Hyderabad’s Bengali community said goodbye to the joyous Durga Puja celebrations with a lively and colorful sindur khela ceremony. On Sunday, women from all over the city gathered at different puja pandals to offer prayers to Goddess Durga. The day ended with a grand immersion carnival at Hussain Sagar Lake.
Women dressed in traditional off-white sarees with red borders took part in the sindur khela ritual. They applied sindoor (red vermillion powder) to the forehead and feet of Goddess Durga. After that, they smeared sindoor on each other’s faces and danced joyfully to the beats of the dhaak (a drum-like instrument). Some attendees played the dhaak and blew conch shells, adding to the festive vibe.
Organizers explained that sindur khela is celebrated on Bijoya Dashami, the final day of the five-day Durga Puja. One organizer said, “Goddess Durga had come to her mother’s home, and now she is leaving. We say goodbye to her with tearful eyes, offering sweets and betel leaves (pan) as parting gifts. After the last Vijaya Dashami puja, a colorful procession was arranged.”
Hyderabad is home to around six to seven lakh (600,000 to 700,000) Bengali residents. This year, about 50 associations organized Durga puja events across the city.
The Hyderabad Bangalee Samity, one of the oldest Bengali associations in the city, held its final puja early in the morning. In the evening, they led a procession from their pandal near NTR Garden to Hussain Sagar for the immersion. Since their pandal was close to the lake, it took about an hour to reach the spot and complete the immersion.
The Bengalee Cultural Association, which focused on the theme of Nari Shakti (women’s empowerment) this year, attracted large crowds throughout the six-day festival. A representative said, “This year, all the women took charge of organizing our puja, truly representing Nari Shakti. Women managed the planning, decoration, and cultural activities. Like previous years, we chose Hussain Sagar Lake for the immersion ceremony.”
While many people gathered at Hussain Sagar for the immersion, some associations, such as the Prabashi Socio Cultural Association, opted for Bachupally Lake. The closer location made it a convenient and more environmentally friendly choice for them.
