Cooch Behar: Following centuries-old tradition of the Cooch Behar Rajbari, the idol of Boro Devi (Maa Durga), associated with the 500-year-old lineage of Cooch Behar Maharajas, was dismantled on Thursday morning.
Earlier, the Dashami Puja of the goddess was performed at the Baro Devi temple.
From early morning, a large number of women flocked to the temple to offer vermilion to the goddess. After special rituals and Anjali, the temple gates were opened, allowing devotees to immerse themselves in the celebrations. Women, while applying vermilion, also joined in the traditional festivities, even as the poignant sound of farewells from the temple added a touch of solemnity to the morning.
The idol was then taken to the Yamuna Dighi on a trolley, accompanied by local youth and members of the district administration, under police protection. The immersion ritual, steeped in tradition, includes animal sacrifices on the banks of the Yamuna Dighi before the immersion. Due to the idol’s size and grandeur, members of the Debuttor Trust Board and local residents collaboratively ensured the safe immersion. Nearly one to two thousand people gathered along the banks of the Yamuna Dighi to witness the historic ceremony.
A priest said: “As per the royal-era traditions, the Goddess is immersed in the Yamuna Dighi of Cooch Behar. Special Dashami Puja is performed at the temple, followed by rituals and sacrifices at the ghat, after which the goddess is immersed.”