End of A Festival

Today ( October 8) the famous Autumn festival of Bengal comes to an end with the immersion of the idols of Goddess Durga in the river Ganges or nearby lakes or ponds.Visharjan (immersion) is the official end of the Durga puja (worship of Goddess Durga).

During Sindur khela (Vermillion game) married women greet each other after offering prayer to the Mother God at their puja mandop(makeshift temple).It begins after prists complete the ritual to end the puja.During sindur khela they greet each other after offering prayer to the Goddess.They apply Sindur to the Goddess’s head and offer sweets and after that greet each other.After that immersion take place in nearby water body or river sides.After the immersion, younger ones touch the feet of elder ones to pay their respect and offer sweets.Bengalies famous for their sweet tooths.

The West Bengal Pollution Control Board, Calcutta Police as well as Calcutta Municipal Corporation provide some guidelines on removal of idol structures thatpollution Control Board had issued a couple of years ago.On October 23, 2000, the court had directed the Pollution Control Board to devise measures to minimise the pollution after the immersion of idols, following a public interest litigation.The Board prepared a set of norms stating that the structures, had to be removed within 24 hours of immersion of the idols.

The collected debris was to be removed to the solid waste dumping site by the local civic body for ultimate disposal.Removal of the structures was the responsibility of the local police.For the past two three years Civic body and Calcutta police try to implement the guidelines strictly.

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