Durga Puja, the greatest festival in the Bengali calendar, today ended with immersion of idols on Dashami amidst chants of "aasche bochchor abar hobe" (it will happen again next year).
At the onset of dawn, Goddess Durga left for her abode in Kailash at the end of her three-day sojourn on earth, as against the usual four-day, with the Navami and Dashami falling on the same day (yesterday).
Women smeared vermilion on each other's faces in a ritual called 'sindoor khela' and offered sweets and prayers to Goddess Durga and her siblings as the young swayed merrily to the rhythmic beats of 'dhaks'.
People of all ages exchanged greetings with each other on the occasion of 'Bijoya'.
Several household pujas observed Dashami yesterday. According to Kolkata Police, around 1,086 idols were immersed yesterday.
Out of big community pujas, only Mudiali has immersed their idol and the rest are slated for immersion on October 25, a senior officer of Kolkata Police said.
Though today and tomorrow have been declared as no immersion days because of Muharram, the authorities made the exception for a number of household Durga idols which made a beeline to Babughat.
"Today and tomorrow are no immersion days because of Muharram rallies. But still several puja organisers came for immersion at Babughat... We've helped them today but tomorrow nobody will be allowed. The next immersion date is October 25 which will continue till the next morning 4 am," the officer said.
Many foreigners were seen clicking pictures of the immersion of idols.
Besides police officials, personnel from state civil defence, civic body officials, Kolkata Port Trust and River Traffic Police assisted in the immersion process while speed boats of India Navy kept watch.
