They herald the return of Goddess Durga to her maternal home for five days with her children Ganesh, Laxmi, Saraswati, and Kartik. Lord Shiva is always present but unseen, hidden behind the Durga idol. While Durga is the goddess of action and power, Shiva is the unmoving stillness from which that action emerges. In a society where masculine dominance often defines theology, Durga Puja places the woman at the forefront. The hidden Shiva behind Durga’s idol is more than a traditional artistic element—it is a philosophical cornerstone.