Immersion of Idols after Durga Puja: Rituals and Significance

On Maha Dashami, the 10th day the Durga Puja festival comes to an end. Idol of Goddess Durga is then taken out of the pandal (temporary structures for worshiping) in trucks. She is taken to nearby water bodies and immersed there, it is known a Bishorjon or Durga Visarjan.

Large processions of devotees follow the idol, traffic comes to a halt and the idol that was made of clay merges back with earth.

You can check dates of Vijaya Dashami here: Dates of Durga Puja

Bishorjon of Maa Durga on Dashami

Immersion of Idols

A small ritual of the priest ending the puja takes place. The belief associated with this is that Goddess Durga descends on earth, her father’s home, hence the rejoicing and celebrations.

After ten days she is now returning to her husband Lord Shiva in heaven. Priest with concurrence of the community gives permission to Goddess to leave earth for Her husband’s home in heaven.

Here the community represents us that is Her parents. The ritual is the act of cutting the holy red thread tied around the kalash (pot) that held the prana of the murti (spirit of the idol).

Significance of Immersion of Goddess Durga Idols after Festivities

Women indulge in Sindur Khela and men do kola-koli.

In Bangalore a special cemented section of Ulsoor Lake is marked for all Bishorjons. Bengali devotees dressed in traditional attire come to have one final darshan of Maa Durga and the lucky ones get to touch Her feet too before the immersion.

I positioned myself near the lake well ahead of time to see the processions arrive one by one. Sharing with you a short photo essay with some of the pictures taken just before the immersion of the idols.

Significance of Immersion of Goddess Durga

Maha Dashami Immersion of Goddess Durga

Visarjan of Idols worshiped in Durga Puja

One by one all the idols that were worshiped by the devotees are immersed in water, the first one is always the idol of Maa Durga.

Many pandal associations of Durga Puja in Bangalore bring the idols to Ulsoor Lake for immersion. The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, BBMP, had made good arrangements at the immersion spot. I saw people pulling out frames of the idols, sorting out the garbage, hope they are categorized and disposed off well.

Visarjan of Idols of Durga Puja

Immersion of idols after Durga Puja

I saw these idols right from the stages when it was just a lump of clay. Every item that went to making these idols is biodegradable. No fiber glass or plaster of paris used. The idol makers from Kamartuli, not very highly educated yet, they proved themselves to be eco friendly.

It is stillness after immersion of Goddess Durga idols, and of course lot of mess. The lake authorities get busy clearing up the bio degradable stuffs and sorting them in different piles.

Idol Immersion in Ulsoor Lake

Idol Immersion in Ulsoor Lake Bangalore

Lake authorities sorting the immersion remains

Lake authorities sorting the immersion remains

Meanwhile the purohit who did the last ritual before immersion collects some water in a pot back to the pandal where the puja was conducted. This water is considered holy and is termed Shanti Jol. Those who could not go to witness the immersion sprinkle this water on themselves.

The night of Dashami is a strange mix of sorrow and happiness! Happy that Goddess Durga has rid the earth of evil Mahisasur, but sad because She has left for Her maternal home. Just like how parents feel when their married daughter return’s to her marital place after a few days of visit to her parent’s place.

shanti jal on Dashami after visarjan

Nevertheless sweets are distributed, greetings of Shubho Bijoya are exchanged, people indulge in non veg food and variety entertainment programs are held.

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