Sculptures of five Hindu gods made from straw and clay have been completed in an arts project which took place in Cardiff.

Craftsmen from India were invited by the Wales Puja Committee to demonstrate how the statues - which are worshipped in Hindu festivals - are made.

The Durga Puja is usually celebrated in October

People in Wales have never before had the chance to see how the models are constructed.

The step-by-step building of the clay statues was carried out by Nimai Chandra Pal, who had travelled from Calcutta for the event.

The statues are worshipped in the Durga Puja festival, which is the biggest celebration in north east India and celebrates the mother goddess Durga.

Clay brought over specially from the banks of the River Ganges was used in the creation of the figures.

The project showed the process of creating the statues

Live demonstrations of the creation of five sculptures were held in the city centre at the Old Library.

A camera beamed the progress of the project onto a television outside the building for passers-by to see.

Roma Choudhury, a member of the Wales Puja Committee, said the statues will be exhibited at the National Museum and Gallery of Wales for two weeks.

"People have been very interested in what has been going on here," said Ms Choudhury.

"It has given everyone a fascinating insight to how these sculptures are made.

The statues have taken three weeks to complete

"A lot of people have only ever seen the final product, and have never been given the chance to see how the sculptures are actually made.

"This arts project gave people the chance to see the creation from beginning to end," she added.

Hundreds of schoolchildren from across Cardiff were taken to see the creation of the sculptures.

The Durga Puja festival has been celebrated in Cardiff for 28 years, after the celebration was set up by Doctor Acharjya, the community priest.

"This has been a fascinating event and many people have come to see how the sculptures are made," said Dr Acharjya.

Each figure is worshipped in turn

"I remember seeing the sculptures made when I was a small child in our village, but I know a lot of people have never seen how they are created," he said.

The five figures are goddesses, gods and family of the central figure Goddess Durga.

Durga is shown with 10 arms, which she used to destroy the demon Mahishashur who had been terrorising Heaven and Earth.

She has many forms in Hindu religion and is a symbol of strength, righteousness and the triumph of good over evil.

She is joined by the goddess of learning, Saraswati and the goddess of wealth Lakshmi.

The two smaller sculptures are the god Kartik - a warrior - and the god Ganesh - who has an elephant head - and depicts good news and fortune.