QUARTZ
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| An artisan in Kolkata sandpapers an idol of the Hindu goddess Durga before applying paint on it.(Reuters/Rupak De Chowdhuri) |
INDIA---For almost a week every autumn, Kolkata worships, eats, dances and drinks in celebration of the Hindu goddess
Durga’s return to her paternal home. But Durga Puja—rather “pujo” as a Bengali will likely correct you—isn’t just a Hindu festival. At the heart of it, nonetheless, is the mother goddess’s idol, carefully handcrafted by expert sculptors over many weeks. She is decorated, dressed, worshipped, photographed and adored during the festival. [
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| The idol of Durga is being loaded onto a boat to transport it through the waters of river Ganga to a pandal in Kolkata.(Reuters/Rupak De Chowdhuri) |
