The city of Calcutta comes alive in a very special way, every year, during Durga Puja. This is, in fact, a time of great festivity all over India, when the Mother Goddess, Durga, the Ultimate Embodiment of strength, is invoked and her varied forms of Shakti (strength) are worshipped over Nav (nine) Ratri (nights). In Calcutta – or Kolkata – exquisitely crafted life size clay idols of the Goddess Durga are set up in temples and on fabricated platforms (called Pandals) in various locations, all over the city. Durga is worshipped during these auspicious days as the Universal Mother, the Protector and the Slayer of the demon, Mahishasura. Communities vie with each other to come up with the most original theme for their pandals. People try to visit as many pandals in their town as possible, just to see all the diverse ways in which the themes are used to