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.
The
immersion of idols in the city at the ghats of the Hooghly was made amidst
tight security, police said.
"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 today.
However, there would be no immersion
tomorrow 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."
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