Clay Images of West BengalDurga puja Bisarjan-Immersion of the image Images are traditionally carried on bamboo poles to the water's edge and ferried out midstream between two boats which then draw apart, letting the image fall into the water. On the way to the water's edge the congregation dance and drums are played loudly by the dhakis or drummers who are often hired for the day. Sometimes the image is revolved several times (usually seven) before it is immersed and most immersions are lively occasions. It is also traditional for the imagee to face the direction of the family home as it is being carried away to immersion. The details of the immersion are not mentioned in ritual texts so it is entirely up to the family how they should conduct the immersion itself. Larger images belonging to the sarvajanin or communal groups are paraded around towns and cities in trucks accompanied with shouts of 'Durga mai ki jai!' or 'Victory to mother Durga!'. Calcutta notes on the immersion of Durga images  In Calcutta the images are taken to various mooring places along the Hooghly river and immersed. The number of images worshipped in Calcutta is so great that it is not possible to immerse the images at the correct time stipulated as auspicious by the religious almanacs and immersion is often delayed be several days. After the immersion friends and family traditionally exchange vijaya dasami greetings and forgive each other past offences. This is vijaya milana or 'meeting together in victory' when vijaya songs are sung bidding farewell to Durga who has already left for her mountain home. Aparajita puja is done on a copper vessel on which is drawn an eight petalled lotus. A vow is made and Ganesh is worshipped, prayers said and Durga puja is concluded. (For photographs showing the immersion of Durga images belonging to the puja committee in Wales in the Bristol Channel in 2004, click the bisarjan link below.) |