PICS: Durga Puja ends in West Bengal with idol immersion

The five-day Durga Puja festival in West Bengal ended on Wednesday with people celebrating Bijaya Dashami which marked Goddess Durga's return to her husband's home.

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The immersion of idols at the ghats on the Ganga was made amid tight security and the entire arrangement was peaceful, the police said.

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"The immersion was overseen by speed boats, watch towers and police personnel in strength," a police official said. Over 80 per cent of the 1,300 community pujas, scheduled for immersion on Wednesday, was over by 9 O'clock apart from many household pujas.

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The immersion would continue for three days till October 28 with a gap of Oct 26 and 27 due to Idd-Ul-Zuha, police said.

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Arrangements had also been made in the districts for peaceful immersion, they said.

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Prior to immersion of the idols, women engaged in 'sindoor khela' (application of vermilion on each other's forehead) and men and children exchanged greetings.

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Several big budget puja committees have decided to keep their idols for a day or two to give puja revellers, who missed a chance to have a look at the magnificent pandals and extravagant lighting.

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