Muzaffarpur: The Bengali community of Muzaffarpur organized the traditional Sindoor Khela program on Saturday, as women gathered to bid farewell to Maa Durga on Vijay Dashami. The event, hosted by the Harisabha Durga Puja Committee, saw women dressed in red and white sarees applying sindoor to each other and to the goddess, wishing for good fortune and happiness. The celebrations took place before the immersion of Durga’s idol, accompanied by drums and nagadas.
This year marked a historic moment as, for the first time in 122 years, the Harisabha Durga Puja was led entirely by women. The new committee, comprising President Jhuma Das, Vice President Vandana Guha, Secretary Neela Bose, and Auditor Manisha Dutta, took charge of the event. Executive members Piyali Chatterjee, Sonali Sinha, Shravani Banerjee, and others managed various aspects of the Puja, including pandal decorations, bhog distribution, and cultural programs.
In Samastipur, a similar Sindoor Khela program was held at Durgabari, where women of the Bengali community gathered to play with sindoor in traditional attire. Mandira Palid, President of the local Durgabari Kali Puja Committee, spoke about the significance of bidding farewell to Maa Durga, comparing it to the departure of a daughter from her maternal home. Women danced, sang, and worshipped the goddess, asking for her blessings and inviting her to return next year.
The Harisabha Durga Puja, Muzaffarpur’s oldest, was decorated with images and biographies of notable women, continuing its tradition of celebrating Durga Puja with Bengali customs for over 122 years. Similarly, the Durgabari Puja in Samastipur has followed Bengali traditions for the last 91 years, drawing together the local Bengali community for the annual celebration.
