Rituals and the idol

The formal difference between goddess Durga and Jagaddhatri lies in Mayatantra and Jagaddhatri is mentioned with reference to Durga in Krishnanda’s Tantrasaar. The rule to perform the special puja of the goddess on the ninth lunar day of the light fortnight in the Bengali month of Kartick has been mentioned in Krityatattarnab by Srinath Acharyachuramoni of the 15-16th century. The four-handed goddess is carried by the lion everywhere, an elephant lies at the feet of the lion. The idol has an old fashioned shaping, i.e. the face cutting is of a longish pattern; it has large eyes spread up to the ears and the four hands display conch, discus, shaft and bow respectively. The snake is her sacred thread. One of the main attraction of Jagaddhatri idol of Chandernagore is the ornamental decoration of the goddess with shola (stick) and daker shaj (beautiful canvas of mats) with aweful painting at the back of the image.