Durga Puja 2023: Women participate in Sindoor Khela on Vijayadashami. See pics from across the country inside

Sindoor Khela - performed on the last day of Durga Puja, Vijayadashami - falls on October 24 this year. Here's how women are celebrating it across the country.

Published on: Oct 24, 2023 1:50 PM IST

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Published on Oct 24, 2023 1:50 PM

Devotees of Maa Durga celebrate the last day of Durga Puja - Vijayadashami - with pomp. This year, it falls on October 24. People bid audie to Goddess Shakti on this day by immersing her idols in holy water bodies. Another significant ritual of this day is Sindoor Khela, where married women in Bengal smear each other with sindur or vermillion and pray for the long lives of their husbands. Today, women across the country are performing the ritual and here are some snippets from different parts of the country.  (PTI)

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Published on Oct 24, 2023 1:50 PM

Women in Ranchi apply vermillion on each other as they participate in Sindoor Khela on Vijayadashami, the last day of Durga Puja festival celebrations.  (PTI)

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In this picture, a group of women from Patna can be seen participating in the ritual of Sindoor Khela on the last day of Durga Puja, Vijayadashami.  (PTI)

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Published on Oct 24, 2023 1:50 PM

According to Hindu mythology, on Dashmi, Goddess Durga returns to Lord Shiva after visiting her parents - mother Menoka and father Giriraj - for four days (the first four days of Durga Puja). Her children - Lord Ganesha, Kartikeya, goddess Saraswati and Lakshmi - accompany her to her parents.  (PTI)

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As she returns to her husband's home, devotees give her a grand farewell by smearing sindur on her forehead and feet and offering her betel leave and sweets.  (PTI)

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Published on Oct 24, 2023 1:50 PM

The ritual of Sindoor Khela dates back to around 400 years. Women in West Bengal and Bangladesh started the tradition. After this, it soon reached other parts of India and is now an essential part of the Vijayadashmi celebration. (PTI)

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Bengali women wear traditional sarees and jewellery during Sindoor Khela. They first apply sindoor on the Goddess' forehead and feet and then smear sindoor on each other. The ritual promotes bonhomie between the women and spreads happiness and joy. (AP)

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Published on Oct 24, 2023 1:50 PM

Meanwhile, 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 the 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.  (PTI)