Page:Durga Puja - With Notes and Illustrations.djvu/44

 doing homage to her. In this chal is also represented the battle of the Kurus and Pandavas, and in the lower compartment is described another scene of the battle of the demons with the black form of Sakti. She is represented as a two-armed goddess, standing on a lion and holding swords in both hands. In the several smaller corners are represented the Vatukas and the nine Grahas (planets) viz., the Sun, the Moon, the Mars, the Venus, the Jupiter, the Mercury, the Saturn, the Rahu and the Ketu (the ascending and the descending nodes.)

In some families the paintings of the chals differ greatly, and some of the above-mentioned gods and goddesses are left out, according to the forms and dimensions of the chal. The painter, however, takes great care to so dispose the several figures, that the effect of the entire collection is rendered graceful and imposing. Certain modifications are observed in coloring the several idols and in the disposition of the same. Ganesa is generally painted red, all over the body, except the trunk which is that of a white elephant; the Malliks of Andul have a two-armed Ganesa; some however have light orange or light green Ganesa in some families, again, he is represented as standing. No variations occur in the coloring of