Bengal Bids Goodbye to Durga Puja With Idol Immersion

West Bengal Devotees bade tearful goodbye to their beloved mother goddess Durga as her idols were immersed in ponds, lakes and rivers on Vijaya Dashami on Oct. 24, 2012.

The banks of the Ganga and other rivers wore a festive look, as puja organizers came in colorful processions to the accompaniment of drums to immerse idols of the goddess and her four children -- Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartik.

Central Kolkata's Babughat, a popular stretch on the Ganga, was the centre of attraction as it drew a large number of people, even from abroad, who soaked in the festive spirit.

The immersion ceremony symbolizes the end of the goddess' annual sojourn to her paternal home and she returns to her husband Lord Shiva at their heavenly abode in Mount Kailash.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee also extended Bijaya Dashami and Dussehra greetings to the people.