Durga Puja 2023: When is Sindur Khela and how is it celebrated? Know history, rituals, and significance

Durga Puja 2023: Sindur Khela is celebrated on the final day of Durga Puja. Here are the rituals and history of this tradition.

Durga Puja 2023: As Durga Puja and Navratri draws to a close with Vijayadashmi or Dussehra, Maa Durga devotees gear up to bid adieu to goddess in a grand celebration. One of the most important rituals of the final day of Durga Puja festivities is Sindur Khela, where married women in Bengal smear each other with sindur or vermillion and pray for the long lives of their husband. It is said that goddess Durga visit her parents - mother Menoka and father Giriraj - for four days, along with her children Lord Ganesha, Kartikeya, goddess Saraswati and Laxmi, and is treated to a variety of bhogs during this time. On Dashmi, it's time for the goddess to return to Lord Shiva, her husband's home, and the devotees make sure to give her a grand farewell by smearing sindur on her forehead and feet and offering her betel leave and sweets. (Also read: Dussehra 2023: When is Vijayadashami? Know date, history, puja muhurat, significance, celebration and more)

Date of Sindur Khela

This year Sindur Khela will be celebrated on October 24, on the day of Vijayadashmi or Dussehra.

History of Sindur Khela

Sindur Khela is said to date back to 400 years old when local women started the tradition in West Bengal and parts of Bangladesh. The tradition soon reached other parts of India and is now an essential part of Vijayadashmi celebration.

Sindur Khela rituals

During Sindur Khela, Bengali women dressed in a beautiful traditional saris and jewellery after applying sindoor to goddess' forehead and feet, go on to smear sindoor on each other. The ritual promotes bonhomie between the women and spreads happiness and joy. Devi Boron, is the ritual where Durga devotees bid adieu to the goddess by drawing a betel leaf on their palms and touching it to the deity's face, symbolically wiping face of Maa Durga off any tears, as she prepares to leave her parents behind to join her husband. Sindoor is applied to her forehead first and then her bangles (shakha and pola), and sweets are offered.

Post the ritual, married women apply this auspicious sindoor on each other's forehead and face and feed each other sweets, as they pray for their happy married life. In the end, Maa Durga idol is carried by the devotees to a water body and immersion is carried out.