In the Eastern region of India, followers of the great Hindu mother goddess Durga, pompously celebrate the victory of Mahishasuramardini over the buffalo demon during the nine days of Navaratri. Orissa, the region where Shakta-Tantra achieved great heights, commemorates Devi’s prowess in her numerous shrines, one of which is called Birija Kshetra located in Jajpur witnesses the Ratha-Yatra (chariot procession) of the tutelary goddess Birija. The “Chalanti Pratima” or movable icon of Durga Mahishasuramardini is installed on a grand chariot that moves around the town in a grand festival, which ends with the “Aparajita Pooja”- worship of she who is undefeated. This superfine goddess Durga statue depicts the great mother in a warring mood, surrounded by a magnificent halo, flanked by Sri Ganesha and Kumara Karttikeya- Devi Parvati (Durga)’s sons and the commanders of her vast army, being worshipped by miniature images of female devotees playing musical instruments recreates the grandeur of Maa Durga’s Vijaya Ratha (chariot of victory) in the most visually dramatic manner.
Goddess Durga in this stone statue is in her ten-armed (Dashabhuja) form, taking a dynamic stance, with one leg on her lion mount and the other on her vanquishing enemy’s chest. Various heavenly weapons fitting Devi’s potent imagery are delineated individually in this stone goddess Durga statue. Goddess Durga is ornamented with queenly jewelry and tasteful attire and carries a sublime yet powerful expression on her exquisitely sculpted face. An intricate backdrop with latticework, divine images framed in flowing vegetation, and Agni (fire) sprouting from the aureole add to the splendor of this stone Devi Durga statue. Flanking their queen mother in this composite stone image are Sri Ganesha and Lord Karttikeya, Hindu gods who frequently accompany goddess Mahishasuramardini Durga to the battlefield and in her icons during the Navaratri festival. All their deities are offered separate Chattra (royal umbrella) separating their aura from the atmosphere around them. On the topmost section of this stone goddess, the Durga statue is a striking image of Kirtimukha (face of glory), a symbol of divinity and royalty in ancient Hindu culture.
The grand platform on which goddess Durga Mahishasuramardini is presented is a two-tiered lotus pedestal, shaped like the Mandapa of a Hindu temple. The influence of Hindu temple architecture on this stone goddess Durga statue is discernible in the decorative elements of the ornate platform that give this murti the appearance of a miniature Devi shrine. The icons of ladies blowing the Shankha (conch), Dafli (tambourine), and Sringa (a bugle-like instrument) create a devotionally charged atmosphere that enhances the spectacular impression of this goddess Mahishasuramardini idol. It is as if, with a single glance at this glorious statue of Devi Durga, one gets to be a part of the journey of her Vijaya Ratha, surrounded by devotional songs, musical instruments, and the chants of Hail Maa Durga!
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