Idols immersed on Dashami as Durga Puja ends

Banks of the Ganga and other rivers wore a festive look, as puja organisers came in colourful processions to the accompaniment of drums to immerse idols of the goddess and her four children -- Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartik.

Hundreds of devotees, including the young, joined hands to gently lower the idols into the river. An element of emptiness at the end of the biggest celebration in this part of the country overcame all and sundry, but they consoled themselves shouting "Asche bochor abar hobe" (See you next year).

The immersion ceremony symbolises the end of the goddess' annual sojourn to her paternal home and she returns to her husband Lord Shiva at their heavenly abode in Mount Kailash.

Tight security arrangements were made at the river banks and launches were kept ready to rescue people in case of emergencies, the police said.

In the morning, married women smeared the goddess and her children with red vermilion and offered sweets and prayed for the well-being of their families and long lives of their husbands.

There were long queues before sweet shops as people started visiting relatives and friends to hug and wish each other "Shubho Bijoya" - Happy Bijoya Dashami.