Bijaya Dashami celebrated across West Bengal, intermittent rains disrupt 'sindoor khela'

Kolkata: Bijaya Dashami, marking the conclusion of Durga Puja, was celebrated across West Bengal on Thursday with traditional rituals of 'ghot visarjan' and 'sindoor khela' amid rain.

In Kolkata, women in red-bordered sarees took part in 'sindoor khela' at some pandals, including Bagbazar and Kumartuli Sarbojonin, where state minister Sashi Panja joined the celebrations.

The age-old custom, symbolising the prayers of married women for their families' well-being, added vibrancy before the emotional farewell to Goddess Durga.

Immersion of idols started in the afternoon, with various households, including the Sobhabazar Rajbari in Kolkata and the Kasimbazar Rajbari in Baharampur, carrying out the rituals with traditional pomp and grandeur as devotees bid farewell to Goddess Durga.

Belur Math of the Ramakrishna Mission also followed the traditional rituals.

Many people gathered on the banks of the rivers and waterbodies to witness the immersions.

Police said they made adequate arrangements for the peaceful immersion of the idols.

However, immersion of idols of several community pujas in Kolkata was not held as it was a Thursday, which is considered inauspicious for the ritual.

While organisers of these pujas plan to hold the immersion on Friday, a select number of community pujas from across Kolkata will participate in a 'carnival' organised by the state government, where tableaus featuring the idols and cultural presentations by various participants will be showcased.

Intermittent rains caused brief disruptions to the 'sindoor khela' rituals and inconvenienced revellers engaged in last-minute pandal hopping before the idol immersions.

Spells of rain, triggered by a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal, lashed south Bengal, including Kolkata.

At Taki in North 24 Parganas district, immersion of idols in the Ichamati river, which runs along the border between India and Bangladesh, was held amid tight security.

Thousands of people from the two countries gather on both banks of the river, with many coming from far-off places, to witness the spectacle as idols are immersed from boats.

Leaders across the political spectrum extended greetings on the occasion.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called for peace and harmony, while Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari also extended greetings to the people of the state.