Lalmonirhat, Sept. 24 -- With Durga Puja just around the corner, Lalmonirhat is brimming with festive excitement as final preparations take shape across 467 mandaps in the district.

The five-day festival, the biggest religious celebration for the Hindu community, will begin on September 28 with Mahasashthi and conclude on October 2 with Vijaya Dashami.

From city centers to remote villages, artisans and organisers are working tirelessly to finish building idols and decorating mandaps.

Skilled hands are shaping stunning idols of Goddess Durga and her entourage - Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesh, Kartik, and the demon Mahishasur - using clay, straw, bamboo, and vibrant paints.

According to the district administration, this year's Puja celebrat...