- Title: Women smear vermillion, marking end of festival amid pandemic in India
- Date: 26th October 2020
- Summary: GUWAHATI, ASSAM, INDIA (OCTOBER 26, 2020) (ANI - NO USE INDIA) DEVOTEES STANDING FACING IDOLS OF HINDU WARRIOR GODDESS 'DURGA' AND OTHER GODS IDOL OF DURGA DEVOTEE OFFERING PRAYERS AND MAKING SOUND (RITUAL) DEVOTEES PERFORMING RITUALS HOLDING CANDLES DEVOTEES OFFERING PRAYERS RITUALS VARIOUS OF DEVOTEES SMEARING EACH OTHER WITH VERMILLION VARIOUS OF DEVOTEES OFFERING PRAYERS (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) DEVOTEE, BHAVNA GHOSH, SAYING: "The 'Sindoor Khela' (vermillion ceremony) is the biggest festival of the Bengalis. On Vijayadashami (10th day of 'Durga Puja'), we smear each other with vermillion and pray for the long lives of our husbands and well being of our families, so, we celebrate the vermillion ceremony…and we also feel nice on the festival." KOLKATA, WEST BENGAL, INDIA (OCTOBER 26, 2020) (ANI - NO USE INDIA) DEVOTEES OFFERING PRAYERS IDOL OF DURGA DEVOTEES STANDING IN QUEUE HOLDING OFFERINGS VARIOUS OF DEVOTEES PERFORMING RITUALS DEVOTEES BEATING DRUM AND GONG VARIOUS OF DEVOTEES SMEARING EACH OTHER WITH VERMILLION (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEVOTEE, SHOUMITA, SAYING: "This year, as you are seeing we are all wearing masks…wearing masks we are having 'Sindoor Khela' and we tried to follow all the (COVID-19 safety) norms…we abide (ed) by the government rules and tried to follow the rules. This time we will not go to the immersion (of Durga's idol in water bodies) also." VARIOUS OF DEVOTEES APPLYING VERMILLION ON EACH OTHER MAN FEEDING 'RASGULLA' (INDIAN SWEET) TO DEVOTEES
- Embargoed: 9th November 2020 13:06
- Keywords: Assam Durga Puja Guwahati India Kolkata West Bengal coronavirus devotees festival health medicine religion vermilion
- Location: GUWAHATI, ASSAM/KOLKATA, WEST BENGAL, INDIA
- City: GUWAHATI, ASSAM/KOLKATA, WEST BENGAL, INDIA
- Country: India
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001D1RKHFZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Married Hindu women in eastern India smudged vermillion on each other on Monday (October 26) as they marked the end of the festival of 'Durga Puja' with 'Sindoor Khela' or vermillion smearing ceremony, amid the coronavirus pandemic.
'Sindoor Khela', which means playing with vermillion, is the last day of the celebrations before the immersion of Goddess Durga idols in the waterbodies after nine days of worshipping and festivities.
Clad in colourful traditional sarees, the Bengali women offer vermilion at the feet of the idol of the goddess. They then playfully smear each other with vermilion, wishing for long life of their husband and peace and prosperity in their family.
Every year, hundreds of women used to gather for the ceremony, however, this year, with the pandemic situation, only a handful of devotees gathered on the occasion and bid farewell to the warrior goddess with COVID-19 safety measures.
'Durga Puja' marks the victory of Durga over the evil buffalo-demon king Mahishasura. It is believed that during the festival, the goddess descends on earth to rid it of demons and bless her devotees with happiness and prosperity.
Durga represents power, the feminine force which guides and destroys all the evil from the earth. The festival is also about the annual visit of goddess Durga with her children to her ancestral home on earth. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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