Devotees carry a clay idol of Durga at a workshop during the Navratri festival in Allahabad. AFP
Women wearing traditional attire dance in formation for the garba, the traditional dance of Gujarat state, ahead of the Hindu festival of Navratri, in Ahmedabad, India. AP
A woman gives finishing touches to dolls arranged in the theme of 'Ramayana', the ancient Indian epic, and displayed at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath gallery as part of the Navratri festival in Bangalore. EPA
Dolls displayed at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath gallery as part of the Navratri festival in Bangalore. EPA
Hindus over the world will celebrate the annual Navratri festival or Durga puja, that worships the power of women and the victory of good over evil. EPA
A vendor arranges idols representing deities and characters from Hindu mythology at a stall, during Navratri in Chennai. AFP
A woman picks up an idol used as a decoration ahead of Navratri in Chennai. AFP
A vendor selling idols in Chennai. AFP
A shopkeeper displays idols representing deities and characters from Hindu mythology in Chennai. AFP
Hindu devotees pray outside the Kali Temple during the Navratri festival in Jammu, India. AP
Folk dancers from the Panghat Group of Performing Arts during a dress rehearsal for an event to mark Navratri. AFP
Nepalese army soldiers fire a cannon during an event to celebrate Fulpati, the seventh day of Navratri, in Tundhikhel, Kathmandu. Reuters
People throng a market ahead of Navratri in Ahmedabad, India. AP
The Hindu festival of Navratri, or nine nights, will begin on September 26. AP
An artisan gives final touches to a clay idol of the Hindu deity Durga at a workshop in Allahabad. AFP
Navratri predominantly celebrates the Hindu deity Durga. AFP
An artist works on an idol of Durga in Mumbai. AP
A workshop owner checks freshly-dyed Kalawa threads, a traditional sacred orange-yellow thread used in Hindu rituals, ahead of the Navratri festival at Lalgopalganj village, 45km from Allahabad. AFP
A worker dyes a batch of Kalawa threads in Allahabad. AFP
Women wearing traditional attire practise the garba ahead of Navratri in Ahmedabad, India. AP
Women wearing traditional attire twirl as part of the garba, in which participants dance around in circles. AP
The garba is one of the highlights of Navratri. AP
Women in colourful traditional attire take a selfie as they practice the garba. AP
Garba dances are performed around the world, including in the UAE, during Navratri. AP
Participants from an art group rehearse a garba dance in Ahmedabad. AFP
A vendor sells decorative traditional turbans along a street ahead of the Navratri festival in Ahmedabad. AFP
Decorative traditional footwear on sale for Navratri in Ahmedabad. AFP
A vendor arranges decorative traditional turbans ahead of the Navratri festival in Ahmedabad. AFP
A potter arranges traditional earthen oil lamps in an oven at a workshop, ahead of Navratri on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. AFP
Girls dressed as mythological characters arrive to attend rituals to celebrate Navratri, at the Adyapeath temple on the outskirts of Kolkata. Reuters
A girl dressed as a deity is worshipped by devotees during rituals to celebrate Navratri in Kolkata. Reuters
Hindu devotees, dressed up as deities, take part in a religious procession on the grounds of the Durgiana Temple in Amritsar. AFP
An artist dressed as Hindu deity Ram performs the 'Ramlila' along with other actors. EPA
An effigy of demon king Ravana burns during the Dussehra festival celebrations in New Delhi, India. EPA
Devotees immerse an idol of the deity Durga into the Bay of Bengal, on the final day of Navratri or Durga puja, at Palavakkam beach in Chennai, India. EPA
The final day of Navratri or Durga puja is called Vijay Dashami, with vijay meaning 'victory' and dashami meaning 'tenth'. EPA
A vendor selling effigies of the demon King Ravana waits for customers on the eve of Dussehra, the last day of Navratri, in Amritsar. AFP
An artisan gives final touches to the effigy of Ravana in Amritsar. AFP
A devotee performs a ritual in front of the idol of Durga during Navratri and Durga puja celebrations in Ahmedabad. AFP
