Durga Puja, one of the most vibrant and emotionally charged festivals in India—especially in Bengal—reaches its emotional peak and conclusion on Bijoya Dashami (the tenth day). While the festival is marked by five days of celebration, art, music, devotion, and community joy, its ending carries a deeper emotional and spiritual weight.
1. Dashami: The Day of Farewell
On Dashami, Goddess Durga is bid farewell in a ritual known as “Durga Visarjan” – the immersion of her idol in a river or water body. It symbolizes her return to Mount Kailash, to her husband, Lord Shiva. But spiritually, it also represents:
The end of her battle with evil (Mahishasura)
The return of divine energy to the cosmos
A reminder of impermanence – that all things, even joy, are part of a cycle
2. Sindoor Khela – A Ritual of Strength and Sisterhood
Before the immersion, married women participate in “Sindoor Khela”, where they apply vermillion (sindoor) to the goddess and to one another. It’s more than just tradition – it’s a celebration of feminine energy, unity, and blessings for marital bliss.
3. Immersion (Visarjan): Letting Go
As the idol is carried away in a procession with chants of:
“Asche Bochor Abar Hobe!”
(“Next year, she will come again!”)
—there’s a mix of devotion, celebration, and sadness. The immersion is both a physical and emotional release — saying goodbye, letting go, and accepting the impermanence of life.
While Durga Puja ends outwardly, its spiritual essence continues:
Victory of good over evil
Hope that divine power will always return when needed
A time for reflection, forgiveness, and renewal
The end of Puja is not final—it is a turning point. It invites us to carry the power, grace, and courage of Durga within ourselves throughout the year.
Bijoya Dashami and New Beginnings
After immersion, the festival shifts into Bijoya greetings.
This greeting marks:
The start of a new spiritual and social cycle
A time for mending relationships
Celebrating unity and peace
Durga Puja ends not with silence, but with a powerful message:
Every ending is a new beginning.
Durga may leave the idol, but she lives in us.
As the drums fade and the pandals empty, what remains is her strength in our hearts — guiding us to face life’s challenges with courage and compassion.
