Clay Images of West Bengal

Durga the inaccessible, goddess of victory is in popular Bengali tradition the daughter of Himavat (the Himalayas) and Menaka. In Tantric tradition she is the virgin daughter of Himavat and Menaka and as 'kumari' inspires devotees to experience a love for her akin to that of doting parents for their daughter. The theme of the separation of mother (Menaka) and daughter (Durga) is strong in the so-called Agamani (advent) songs sung prior to Durga puja and the tearful farewell of the women who sing vijaya songs and beseech Durga to return again next year.

The three days of the main puja are regarded as the three days during which the daughter Durga returns to her parental home for a brief visit before journeying back to the house of her father in law. As a result of these connotations Durga puja can be a lively occasion. She is also the wife of the great Hindu god Shiva. She is Ma, the Universal Mother of the elephant headed god Ganesh, the handsome bachelor god Kartik, the goddess of wealth Lakshmi and the goddess of learning, Sarasvati. Durga wards off danger, disease and calamity and is called Durgatinasini, the one who destroys obstacles. It is in her role as Mahisasuramardini, the ten-armed goddess who destroys the demon Mahisa, that she is depicted in the Durga puja images. Mahisa ousted the gods from the heavens and Durga was specifically created by the energies of all the gods, equipped with all their weapons and directed to destroy Mahisa. Eventually, while trying to escape from Durga by taking on the form of a buffalo, Mahisa is at last trapped, emerges from the body of the buffalo and speared with Durga's trident.

In Durga images, Durga stands with her right foot on the back of her vehicle the lion while her left foot is on Mahisa's shoulder as he merges from the carcass of the buffalo. She is ported in the act of killing Mahisa and her trident pierces his chest while the snake she holds in one of her ten arms circles the demon's neck. In her other arms she holds a sword, discus, spear, arrows, noose, goad, shield, bell and bow. She is a warrior goddess who nevertheless appears completely unruffled by her act of killing. Durga images show her as youthful, smiling, full of energy and poised. This role of the goddess as potent destroyer of evil lies at the heart of the religious experience of Durga puja.