Maha Dashami: Revellers bid adieu to Goddess Durga

A mood of gloominess has gripped the 'City of Joy' where  revellers are trying to make the most of the day by hoping from one pandal to another and attempting to capture one last memory of happiness and festivity for this year.

The all glittering night of Maha Navami and Maha Ashtami ended leaving a sad air as the people will have to wait for one long year again to soak into the merriment of the annual festival of the Bengali community.

Rains have dampened the mood a bit but revellers overcame the hurdle and made the most on the last two days.

On Mahadashami, special pujas, yagna and maha arti were performed, followed by darpan bisarjan (ritually bidding adieu to the Goddess although idol-immersion starts in the afternoon).

The rituals rounded off with Aparajita Puja (special worship for eternal victory).

As the day graduated, women gathered at several marquees (pandals) across the city to bid farewell to the Goddess and her four children with vermillion and sweets.

Sindoor Khela or (smearing of vermilion) marks the day when women folk smear each other with red vermilion.

After this, the frenzied immersion ceremony started. Long processions with drums and trumpets were taken out through various cities of West Bengal.

They finally reach various banks of river Ganga or other rivers where the idols are immersed.

Although this year, certain idols are expected to have delayed immersion ceremony.

After the immersion ceremony is over, people wish each other 'Shubho Bijoya', a custom followed by the Bengalis all over the world with a new ray of hope until the next year.

(Image by Avishek Mitra/IBNS)