Varanasi, Oct 26 (IANS): Most of the Durga idols have been immersed on the last Navratri Day and the remaining will be taken for immersion on Monday, but one Durga idol in Varanasi has not been immersed for years.

According to the local people, this idol, made of clay, has been standing for the past not just a few years but several decades.

"This idol was established by a Bengali family in Durga Badi in Bangali Tola area on 'Shashthi', the sixth day of Navratri. When the devotees tried to take the idol for immersion on Dussehra, they could not move the idol even an inch.

"Dozens of people have tried to move the idol, but failed to do so. People have tried to shift the idol for immersion in the past several years, but all efforts have failed," said Partha Ghosh, a local resident.

The fascinating thing about the idol is that though made of clay, it still looks as good as new. The clothes of the deity are frequently changed and she is given a new coat of paint every five to six years.

Hemant, the fifth-generation member of the Bengali family that established the idol, said, "My ancestors apparently saw Maa Durga in their dream and she said that she would not move out. Since then she remains there."

Devotees who come here, bring an offering of gram and jaggery.

During Navratri, the idol at Durga Badi draws the maximum number of devotees who believe that all their prayers will be answered by Goddess Durga here.