Bhubaneswar, Oct. 19 -- A unique tradition surrounding the worship of Maa Durga continues at the shrine of Saint Shri Atmaram Dev in Jatadhari, under Mahanga block in Odisha's Cuttack district.

Unlike the usual practice of immersing clay idols after Dussehra, the centuries-old idol of the Goddess at this shrine is never immersed.

One of the most distinctive aspects of the shrine is that the daily rituals are performed by the young residents of the ashram. Their regular worship of the Goddess is an integral part of the tradition followed at the religious site.

A devotee said, "It has been six years since I left my family to serve the Goddess here. Just as I have a mother at home, I see the Goddess as my mother here. She takes care of me...