Goddess departs for her abode

The festival that began with Mahalaya ten days ago has come to a close amid the rhythm of Dhaks and the colour of vermillion.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 4 Oct 2014, 03:38 PM
Updated : 4 Oct 2014, 03:38 PM

The biggest religious festival of the Bengali Hindu community ended on Saturday with the immersion of idols in the water.

According to the Hindu mythology, Durga is returning to her husband's abode in Kailash on Saturday through the immersion.

She will again visit her father's home, this world, a year from now.

According to the Hindu almanac, this year the goddess arrived riding a boat and returned in a palanquin.

The rituals surrounding the goddess's departure began with the immersion of the idol from a Mandap in RM Das Road in Sutrapur at the Binasmrity Ghat in Buriganga river around 2pm.

This year about 29,000 idols were immersed across the country, with 211 in Dhaka.

Lalbagh Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Abdus Salam said adequate security measures had been taken to cover the idol immersion ceremonies. RAB joined police in patrolling.

Dhaka Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee members said the ceremonial immersion was done beforehand at the end of Dashami puja, with the ritualistic immersion of a mirror, which symbolises Durga’s consecrated image.

Most of the idols in Dhaka were immersed in the Buriganga river at Sadarghat. Before that the idols were gathered at Palashi before taking them to the Ghat in processions.

With the sounds of ululation and Shankha, and the traditional music of Dhak and accompanying instruments, the processions also carried modern sound systems playing religious songs.

The processions, which went through different areas of the city before reaching Sadarghat, caused some traffic congestion.

As the idols arrived at the river bank, devotees performed their last ritual dance, or aarati, lighting frankincense. At the end, the goddess was taken on to boats and immersed amid the chanting of mantras.