Sindur Khela for Women in Durga Puja Festival
One final ritual that is carried out before immersion of Goddess Durga is the Sindur Khela. It marks the farewell to Maa Durga, end of Durga Puja. Bengali Hindu women participate in the playful ritual of applying vermilion on each other on the last day of Durga Puja.
Who participates in Sindur Khela for Women?
This festival is exclusively for women. Women dedicate sindoor on Maa Durga’s feet first. Then they apply sindur on the parting of hair on Goddess’s forehead and her bangles. Then they wipe her cheeks with betel leaves as if wiping away her tears of sorrow because she is leaving her father’s abode. Finally putting sweets in her mouth and bidding her goodbye. This part of the ritual is called ‘Devi Boron’.
In the queue to do Devi Boron
Devi Boron
What items go into Sindur Khela Thali?
Almost every woman wishes to participate in the Boron ritual. They reach their respective pandals with Devi Boron dala, the one they have been majorly associated with on all 5 days of Durga Puja. Usually women start queuing up with their Sindur Khela thali (boron dala) (plates filled with essential items for Boron) to participate in the ritual.
The items of boron dala are: a new pack of sindur (vermilion), betel leaves, durba ghas (Cynodon dactylon), dhaan (paddy grains), and sweets.
Photo credit: Alokananda Chakraborty
I too participated in this ritual of Sindur Khela. Standing so close to Goddess for devi boron, feeling Her face so close, stuffing sweets in to Her mouth is overwhelming.
After this one to one interaction with Goddess Durga the fun part begins. Women apply vermilion on each others’ forehead and bangles wishing long life for our husbands and exchange sweets. This ritual extends to playfully applying sindur on the cheeks too.
Sindur Khela for Women in Durga Puja
There was a time when widows, divorcees, transgender had to simply watch this sindur khela ceremony played by married women. I am so glad the perspective has changed today. This year there will be participation by all whatever may be the social identity. Sindur Khela for Women is no longer limited to participation by married Bengali Hindu women.
Widows, divorced women all can participate.
Some time back i.e.. mid 2018 a global campaign #NoConditionApply promoted the idea of inclusion and participation of women from all walks of life in this ritual. Thus a 400 year old custom has come to an end!
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Beautifully written.I have watched from the balcony of my apartment this function for several years in the pandal opposite to our building.My daughter tells me that at the end of the function all the women in the pandal bow before Durga with their eyes closed when it is believed that Goddess opens her eyes and blesses all of them present before her.
So interesting.
It was nice learning about Sindur Kela and Devi Boron.
Thank you for sharing these beautiful details about the festivities of the season.
Happy Durga Puja to you, Indrani. 🙂
Thanks Indrani for such an informative Article on our Tradition.. Well written / presented!
I love this…it simultaneously makes me happy and sad. I know I’m well over those days of feeling sad with the parting of Maa Durga, but I just can’t help it…
Great post!
It’s a beautiful tradition! Loved the pics!
Interesting tradition…!
I have seen very beautiful pictures of this event. The last one in your post is pretty!
Our rituals make our culture rich and different and definitely attractive for others. This all makes India a culturally strong nation !!
I love this tradition. Whenever I am in Kolkata during Pujos, I make sure I am accompanied by my camera. Various emotions are displayed during this time.
I like this tradition and you have depicted it so very beautifully 🙂
Interesting post Indrani. This tradition replicates our amazing culture and also love.
Such a wonderful post. I love this tradition of Sindur Khela and you’ve explained it so well here 🙂
This ritual is new to me.. Never heard about Sindur Khela.. Beautiful shots..
Thanks for sharing this interesting information with us. I also enjoyed your pictures.
It is always such a beautiful cultural experience coming to visit your blog. 🙂
flavor of the month
Culture rich in many traditions, interesting post
This looks like good, sensual fun. Beuatiful images.
very interesting
Rich culture in action!
Thank you for posting this, a lovely tradition.
I've seen this ritual, but didn't know why it was done. 🙂
This is so interesting…so colorful and so beautiful.
Nice pictures of this tradition.
Thanks for sharing this tradition. I looked up the word immersion and it says it is plunging under water. It looks like a kind of baptizing. How is it done? It's all very interesting and your photos are excellent.
It does look like a fun ritual and tradition. Thanks for sharing your world.
Looks like fun ritual and tradition. Very colorful and a beautiful photo of the goddess.
Very good shots to go with the narration.
I am sure you had a good time through it all Indrani.
Nice pictures of this tradition.
greetings, Joop
Very well narrated with great shots.
I have learned a lot of the rituals and traditions through your blog. Nothing ever so close than your photos.
Thanks for sharing.
Looks like a lovely and intimate ritual.
The colours are stunning!
Thanks so much for sharing this. I have read many novels taking place in India and have never heard of this part with the vermilion. Very touching.
Indrani, thanks for sharing these postings. That's what I like about "Thats's My World," I get so many opportunities to learn about things I've never heard about.
such a wonderful ritual…
looks like a fun tradition. women enjoy applying makeup on each other–and sweets. wonderful photos.
This is so beautiful, Indrani. I learned a lot.
I also looked back at your last few posts, and I am very impressed with the idea of making the idols out of clay so that they are absorbed back into the earth again.
And thank you for visiting my blog, too.
Kay, Alberta
Yes, it is fun to take part in Sindhur Khela.
A fun, intimate ritual indeed and, yes, thank you so much Indrani for sharing this with us! I love it! Hope you have a great week!
Sylvia
Thank you so much for your comments. 🙂
@ ladyfi, sweets are symbolic of wishing a happy journey when given at the time of parting.
That is such a fun and intimate ritual. Thank you for sharing it with us. 🙂
Peace,
Gina
I didn't heared abt this in Kerala
Looks like a lovely tradition. May I ask what the symbolism of the sweets means?
@ ladyfi, sweets are symbolic of wishing a happy journey when given at the time of parting