শুভ বিজয়া: আসছে বছর আবার হবে
Subho Bijoya: Durga on her way to Kailash

October 8: ‘Subho Bijoya’ to all our esteemed readers. The five-day-long Durga Puja, starting from Maha Shosthi to Bijoya Dashami, the greatest of the Hindu festivals, ended today with the solemn immersion of Goddess Durga idols. Bengalis wish each other ‘Subho Bijoya’ on the day of Bijoya Dashami, the day when Goddess supposedly returns back to her husband-Lord Shiva’s abode in Kailash.

This year Cachar District administration has made a special arrangement during idol immersion at Silchar Sadarghat. After the idol is immersed, the inorganic materials which is not bio-degradable will be collected by the divers within 100 meters of the immersion spot and those items will be picked up.

Devotees’ thronged Puja mandaps to celebrate Bijoya Dashami by reciting the mantras and offering Pushpanjali (flowers to the goddess Durga) and praying for her blessings. Married Hindu women put vermilion (sindur) on each other’s forehead on the occasion. This is a part of the last celebration before the goddess is taken for immersion.

Bijoya Dashami is the special ceremony to reaffirm peace and good relations among the people. Families visit each other to share sweetmeats during the Dashami festivity. Students usually keep their books at the feet of Goddess Durga and seek her blessings.

Back home from the puja pandal on the day of Bijaya Dashami, the younger generation touch the feet of the elders, embrace the peers, bless the little ones and then do what Bengalis love most, that is, eat a variety of sweet dish.

Idol Immersion at Sadarghat Silchar 

However, just like the sudden moment of dullness on a Sunday evening when you realize that Monday is just a few hours away, the day of Bisarjan (idol immersion) is a similar feeling with the festive hangover fading away and coping with the realization that Durga Puja is finally coming to an end.

With a heavy heart, the devotees bid solemn farewell to their deity Goddess Durga and her children Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh through immersion of their idols in the water while inviting her to return to them next year. The most common phrase used by the Bengalis on the day of Bijoya Dashami is “আসছে বছর আবার হবে” (Asche bochor abar hobe). Hope is the last resort of the people and so all remains in hope that next year all will again involve in puja celebrations.

At Silchar too, the day of Bijoya Dashami was celebrated across all puja pandals. Procession with idols for immersion in river Barak at Sadarghat started from early morning. The 1st idol to be immersed was that of the residence of the Kalwar’s at 7.20 AM. There were a total of 386 puja this year at Silchar. Majority of the idols were immersed on Tuesday. However, some of the idols will also be immersed on Wednesday.

District administration and Municipality Board is all geared up for hassle free idol immersion on the occasion of Vijaya Dashami on 8 October. Railing has been fixed on the boat on the immersion ghat so that no untoward incident may happen.

Idol Immersion at Sadarghat Silchar 

Laya Madduri, Deputy Commissioner Cachar has said that her entire team is all ready so that the immersion of idols is done in a disciplined way. She has personally monitored the situation at Sadarghat and has held round of meetings with officials of different departments. The officers and staff of Silchar Municipal board are also working round the clock in close liaison with the district administration.

Thus, all euphoria of Durga Puja 2019 comes to rest today. The festival which started on 8 October with Maha Saptami saw its culmination with Bijoya Dashami on 8 October. We also hope like all that is “আসছে বছর আবার হবে” (Asche bochor abar hobe).

‘Subho Bijoya’ to all the readers of way2barak. We hope to find you besides us in our future strides too.