Durga Puja Festival Comes to an End in West Bengal

Kolkata: Bengal's four-day-long extravaganza, the Durga Puja festival, came to an end on Saturday with immersion of the idols of Goddess Durga and her progeny as people celebrated Vijaya Dasami.

The immersion of idols in the city at the ghats of the Hooghly was made amidst tight security, police said.

The immersion marks the symbolic return of the Goddess and her children to Mount Kailash, the heavenly abode of her husband Lord Shiva, after her annual sojourn on earth.

"Around 1700 to 1800 idols will be immersed today. The immersion is overseen by speed boats, watch towers and police personnel in strength," police said.

Besides the community pujas, many household pujas were also scheduled for immersion on Saturday.


However, there would be no immersion on Sunday because of Bakri-Id and it would resume after 8 pm on October 6, police said.

"According to a government notification there will be no immersion on Sunday because of Bakri-Id. It will resume at 8pm on Monday (October 6) which is the last date for immersion," they said.

Several big budget puja committees have decided to keep their idols for a day to give puja enthusiasts a last chance to have a look at the gorgeous pandals and extravagant lighting.

In districts towns and in the city, thousands of people bade a tearful farewell to the Goddess. Young revellers, middle-aged puja committee members and women in finery danced down the streets escorting the idols to the immersion ghats as drums rolled and bagpipes played full throttle, police said.

Bystanders lined the streets of the metropolis along the procession routes cheering the processionists who chanted "Durga Maiki Jai".

Before the immersion ceremony, married women in white and red-bordered saris engaged in 'sindoor khela' (smearing of vermillion on each other's forehead). Men and children exchanged greetings and the state fondly bid adieu to the Goddess imploring with her to visist again next year -- "Aschche Bochhor Abar Esho, Ma."