STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The five-day Durga Puja celebrations drew to a close on Wednesday with devotees across Assam bidding farewell to Goddess Durga through traditional immersion rituals on the occasion of Vijaya Dashami. In Guwahati, immersion processions began making their way towards the Brahmaputra, as puja committees prepared to bid farewell to the goddess amid devotional chants, prayers and the beats of traditional drums. The rituals marked the culmination of the festival, observed with religious fervour across the state.
The day began with Dashami prayers and rituals at puja pandals, followed by Sindoor Khela, a traditional ceremony in which married women apply vermilion to the goddess and one another. The occasion was marked by a blend of devotion, celebration and emotion as devotees prepared to bid farewell to the deity.
According to Hindu tradition, the immersion of idols symbolises Goddess Durga's return to her celestial abode after her annual visit to the mortal world. Following the completion of the final rituals, idols are taken out in processions and immersed in rivers and other designated water bodies. In Guwahati, idol immersion has been scheduled for October 21 and October 22 to accommodate the large number of participating puja committees and ensure the orderly movement of processions.
Lachit Ghat, the designated immersion site at Kachomari in Fancy Bazar, and Pandu Port are among the principal locations identified for the rituals. Immersion activities were also reported at Choonsali Ghat in Narengi, despite earlier uncertainty over arrangements at the site.
Pandu Port is expected to witness the immersion of more than 110 idols. The district administration, Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) and the health department have put arrangements in place to manage crowds and oversee the proceedings.
The Pandu Ghat Immersion Committee is supervising the activities at the site to facilitate the immersion process.