New Delhi: Women across Delhi, West Bengal and Tripura celebrated the traditional Sindoor Khela ritual on Wednesday on the occasion of Vijaya Dashami, marking the culmination of Durga Puja. Women applied vermilion to each other’s foreheads and cheeks and offered prayers to Goddess Durga, seeking Her blessings and protection for everyone.
In Delhi, Sindoor Khela was celebrated with enthusiasm at the Arambagh Puja Samiti pandal. Women also participated in the ritual in Chittaranjan Park, which is known for its vibrant Durga Puja celebrations.
A woman participating in the festivities in Delhi said, “We are all Bengali migrants living here, and we worship Maa Durga together as one family.”
In Kolkata, West Bengal, women celebrated Sindoor Khela at Mudiali Club on Vijaya Dashami. Similar celebrations were held in Birbhum district, where women applied vermilion to one another’s cheeks and prayed for the well-being and protection of their families and loved ones.
In South Tripura, women participated in Sindoor Khela at Durga Puja pandals as preparations for the immersion of Goddess Durga took place. The priest formally completed the immersion rituals, while women carried the Goddess’s sacred pot to the priest’s house as part of the traditional dak dole ceremony.
Sindoor Khela, which translates to “playing with vermilion”, is one of the most recognisable rituals associated with Durga Puja among Bengali Hindu communities. It is observed on Bijoya Dashami, the final day of the festival, when devotees bid farewell to Goddess Durga before her departure.
The ritual traditionally begins with women offering vermilion to the Goddess, applying it to her forehead and feet, and participating in farewell prayers. They then smear sindoor on one another’s foreheads and cheeks, often exchanging sweets and extending wishes for happiness, prosperity and well-being.
Traditionally associated with married Bengali Hindu women, the practice carries religious and cultural significance. Participation, however, varies across communities, with some organisers adopting more inclusive practices.
The ritual is rooted in the belief that Goddess Durga visits her parental home during Durga Puja before returning to her husband, Lord Shiva, at Mount Kailash. The Goddess is welcomed as a daughter and bid farewell with affection, reflecting the familial emotions associated with the festival.
Sindoor Khela thus combines devotion, cultural traditions and the spirit of togetherness, marking an emotional conclusion to Durga Puja. Vijaya Dashami also marks the beginning of Bijoya greetings, when people exchange wishes and seek blessings for happiness and prosperity in the year ahead.
–IANS–
