Children bid goodbye to Goddess Durga

Balurghat: Nothing could move 11-year-old Diya from Balurghat Girls' School Road where she stayed for a good part of the day watching immersion procession go by. She had come with her brother and grandfather to take part in the excitement of immersion of the Goddess in the Atreyee river.

Children sat on newspapers on the footpath cheering abar asbe maa ek bachar pare (The Goddess return after a year). More than 50 idols were immersed on Tuesday and Wednesday. The administration has made elaborate arrangement for glitch-free immersions.

Puja committees took out colourful processions with people dancing their way to the banks of the Atreyee river. Onlookers assembled on either side of Balurghat Girls' School Road. Fast-food stalls were put up to tickle the tastebuds of the Puja revellers.

Navoneel, an engineering student, who has come to his maternal uncle's house, said: "It's great fun watching the procession. One gets to see the idols that have been left out during pandal-hopping. At the same time, it is sad to see Goddess Durga on her last journey," he said.

Police officers kept a strict watch ensuring that no untoward incidents marred the festivities which continued well past midnight.

"The security in and around the area has been tightened for the event. Around 150 police personnel have been engaged during the event. Several police assistance booths, watch towers and CCTV cameras were put in place to monitor the situation," said a police official.

According a senior police official, emergency services such as fire tenders and medical teams were set up to tackle emergency situations.