Today is Bijoya Dashami; the Sharadiya Durgotsav concludes with the immersion of the idols.

Bringing the five-day festival to a close, Bijoya Dashami is being celebrated today, Wednesday. Amidst the rhythmic beats of dhak (traditional drums) and the resonant sound of conch shells, Goddess Durga departs from the mortal realm to return to Kailash, marking the conclusion of the Sharadiya Durgotsav—the primary religious festival for followers of the Sanatan faith. Devotees and worshippers will bid a tearful farewell to the Mother Goddess, and after performing the prescribed rituals throughout the day, they will immerse the idols in bodies of water.

Since Wednesday morning, the scriptural rituals designated for Dashami have been underway at puja mandaps (worship pavilions) across the country. The Goddess is formally bid farewell through the Dashami-vihita puja (prescribed worship) and darpan visarjan (a ritual symbolizing the Goddess's departure). Subsequently, at a time convenient for the local organizers, the idols will be taken in processions from the mandaps to nearby rivers or other water bodies.

Amidst the sorrow of parting, women of the Sanatan faith engage in the traditional sindoor khela (smearing of vermilion) at the mandaps before the immersion. By applying vermilion—first touched to the feet of the Goddess—upon themselves, they pray for the longevity of their husbands and the well-being of their families. After exchanging greetings and sharing paan (betel leaf) and sweets, the devotees seek the Goddess's blessings one last time.

According to Sanatan scriptures, the core philosophy of Bijoya Dashami lies in casting away all demonic tendencies—such as lust, anger, and narrow-mindedness—from the human mind, thereby fostering peace and brotherhood in society. Based on scriptural calculations, Goddess Durga arrived this year riding a horse (ghotaka) and is now returning to Kailash by boat (nauka).