Photos of a Hindu goddess' idols being handcrafted for the Durga festival in India

Leaning on his 10-armed creation, Govind Nath is ready to breathe life into the Hindu goddess Durga, a beloved deity who will be revered by tens of thousands of worshippers during the Durga Puja festival. After molding and shaping the handcrafted idol with bamboo, clay and mud, he is painting her large, doe-shaped eyes. The deity will then be adorned with lavish clothes and sparkling jewels. “Her smile has to be perfect. Whoever sees her face should feel she is our mother Goddess,” said Nath, 52, who belongs to a family of traditional idol-makers from Kolkata. Durga Puja is the biggest festival for India’s Bengali community and is marked by the installation of huge, elaborately decorated images of the goddess, with feasts, music and dance to celebrate the victory of good over evil. The festival also celebrates the feminine divine by venerating Goddess Durga, who is worshipped as the mother of the universe and for her triumph over the mythological demon Mahishasura. In a cluster...

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