Kolkata: Marking the culmination of the five-day Durga Puja festival on Bijoya Dashami, women gathered at pandals across Kolkata to celebrate the auspicious 'Sindoor Khela' ritual, a prelude to the grand immersion processions heading towards the Hooghly River ghats.
Sindoor Khela at Bagbazar Sarbojanin, one of Kolkata's oldest and most prestigious community puja, stands as the city's most culturally significant and visually striking spectacle. Massive crowds of women draped in traditional white sarees with red borders gathered on Wednesday morning to participate in 'boron' (ceremonial farewell) ritual and 'Sindoor Khela', which began after touching vermilion on the deity's feet. Women smeared vermillion on each other’s faces, filling the atmosphere with laughter, joy, and deep emotion.
Bagbazar Sarbojanin remains one of the most iconic traditional Durga Pujas in north Kolkata. Amidst a landscape dominated by elaborate, theme-based Pujas, this celebration has managed to retain its unique, distinct character. Every year, women travel from far and wide to participate in the 'Sindoor Khela' on the morning of Dashami. While some arrive with friends, others are accompanied by their families.
As the time comes to bid farewell to Uma (Goddess Durga), a sense of melancholy sets in, signalling the start of another year's wait. People look forward to the promise of 'asche bochor abar hobe' (return again next year) that Goddess Durga will grace with her presence next autumn
This year, the festivities spanned five days, as 'Saptami' rituals were held over two consecutive days. However, a shadow of tragedy fell upon these celebrations on the night of the first Saptami (October 17) when a stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja in Kolkata resulted in the deaths of 19 people and left many others injured. Such an incident has never occurred during any Puja in Bengal.
Meanwhile, an elaborate arrangement has been made for the Durga idol immersion with 18 IPS officers deputed to manage law and order and supervise the entire process in four cities - Kolkata, Howrah, Barrackpore and Chandannagar- from Wednesday to October 24. Heavy cranes have been replaced with manual trolleys at key ghats such as Babughat, Baje Kadamtala and Nimtala to follow traditional customs.