Ahead Of Navratri, Vishakapatnam Artisans Start Making Goddess Durga Idols

The festive season around the country began with Ganesh Chaturthi and as soon as the 10-day-long festival concluded on Thursday, the artisans started the preparations for Durga Puja and Navratri. The country is gearing up with breathtakingly beautiful pandals peppered across cities, the reverberating sound of hymns and dhak, people adorned in vibrant attire and a whole celebration.

This year, Durga Puja and Navratri will begin on October 14 and will conclude on October 24, Vijaya Dashami also marks the occasion of Dussehra. Now, in the Telugu-speaking states, Goddess Durga is also worshipped in the form of Kanak Durgamma.

This year in Vishakapatnam, sculpture artists have made attractive idols of the goddess Durga and are currently painting the idols with vibrant colours. This year, they have even made sure to make idols out of clay as they are environmentally friendly. The idols are made in different sizes as per people’s preferences.

Despite, all the preparations, the association of the artisans are concerned because during the Ganesh Chaturthi idols of Lord Ganesha remained unsold. They are hoping that the idols of Goddess Durga will be sold out and they will earn a major profit.

Organiser Koteswara Rao, speaking with News18, said that they have idols ranging from two feet to 10 feet tall. He also mentioned that all the idols will be ready before the time and will be sold off before Dussehra. Goddess Durga idols currently being made are for those who have placed an order beforehand.

The 10-day-long festival celebrates the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon king Mahishasura. It is believed that during the celebrations, Goddess Durga visits the earth to bless her devotees.

According to mythological texts, the demon king Mahishasura got a boon from Lord Brahma that no man or God could kill him and with the blessings he began defeating Gods and chased them out of heaven. To end the terror, the Gods asked for help from Goddess Durga. The fierce fight between Goddess Durga and Mahishasura lasted for ten days and on the 10th day, the Goddess killed Mahishasura.