RAJSHAHI, Oct  13, 2024 (BSS) - The 5-day celebration of Sharadiyo Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Bengali Hindu community, ended here today with immersion of idols in the river Padma and other rivers in the district.

The last day rituals of the festival were celebrated amid much enthusiasm and festivity. 'Prasad' and sweets were distributed among the devotees and the people belonging to other communities, who visited the Puja Mandaps.

Marking the Bijoya Dashami women devotees applied 'Sindur' on the face of goddess Durga and exchanged greetings among themselves amid joyous and festive mood.

Before removing the idols of Durga and other Gods and Goddesses from the altar of all mandaps or makeshift pavilions for immersion, the Hindu devotees danced and sang "kirton".

Thousands of devotees joined the colorful marches as the idols were being carried to the nearby rivers particularly the river Padma, ponds, canals and other water bodies for immersion.

A total of 3,314 puja mandaps had been erected in all eight districts under Rajshahi division. Of the mandaps, 96 had been set up in Rajshahi city amid tight security measures this year.

Members of police, and Ansar-VDP were deployed at all the mandaps while officials, politicians and leaders of different socio-cultural organisations visited there.