Five-day Durga Puja ends in Tripura with immersion of idols

The five-day Durga Puja festival, the Hindu Bengali's biggest annual carnival, ended Monday in Tripura with the immersion of several hundred Durga idols in rivers and ponds.

According to senior police officials, several hundred Durga idols would be immersed during the next two days.

Devotees bade an emotional goodbye as idols of goddess Durga and her four children -- Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartik -- were immersed in Howrah, Gomti, Manu and other rivers and ponds across Tripura on Vijaya Dashami, the last day of the festival.

Young students with their books touched the feet of Durga idols, seeking blessings, while married women wearing the ceremonial red-and-white sarees marked the event with the traditional "Sindoor Khela" (smearing each other with red vermillion) to prepare the goddess and her children for their long journey to her husband's home at 'Shivalok' (Mount Kailash, believed to be the home of god Shiva).

Drummers played 'dhaak' (traditional drums) in the background, adding to the spirit of the festival.

Chanting the slogans of "Bolo Durga Mai Ki Jai" and sharing "Abir" (coloured powder) among themselves, the devotees took the Durga idols to various immersion ghats, after which they went around the different cities, adding fervour to the festivity.

Women, the young and the elderly, while immersing the Durga idols into the river water, wished for her return next year to add cheer and joy afresh.

On the occasion of "Vijaya Dashami", people offered sweets to each other and had hearty meals, elaborately cooked.

At least 2,500 community and family Durga Pujas were organised in Tripura this year, almost as many as last year.

Elaborate security arrangements were made all over Tripura and the 856-km India-Bangladesh border with Tripura was sealed to prevent cross-border movement of inimical elements during the festivities.