After greeting her as ‘goddess’, Bengal women bid farewell to Maa Durga as ‘daughter’
In Kolkata, the vibrant Durga Puja festival just wrapped up its emotional finale on Vijaya Dashami, leaving Bengali families with a mix of joy and bittersweet goodbyes. What started as a grand welcome for Goddess Durga—seen as a powerful deity slaying evil—turned into a tender farewell, treating her more like a beloved daughter heading back to her in-laws after a short visit home.
For four days, from Maha Saptami to this Thursday’s Vijaya Dashami, the city buzzed with devotion. But the rituals at puja pandals captured hearts the most. Women in traditional red and white sarees gathered around the stunning Durga idols. They gently covered the goddess’s face with betel leaves, dabbed vibrant vermillion—or sindoor—on her forehead and cheeks, and even pressed sweetmeats to her lips, mimicking the send-off of a young bride the day after her wedding.
Once the idol rituals ended, the real celebration kicked in. Women turned to each other, playfully smearing sindoor on foreheads and cheeks in a lively tradition called Sindoor Khela. It felt like a sisterhood moment, honoring marriage, motherhood, and family bonds.
Monosree Banerjee, a 36-year-old from north Kolkata’s Lake Town, shared why this hits so close to home. “For us Bengalis, Durga isn’t just a goddess fighting demons,” she said. “She’s like our daughter who visits from her in-laws for these four days. Now, she’s leaving for a year, so we say goodbye with sindoor—the symbol of married life—just like we would for any bride.”
The sentiment echoed through generations. Supriya Mukherjee, 63, from Kolkata’s southern Maheshtala area, recalled her own days as a new bride. “We wait all year for this,” she explained. “I’ve gone from bride to mother-in-law, but the excitement never fades. Sure, there’s sadness in letting go, but Sindoor Khela reminds us our daughter—often called Uma—will return. Even after losing my sister-in-law 15 days ago, we joined in to keep our family traditions alive. It’s the heart of Bengali culture.”
Keya Saha, 69, from the bustling Bowbazar neighborhood, highlighted how Sindoor Khela has evolved. “It started as a Vijaya Dashami ritual but now celebrates womanhood and togetherness,” she said. “Married women touch sindoor to Ma Durga’s feet for blessings, then share it with friends. It’s about marriage, matriarchy, and strong family ties—we bond by applying it to each other, feeling that unbreakable connection.”
As the festivities wound down, the immersion of Durga idols began earlier in the week at the Ganges ghats, local lakes, and water bodies across Kolkata. Heavy security from Kolkata Police, disaster teams, the municipal corporation, and river guards kept everything smooth. Thursday saw lighter crowds, as many community pujas in housing complexes and conservative areas chose this day for their final immersions, wrapping up the 2023 Durga Puja on a poignant note.
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