Jaipur Rajbari's golden goddess — A unique Durga Puja tradition

The idol is inspired by Kanakdurga of Benares and is made from 108 Akbar-era gold coins. It is adorned with precious jewelry from Benares, including diamonds. The idol stands at two feet tall and weighs about one and a half kilograms. The image of Maa Durga is intricately crafted from one and a half maunds of silver.

The tradition of worshiping Maa Durga with a sword in front dates back to around 352 years ago when King Jai Singh Swaparishad migrated to the Chotanagpur Plateau to escape Aurangzeb's tyranny. During his reign, he defeated the ruling Vil Mundas and acquired their enchanted swords.

The story of the golden idol itself is quite interesting. Before 1866, the puja featured a clay idol of Maa Durga. However, a fire destroyed it when a lamp was overturned. Following a dream experienced by a devotee, artisans from Benares crafted the golden idols, and they have been the centerpiece of worship since 1867.

In 1969, there was an attempt to steal the golden Durga, but it was unsuccessful. Since then, the golden idol has been kept in a bank vault and is protected by the police during the five-day puja. After the ceremonial ablution on the tenth day, the idol is returned to the bank locker under police supervision.

This unique tradition continues to attract people from all over who come to witness the magnificent golden idol of Maa Durga at the Jaipur Rajbari Durga Puja celebration.