Bhubaneswar, October 12: As the festive spirit of Durga Puja draws to a close, an air of melancholy enveloped Bhubaneswar and Cuttack on Saturday with women, especially from the Bengali community, gathering to bid farewell to Goddess Durga.
On the auspicious occasion of Vijaya Dashami, they offered vermillion, betel leaves, and sweetmeats to the deity in a heartfelt farewell ritual. This ritual is termed Sindur Khela.
Clad in traditional red and white sarees, the women visited various Puja pandals across the twin cities.
According to custom, they began by covering the face of the Durga idol with betel leaves, followed by applying vermillion on her forehead and cheeks, and finally offering sweetmeats as a symbol of devotion and gratitude.
After completing the rituals with the idols, the women turned to each other, smearing vermillion on their foreheads and cheeks, symbolizing their shared bond and blessings.
"To us, Goddess Durga is like a daughter visiting her parental home during these four days of celebration. Now, she returns to her in-laws for a year, and we bid her farewell with these traditional rituals, where vermillion, a symbol of marital harmony, plays a significant role," shared one housewife with tears in her eyes.
The immersion of the idols, marking the end of Durga Puja, carried a sense of devotion and longing as the women bade Maa Durga farewell, awaiting her return next year.
