Picture of Hindu goddess Durga, India, Asia

The Hindu goddess Durga at Diwali celebration at the Paris Ganesh temple, Paris, France, Europe

Statue of the Hindu goddess Durga, Goverdan, Uttar Pradesh, India, Asia

Statue of the Hindu goddess Durga, 108 feet tall, with her lion vehicle Manastala, at Ganga Talao, Mauritius, Indian Ocean, Africa

Durga puja deity, made from river mud and decorated, being taken to the Brahmaputra riverbank for Durga puja immersion ceremony, Guwahati, Assam, India, Asia

The colourful 14th century Dewri Mandir Temple dedicated to Durga, the Hindu Mother Goddess, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India, Asia

The colourful 14th century Dewri Mandir Temple dedicated to Durga, the Hindu Mother Goddess, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India, Asia

Durga puja deity, made from river mud and decorated, being taken to the Brahmaputra riverbank for Durga puja immersion ceremony, Guwahati, Assam, India, Asia

The colourful 14th century Dewri Mandir Temple dedicated to Durga, the Hindu Mother Goddess, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India, Asia

The colourful 14th century Dewri Mandir Temple dedicated to Durga, the Hindu Mother Goddess, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India, Asia

The colourful 14th century Dewri Mandir Temple dedicated to Durga, the Hindu Mother Goddess, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India, Asia

Detail of Durga puja deity made friom river mud and straw for Durga Puja celebrations, Guwahati, Assam, India, Asia

Some of the 64 yoginis in the 9th century hypaethral Yogini Temple, worshipped for assisting goddess Durga, Hirapur, Orissa, India, Asia

One of the 64 yoginis in the 9th century Yogini Temple, worshipped for their assistance to goddess Durga, Hirapur, Orissa, India, Asia

Sculptor finishing goddess Durga deities, made using Hooghly river clay over straw base in Kumartuli potters' quarter, Kolkata (Calcutta), West Bengal, India, Asia

Hindu priest doing puja worship, Durga, Hindu Goddess of War, Sri Mahamariamman Hindu Temple, Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Sculptor adding hands to goddess Durga deities, made of Hooghly river clay over straw base in Kumartuli potters quarter, Kolkata (Calcutta), West Bengal, India, Asia

Dancing before the image of the ten armed warrior goddess Durga, Durga Puja Festival, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh state, India, Asia

Temple priest before the image of the ten armed warrior goddess Durga, Durga Puja Festival, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh state, India, Asia

Making clay based image of Durga, the ten armed warrior goddess, for use in the Durga Puja festival, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, Asia

Clay based images of Durga, the warrior goddess, for use in the Durga Puja festival, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, Asia

Clay based images of Durga, the ten armed warrior goddess, for use in the Durga Puja festival, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, Asia

Painting clay based image of Durga, the ten armed warrior goddess, for use in the Durga Puja festival, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, Asia

Goddess Durga statue during Durga Pooja, Kolkata, West Bengal, India, Asia

Durga, Sri Maha Mariamman temple, Penang, Malaysia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Goddess Durga statue during Durga Pooja, Kolkata, West Bengal, India, Asia

Durga Puja celebration in Paris, France, Europe

Durga Puja celebration in Paris, France, Europe

Durga Puja festival, Varanasi (Benares), Uttar Pradesh state, India, Asia

Bathing a statue of the goddess Durga with milk during Puja in a Hindu temple, Haridwar, India, Asia

Durga, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Goddess Durga, Paris, France, Europe

A brass plate full of offerings to God. Coconut, dried fish, black soya beans, duck eggs, oiled wicks, colour powder, bitten rice, betel nut, hand made rice paper incense, unhusked rice and flowers. Brahmayani Temple, Bhaktapur, Nepal

Butter lamp offerings to the Bagmati River flowing next to Brahmayani Temple. Newar Village Women wears "Haku Patasi" to the Temple. (Haku Patasi is garb worn by Newari woman). Bhaktapur, Nepal

Some religious people reach Brahmayani temple measuring their body length. To do so, a person prostrates on the ground and extends his clasped hands above his head. An assistant puts a few grains of rice at the end of the clasped hands as a marking point. Then, the man steps to this marking point and then prostrates again. Bhaktapur, Nepal

Newars, the dominant clan of Kathmandu Valley, playing traditional music. Bhaktapur, Nepal

Hindu scripture with cymbals, Bhaktapur, Nepal

Some religious people reach Brahmayani temple measuring their body length. To do so, a person prostrates on the ground and extends his clasped hands above his head. An assistant puts a few grains of rice at the end of the clasped hands as a marking point. Then, the man steps to this marking point and then prostrates again. Bhaktapur, Nepal

A Pilgrim reads his Hindu scripture. Bhaktapur, Nepal

A Pilgrim reads his Hindu scripture. Bhaktapur, Nepal

Some religious people reach Brahmayani temple measuring their body length. To do so, a person prostrates on the ground and extends his clasped hands above his head. An assistant puts a few grains of rice at the end of the clasped hands as a marking point. Then, the man steps to this marking point and then prostrates again. Bhaktapur, Nepal

Some religious people reach Brahmayani temple measuring their body length. To do so, a person prostrates on the ground and extends his clasped hands above his head. An assistant puts a few grains of rice at the end of the clasped hands as a marking point. Then, the man steps to this marking point and then prostrates again. Bhaktapur, Nepal

Sculpture of Godess Durga at the banks of the river Yamuna, the Taj Mahal at back, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India, Asia

Bangladesh, Dhaka, Durga Puja festival with Durga surrounded by deities and offerings before the altar.