hit the ground. The gods took a time out. Durga found a solution to the problem. She concentrated her energies to create a new goddess, called Devi Chandika, or Kali. Kali wore a necklace of skulls and had a long tongue that lapped up the monster's blood before it hit the ground. She beheaded Mahishura and won the battle.