Berhampur: A miniature Durga idol made from spices emerged as the main attraction at a Durga Puja pandal in silk city. The two-inch idol, crafted without soil or plastic, was prominently displayed at Ankushapur on the city’s outskirts on Tuesday, on the occasion of Dussehra. Dillip Kumar Moharana (23), an employee of a private firm in Berhampur, took around four days to make the miniature idol using spices including turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf and mace.Goddess Durga, the lion and Mahisasura were carved from two pieces of finger turmeric. The Goddess’s clothing was made using bay leaf, big cardamom and mace, while cinnamon and other spices were used for her arms and weapons. The total weight of the spices used was around 50 grams, Moharana said. He installed the miniature Goddess on a wooden board to make it easy to move from one place to another. “It took me three to four days. After completing it, I displayed it at the puja mandap at Ankushapur, near the city. By crafting this Durga idol, I want to spread a message to celebrate an eco-friendly Dussehra this year,” added Moharana, who has earlier made several miniature idols.In 2024, he made a 15X13-inch sculpture of the Ganjam map, displaying major Shakti shrines of the district. These included Tara Tarini near Purushottampur, Maa Budhi Thakurani in Berhampur, Siddha Bhairabi, Mantridi, Bala Kumari at Chikiti, Baghradevi at Kulada near Bhanjanagar, Mahuri Kalua, Kukudakhandi, Narayani near Khallikote and Bankeswari near Digapahandi. Earlier, Moharana made a replica of the Ram temple at Ayodhya, along with idols of Lord Ram, Laxmana, Devi Sita and Hanuman, using wood. He had crafted miniature idols of Goddess Durga, around one inch in height, from wood.