Bijoya Dashami is the tenth day, when Durga leaves for Kailash. In the morning married women feed the goddess sweets and betel, touch her forehead with vermilion, and then smear it on one another in Sindoor Khela. In the afternoon the images are carried to the river with drums and the cry "Asche bochor abar hobe". After the immersion, people embrace, and the young touch the feet of the old.
The story
The immersion returns clay to the river from which it came. A daughter going back to her husband's house is not seen off with tears alone: she is given sweets for the journey and told to come again.
For weeks afterwards Bengalis visit one another for Bijoya, and letters and calls carry the greeting to those too far to visit.
আসছে বছর আবার হবে
Next year it will happen again
Shouted as the image goes into the water
How the day goes
- Darpan bisarjanThe goddess is ritually dismissed in a mirror set in a bowl of water.
- Debi baranWomen bid her goodbye with sweets, paan and sindoor.
- Sindoor KhelaThe play with vermilion.
- BhashanThe procession to the ghat and the immersion.
- Kolakuli and pranamEmbraces among equals, and feet touched; then narkel naru, nimki and ghugni at every house.
Why this date
In Bengal Bijoya Dashami is the Dashami of the bright fortnight of Ashwin on the day it is present at sunrise.
Bijoya Dashami in other years
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Wednesday | |
| 2027 | Sunday | |
| 2028 | Thursday | |
| 2029 | Tuesday | |
| 2030 | Sunday | |
| 2031 | Saturday |
More Bengali festivals
9 OctoberMaha Navamiমহানবমী
7 OctoberMaha Ashtamiমহাষ্টমী
29 OctoberKali Pujaকালীপূজা
14 NovemberRash Purnimaরাস পূর্ণিমা
4 SeptemberGanesh Chaturthiগণেশ চতুর্থী
24 AugustJanmashtamiজন্মাষ্টমী
Where to see Bijoya Dashami
In West Bengal
- Babughat and the Hooghly ghats, KolkataWest BengalThousands of images are immersed over two or three evenings.
- TakiWest BengalOn the Ichamati, where boats from India and Bangladesh carry their images out into the same river.
- Red Road, KolkataWest BengalThe state's carnival of the prize-winning images, a few days later.
Across India
- MysuruKarnatakaThe Jamboo Savari, the procession of elephants from the palace.
- DelhiDelhiThe burning of Ravana on the same evening.
- KulluHimachal PradeshThe valley's festival begins today.