Durga Puja-Idol Immersion And Sindhoor Khela

Durga Puja festivities came to a ceremonious end on Mahadashami, on Sunday in Tripura.

The day when Mother Durga is to depart to Kailash, when people bid adieu to the Goddess is acclaimed as 'Sindhoor Khela' or, smearing of vermilion followed by idol immersion.

People flock the Durga Pandals with sweets and vermilion to bid farewell to Goddess Durga and Her four children whom they worshipped amidst fervour and festivities.

Women, especially Bengalis, crowd the Pandals beautifully dressed in traditional attires to smear vernilion on the feet of the Goddess and then apply it on each other's forehead wishing longevity for their husband's life and prosperityon Sindhoor Khela.

“Today is the holy (idol) immersion (Vijayadashami) and we have come here to put vermilion on the feet of the goddess Durga with a prayer for the long life for our husbands. Then we play with this vermilion," said suparna-chakraborty Roy Chowdhury a devotee.

Mousumi Roy, another devotee said, “We have come here to pray for the prosperity of our family so that this year passes nicely. We also play vermilion here. We gather here on this day every year to seek blessings of Goddess Durga."

Mahadashami (the final day of Durga Puja) kicks start with special Pujas with Yagna, Maha arti, Darpan Bisarjan, or the ritual to bid adieu to Goddess Durga and Her four children (Saraswati, Lakshmi, Ganesha and Kartik) followed by idol immersion.

Goddess Durga and Her children are taken in a long procession with the sounding of drums and trumpets to the rivers banks or the water bodies where idol immersion is to take place.
Once the idols are immersed, Bengalis wish each other 'Shubho Bijoya'

Sarmista Roy, a devotee said, “We have come here wearing new dresses but, inside our hearts, feeling very bad because this year"s festival will come to an end today, and from tomorrow people will start waiting patiently for next year"s 'Durga Puja" to come.

Such is the spirit of Durga Puja which seizes one with religious fervour.