To prepare for the Durga Puja festival, Hindu artists fashion idols of the mother goddess Durga.

11 Vivid Photos Celebrate a Demon-Slaying Goddess

See photos of the Hindu festival of Durga Puja from our Your Shot community.

ByBecky Little
October 22, 2015

This week concludes the Hindu festival of Durga Puja, a yearly celebration of the Hindu goddess Durga.

In multiple Hindu religious texts, Maa Durga (“mother” Durga) slays the buffalo-demon Mahishasura. Every year, Hindus honor the triumph of good over evil with a multi-day celebration that falls between September and October. In India, artists work for months to prepare idols of Durga, often portraying her with ten arms to symbolize her strength and power.

Here are some of our favorite photos of Durga Puja from our Your Shot community members.

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This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our photo community on Instagram. Follow us on Instagram at @natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo.com/yourshot for the latest submissions and news about the community.
Photograph by Mayukh Mitra, National Geographic Your Shot

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