Were you to be present in the city of Calcutta in the month of September, you might everywhere see the people busy in preparing for the yearly festival of this goddess.  Images representing her you would find in great numbers for sale, as bread or meat is sold.  In the houses of the rich, images are to be found made of gold, silver, brass, copper, crystal, stone, or mixed metal, which are daily worshipped.  These are called permanent images.  Besides these, multitudes of what are called temporary images are made—­made merely for the occasion and then destroyed.  They may be made of hay, sticks, clay, wood, or other such things.  Their size varies from a few inches to twenty feet in height.  If any persons are too poor to buy one of these images, they can make them for themselves.  When the festival is near at hand, people are seen in every direction taking the images to their houses.  After they are thus supplied, the festival commences.  It lasts fifteen days.  The greater part of this time is spent in preparing for the three great days of worship.  Early on the morning of the first of the three great days, the Brahmins proceed to consecrate the images, or to give them, as they suppose, life and understanding.  Until they are consecrated, they are not thought to be of any value.  They are looked upon as senseless.  A wealthy family can always receive the services of one or more Brahmins, and a few of the poor may unite and secure the services of one of them.  At length the solemn hour arrives.  The Brahmin, with the leaves of a sacred tree, comes near the image.  With the two forefingers of his right hand he touches the breast, the two cheeks, the eyes, and the forehead of the image, at each touch saying the prayer, “Let the spirit of Durga descend and take possession of this image.”  By such ceremonies, and by repeating various muntrums, it is supposed that the Brahmins have the power to bring down the goddess to take possession of the image.  Having been thus consecrated, it is believed to be a proper object of worship.  Having eyes, it can now behold every act of worship which is made; having ears, it can be delighted with music and with songs; having a nose, it can smell the sweet perfumes which are offered; having a mouth, it can be delighted with the rich food which is prepared for it.

After the image is consecrated, the worship begins.  The devotee comes near the image, and falls down before it.  He then twists himself into a great variety of shapes.  Sometimes he sits on the floor, sometimes he stands, sometimes he looks in one direction, sometimes in another.  Then he sprinkles the idol with holy water, rinses its mouth, washes its feet, wipes it with a dry cloth, throws flowers over it, puts jewels on it, offers perfumes to it, and finishes by performing shaashtaangkum.

The worship of the idol is succeeded by a season of carousing, joy, and festivity.  On this occasion, large offerings are made to the idols.  A rich native has been known to offer eighty thousand pounds of sweetmeats, eighty thousand pounds of sugar, a thousand suits of cloth garments, a thousand suits of silk, a thousand offerings of rice, plantains, and other fruits.