E-Paper
BIDDING ADIEU TO MAA DURGA!
Sudden gush of nine-day spirited ebullience finally ended on Monday with the immersion of Maa Durga idols. An adieu to Maa Durga was paid by the devotees with the final ritual of immersion of ornated idols. The rituals had started early in the morning in the puja pandals of the city. Maha Dashami puja was held by the priests which was followed by Sindoor khela. The scene presented the most colourful sight.
Sudden gush of nine-day spirited ebullience finally ended on Monday with the immersion of Maa Durga idols.
An adieu to Maa Durga was paid by the devotees with the final ritual of immersion of ornated idols. The rituals had started early in the morning in the puja pandals of the city. Maha Dashami puja was held by the priests which was followed by Sindoor khela. The scene presented the most colourful sight.
"Bengali women sprinkled sindoor on each other and asked for the blessings of Maa for the long life and prosperity of their better half," said Sanjeeb, secretary of Shahganj Barwari Durga Puja.
The idols were then placed on trucks to be taken for immersion.
The process started early in the afternoon. Loud drum beats and religious slogans were heard from a distance on the roads and this was the sure sign that the vehicle with the idol was about to pass from that route.
Devotees danced in front of the vehicle and splashed themselves in the bright hues of abir and gulal.
It was an extraordinary scene to watch the idols with their magnificence and resplendent beauty in the open sky.
The radiance emitted from them gave the feeling as if they were showering blessings on the devotees.
The spot of immersion was located right at the space under the new Yamuna bridge. It was the most busy day for the boatmen as the idols were mounted on the boats first and then immersed from quite a distance from the river bank.
The entire area was crowded with the spectators who gathered there to watch the splendid scene. "It is the feeling of grief mixed with exultation as we will have to wait for another year to welcome Maa again," said Tarun, a spectator.
Meanwhile, Lakshmi puja in the pandals is slated to be held on October 6 in which puja, pushpanjali and devi arti will be organised in the evening.
