Shola Pith is a spongy, milky substance found in wood, which is painstakingly carved to form beautiful objects of art. Though it looks like thermocol, sholapith is very tough and lasts a long, long time. Sholapith sculptures are made in East India and usually depict forms of God or are used for decorative purposes.

The sholapith sculpture you see here shows an idol of Durga. Durga is an aspect of Parvati or Shakti, the divine consort of Lord Shiva, the God of Dance. Embodying the concept of female empowerment and encompassing the entire process of creation and destruction within herself, the Goddess, surprisingly, has a peaceful and soft expression on her face. She is adorned by elaborate, delicate jewelry. Her huge, impressive crown and her heavy neck piece immediately command the attention of the beholder. Her third eye remains closed and her resplendent, smiling countenance is further beautified with a huge sindoor (vermilion mark) on her forehead.