Devotees carry a clay idol of Durga at a workshop during the Navratri festival in Allahabad. AFP
Women wearing traditional attire dance in formation for the garba, the traditional dance of Gujarat state, ahead of the Hindu festival of Navratri, in Ahmedabad, India. AP
A woman gives finishing touches to dolls arranged in the theme of 'Ramayana', the ancient Indian epic, and displayed at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath gallery as part of the Navratri festival in Bangalore. EPA
Dolls displayed at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath gallery as part of the Navratri festival in Bangalore. EPA
Hindus over the world will celebrate the annual Navratri festival or Durga puja, that worships the power of women and the victory of good over evil. EPA
A vendor arranges idols representing deities and characters from Hindu mythology at a stall, during Navratri in Chennai. AFP
A woman picks up an idol used as a decoration ahead of Navratri in Chennai. AFP
A vendor selling idols in Chennai. AFP
A shopkeeper displays idols representing deities and characters from Hindu mythology in Chennai. AFP
Hindu devotees pray outside the Kali Temple during the Navratri festival in Jammu, India. AP
Folk dancers from the Panghat Group of Performing Arts during a dress rehearsal for an event to mark Navratri. AFP
Nepalese army soldiers fire a cannon during an event to celebrate Fulpati, the seventh day of Navratri, in Tundhikhel, Kathmandu. Reuters
People throng a market ahead of Navratri in Ahmedabad, India. AP
The Hindu festival of Navratri, or nine nights, will begin on September 26. AP
An artisan gives final touches to a clay idol of the Hindu deity Durga at a workshop in Allahabad. AFP
Navratri predominantly celebrates the Hindu deity Durga. AFP
An artist works on an idol of Durga in Mumbai. AP
A workshop owner checks freshly-dyed Kalawa threads, a traditional sacred orange-yellow thread used in Hindu rituals, ahead of the Navratri festival at Lalgopalganj village, 45km from Allahabad. AFP
A worker dyes a batch of Kalawa threads in Allahabad. AFP
Women wearing traditional attire practise the garba ahead of Navratri in Ahmedabad, India. AP
Women wearing traditional attire twirl as part of the garba, in which participants dance around in circles. AP
The garba is one of the highlights of Navratri. AP
Women in colourful traditional attire take a selfie as they practice the garba. AP
Garba dances are performed around the world, including in the UAE, during Navratri. AP
Participants from an art group rehearse a garba dance in Ahmedabad. AFP
A vendor sells decorative traditional turbans along a street ahead of the Navratri festival in Ahmedabad. AFP
Decorative traditional footwear on sale for Navratri in Ahmedabad. AFP
A vendor arranges decorative traditional turbans ahead of the Navratri festival in Ahmedabad. AFP
A potter arranges traditional earthen oil lamps in an oven at a workshop, ahead of Navratri on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. AFP
Girls dressed as mythological characters arrive to attend rituals to celebrate Navratri, at the Adyapeath temple on the outskirts of Kolkata. Reuters
A girl dressed as a deity is worshipped by devotees during rituals to celebrate Navratri in Kolkata. Reuters
Hindu devotees, dressed up as deities, take part in a religious procession on the grounds of the Durgiana Temple in Amritsar. AFP
An artist dressed as Hindu deity Ram performs the 'Ramlila' along with other actors. EPA
An effigy of demon king Ravana burns during the Dussehra festival celebrations in New Delhi, India. EPA
Devotees immerse an idol of the deity Durga into the Bay of Bengal, on the final day of Navratri or Durga puja, at Palavakkam beach in Chennai, India. EPA
The final day of Navratri or Durga puja is called Vijay Dashami, with vijay meaning 'victory' and dashami meaning 'tenth'. EPA
A vendor selling effigies of the demon King Ravana waits for customers on the eve of Dussehra, the last day of Navratri, in Amritsar. AFP
An artisan gives final touches to the effigy of Ravana in Amritsar. AFP
A devotee performs a ritual in front of the idol of Durga during Navratri and Durga puja celebrations in Ahmedabad. AFP
Devotees carry a clay idol of Durga at a workshop during the Navratri festival in Allahabad. AFP
