Clay Images of West Bengal

Vijaya dasami-the tenth day

The final day of Durga puja is known as vijaya dasami or victorious tenth. Having done the usual puja with upacaras and recited humns to Devi, the priest performs the act of dismissal (visarjan) on the ghat and invokes Devi in the flowers of the offerings. The visarjan outlined in the Purohit Darpan or manual for puja follows that of the tantric scholar Krishnananda Agamvagisha in his Tantrasara. This says that one should visualise all the avaran (covering) deities merging into the body of the main deity. A mantra is recited and with the samhara mudra one should bring the deity's energy into one's own heart with the scent from the leftover flowers. Then, making a triangular mandala (diagram) to the north east, one shoud place the remains of the offerings upon it. Puja is done to the five deities (Vishu, Shiva, Surya and Ganesha) and the ghat is removed with a mantra. After visarjan the priest takes the cocount off the top of the ghat and pours water from the ghat onto the mirror which is this time angled to reflect the feet of the goddess. The priest sprinkles the remaining water on the heads of the congregation saying Om Shantih (peace). The mirror may be immersed in the water of the ghat. This immersion of the mirror in the ghat is considered to be the immersion proper rather than the later immersion of the image in a nearby river or pond. Unlike the initial bathing, the immersion is done on the reflected feet of Durga as if she was plunging headfirst into the waters.

Afterwards there is a benediction and the payment of the Brahmin's fees. Gifts, prasada, usually consisting of food and sweetmeats, are distributed to the congregation and guests. Before the immersion of the image there are certain concluding ceremonies. The priest leads a circumambulation (pradakshina) of the image and women bring offerings of betel leaf (pan) and betel nut (tambul) and vermilion (sindur) and offer it to the images. Sindur taken from the feet of the images is kept by the women for use on their foreheads for tilak marks during the rest of the year. Jewellery and other mementos are removed from the image.

Durga puja-immersion of the image