Shubho Mahalaya 2018: Sudarsan Pattnaik pays beautiful sand art tribute to Goddess Durga—See pic

New Delhi: It is that time of the year when Goddess Durga is worshipped across the globe with much gusto and fervour. Durga Puja is the main festival in West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam, Tripura and Bangladesh. Also, this is the time of Navratri, the nine-day festival dedicated to the Goddess which is majorly celebrated in North India.

Mahalaya which happens to be on October 8 this year mark Durga's advent into the battle to end evil forces. For Bengalis, Mahalaya means the first day of the much awaited Pujo. It marks the beginning of Devi Paksha and end of Pitra Paksha.

Renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik, who hails from Odisha, Bhubaneswar took to his Twitter handle and shared a beautiful and majestic sand art tribute to Goddess Durga. He wrote: “#SubhoMahalaya :Wishing Everyone A Very Happy #Mahalaya with Peace ,Happiness and Good Health. Keep our Environment clean. One of my SandArt.”

#SubhoMahalaya :Wishing Everyone A Very Happy #Mahalaya with Peace ,Happiness and Good Health. Keep our Environment clean. One of my SandArt . pic.twitter.com/4C96IlvTia — Sudarsan Pattnaik (@sudarsansand) October 8, 2018

Durga Puja usually takes place during September or October, the month of Ashvin according to the Gregorian calendar. Several Durga Puja pandals are set up where the Goddess is placed and those are beautifully decorated.

Besides the majestic idol of Goddess Durga fighting the asura, sitting on the fierce lion with a trident (Trishul) in her hand, Goddess Saraswati, Lakshmi, Ganesha and Kartikeya idols are also worshipped.

Durga Puja begins from October 15 to October 19 this year.

Here's wishing our reader a very happy Durga Pujo!