By IANS
Kolkata : Five-days of celebrations of Durga Puja finally ended as West Bengal bid a tearful adieu to the goddess and her children Sunday, marking another yearlong wait for her autumnal homecoming.
However, the frenzied immersion ceremony of the idols of Durga, complete with elaborate processions, dance, beating of drums and lusty cheers by youngsters, saw Bengal making most of the carnival.
In keeping with the customs, the idols of Goddess Durga along with those of Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya – the four children of the goddess – were immersed with much fanfare, after the womenfolk smeared the deities with vermilion.
Special pujas were held as the day progressed. Married women prayed for the well-being of their families. Sweets were distributed as friends and relatives wished “Shubho Bijoya” (Happy Bijoya Dasami) to each other.
Idols in some of the old households of north Kolkata, which observe the pujas in the traditional way, were immersed early while big budget community pujas of Kolkata often choose to immerse the idols a day or two later.
In Kolkata, Babughat on the banks of the Ganges (Hooghly river) was teeming with people who turned up in groups to watch the grand immersions as chants of “Balo Durga Mai Ki Jay” (Hail, mother Durga) rent the air.
Women shed inhibitions to join the men in dancing wildly to the beating of drums as the idols were immersed.
A total of 12,000 pujas were organised in West Bengal, including about 1,127 community pujas in Kolkata alone.
“We have made elaborate security arrangements for immersion at Babughat and other immersion venues,” a police official said.
About 16,000 policemen were deployed in the state to cope with the crowd and maintain security.
Bijoya Dashami in Bengal also means sweets, homemade goodies and exchange of pleasantries. It is a special ritual whereby peace and good relations are reaffirmed. Bijoya continues till the next new moon, when Kali Puja is held.
Durga Puja, the autumn carnival of the Bengalis, began with enthusiasm Wednesday with West Bengal decking up with bright lights and giant marquees to greet a surge of humanity flocking to savour the best of Indian craftsmanship and culture.
The festivities began with Mahashashthi celebrations as goddess Durga was invoked, setting the mood for five days of revelry and socialization.
Kolkata this time witnessed pujas mostly dominated by varied themes – including the temples of Java, a Santhal village, the Hogwarts Castle of Harry Potter and global warming – reflecting social concerns and depicting creativity at its best.