Low-key Bijoya Dashami celebrations in Bengal

KOLKATA (PTI):

The five-day Durga Puja festivities in Bengal ended on Monday as just a handful of people observed the idol immersion ceremony.

The colourful processions, which usually mark the occasion were also missing from the city streets this year because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Dressed in traditional outfits and with masks worn on faces, devotees, while maintaining a safe distance, touched the feet of goddess Durga as chants of ‘Asche bochor abar hobe’ (till next year) were heard.

Women offered sweets to the goddess, even as the traditional Sindur Khela was mostly restricted to organisers and a few residents at the pandals.

In some parts of the state, people burned the effigies of Ravana as part of Bijoya Dashami celebrations.

According to Kolkata Police, we made adequate arrangements to ensure the idol immersion ceremony was peaceful, with CCTVs installed at all river ghats and personnel from civic bodies and Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) present at the venue to monitor the situation. (PTI)

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